Vittle Vault livewell for Ocean Kayak Big Game 2
 

Aloha to All,

I am in the process of designing and building a livewell for a new Big Game II that I ordered and haven't gotten in yet. I'm using a Vittle Vault 40 and working out my best options for the plumbing. I remember that the majority of the San Diego guys were just hanging the overflow hose and pump over the sides but I'm trying for a cleaner look so I'm looking to mount the pump inlet pipe down through the scupper.

Waiting for my kayak to come in and measure the scupper depth would be one way to go but I was hoping someone else out there might already have a BGII and could measure it for me so I can either continue with the design or know that I have to change direction and go back to my plan of mounting the pump on the side of the tank and using a priming bulb.

Mahalo,
Phil

:jig:

The major, and I mean MAJOR advantage to having the inlet house hang over the side is the fact that not if, but when, you get something caught in the pump(eelgrass, seaweed, trash, etc) you can easily clear it. I have a Hobie tank and I can tell you that clearing crap that gets caught in the inlet or impeller is a fucking nightmare.

Very good point. Thanks

:cheers1:

BUT! Having the bilge pump hanging over the side does create drag which does compromise speed quite a bit on a wider kayak like yours. I'd weigh your options. I don't know how your fishing grounds are like, but if there isn't a lot of grass or muck that would get stuck in your pump then I say go with the scupper route.

Kind of what I was thinking. There aren't a lot of areas where grass and seaweed are emergent. My main hazard to the bottom of the yak will be rocks, coral, and garbage. I plan on using a screen so I should be able to turn the pump off and the loss of suction should allow the debris to fall away.

:reel:

If you want to do your pump thru the scupper, I would recommend attaching a sink strainer to the end of it. It gives you more surface area to draw from, which will lead to less debris sucked up. A removable priming bulb and hose is pretty good also. I use a Vittles Vault tank with thru scupper pickup and outflow in my Trident 15. It works great, and rarely have any problems with debris.

What is the length of hose or pipe to get through the scupper. I'm thinking of mounting my pump with the inlet pipe right down through the scupper and a mesh screen on the end. My idea will work if the 4 inch pump inlet pipe is long enough.

Thanks to all.

I ordered hobie parts
 

Including the pick up hose and routed it up through the scupper hole on a 2017 Trident. The tank operates just like a hobie tank. As soon as I get a chance I will post pictures. My parts list was probably more than 230$ well with it though .

I thought about the scupper pickup when I built my last few tanks. It definitely looks cleaner and does not add drag. I ended up going with an over the side pickup for a few reasons:

- No need to prime
- Easier to clear
- Drag is not that bad
- Non-platform specific. If I wanted to use it on a different yak where the scupper configuration is different then I am still good to go

Not trying to sway your decision. Just stating why I went the way I did.

Good luck with your build!

I’m the Man up in this Beast
 

Look at my tank

Still can’t post worth
 

Ashit .

Diesel particulate filter
 

In bottom shot is not for sale , so don’t ask . Ty.

Parts
 

Blue flex hose allows for quick priming . Same pump as hobie which can be purchased from Walmart . Hobie pickup ( which includes a strainer ), straps , handle . Drain plugs control multi drain levels . Almost all stainless hardware.

In case it helps...
 

I went for exactly what you’re talking about but I did not mount the motor inside so that it doesn’t drain if the battery dies and the motor stops running. I have heard that having the motor to high up from the waterline can cause priming issues, but with the little Hobie tip on the bottom it doesn’t seem to be a problem. You definitely want to be a couple of inches below the bottom of the hull. My first try I was just below the hull and it didn’t pick up well at all.

Here is my pump assembly with threaded PVC connector that I Gooped the sink strainer to. I also added a bit of foam to deaden the noise transfer.

The other pic is my priming bulb and hose that I remove after a couple squeezes. It can be reinstalled easily otw if you lose prime, but I rarely do.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...5/limit/recent

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...4/limit/recent

nice

:luxhello::luxhello:

Blue flex hose
 

Can be capped or the pump itself is threaded . Cap can be purchased at Home Depot. With cap installed the tank can be filled manually . I also use the tank as a giant storage when launching and landing.

Another pic
 

Of connector. This will never fail. I use this for all electrical connections including meter. Expensive, but bulletproof.

Yes tony. I’m aware of how drains work.

My point is that it is, in my opinion, bad design that you would have to reach into your tank to cap it while full, and also be present of mind enough while fishing on the ocean to notice that the sound of your pump has stopped. I’ve had mine die on me and it took me a few to realize it... that’s not even considering that sometimes you might have music playing or be dealing with something that requires concentration.