Live Well Drain - Targa

[Texas Transplant]

I have a Tracker Targa 18, model year 2000. It has two live wells on it (front and rear), along with two bait wells. The bait wells and the front live well are all working fine. The problem I have is with the rear live well. I just started using it this spring.



The front well has an overflow built into it, and the valve's/tubing installed that is representative of your System 1 (on the web site). Works fine. Put the valve in closed mode, fill the live well, turn on the built in aerator, and the overflow is handled via the attached overflow tube connected through the side wall of the live well.



However, the back live well has no overflow connection to it at all. It was also delivered with stand tube (rubber coupling/housing attached to a 1/2" pvc pipe - similar to what is used in the bait wells). This tube does not fit into the drain hole. The drail hole is much smaller, fitted with a hard rubber grommett; about 3/8" at best. In short, without my 'rigged' copper tube held in place with a modified rubber seal - and duct tape, the unit will eventually overflow into the boat.



This is the explanation that I got from the dealer:



The rear live well is an auxillarily well and not intended to be a full live well. It does not come with an overflow device. You should fill it halfway, with the valve closed, and then run the re-circulation pump only. Not the aerator, as it will overfill the tank. The system was designed this way.



This seems to be nothing more than an explanation to get me out of their hair, as the boat is obviously out of warranty, and they are attempting to explain their way out of having to fix something that wasn't delivered right in the first place.



I've sent a message to Flow-rite Controls, to see what they have to say. There diagram of the system shows that it should have a connected overflow fitting/tubing attached. Anyone else having that experience? Anyone with a Targa 18 that can verify they have or don't have this problem?



Thanks.

 

[Andrew Zuber]

Texas-

My TV-18 came with a drain tube for the live well...

It did not fit into the small drainhole at the bottom of the livewell either.

After tracing all the lines and tubing, I determined that my overflow was just a hole near the top of the livewell. The drain tube that came all nicely packaged in plastic wrap was not needed for my boat!

I'm sure I looked funny trying to wedge the "round peg in the square hole" since the drain tube didn't even come close to fitting in the drain hole...



az

 

[Texas Transplant]

I did all of that checking also. The front live well has an overflow built in, just as you have described. The rear live well doesn't. And yes, you are correct - that tube don't near fit in that small hole. What seems to have happened is that whenever they built my boat, someone forgot to install the drain hole in the rear well.

 

[Paul Goertz]

i have the 18 and had never had a problem with the back well i close the drain and let it pump all day long with no problems

 

[Texas Transplant]

Paul - does it have an overflow in it? Either permentally mounted through the upper side of the well, or an overflow tube?

 

[Tim Decker]

I have a 2000 Targa 18 also. The rear livewell is just

as you described. I found this out just last week when it

started overflowing into the bilge. I was thinking about

installing my own drain , tubing , and thru-hull fitting,

but I am sure there would be warranty issues. Looks like a

poor design to me. It should be just like the front livewell.

Good Luck , Tim Decker