Wellcraft Boat Owners Forum

The bilge pump problem is eliminated. I replaced it with a new one and rigged it with an automatic float switch and manual override. The only problem i have is locating that macerator pump. My fishbox is located in the floor, stern. Up until last year it worked flawlessly. I can.t locate it. I have 2 batteries resting on a plywood shelf behind the transom door suspended above the bilge. The fishbox is ahead of that. The shelf obstructs view of the bilge. Does anybody know the location of this macerator pump? The salt water raw pump has been located and is bolted to the rear transom wall, above the bilge starboard side. Easy access. The freshwater pump is located above the bilge above the bilge, port side. Easy access. BUT WHERE IS THAT FISHBOX MACERATOR PUMP?? Do i need to take that plywood shelf that my batteries rest on completely off??? Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

A couple of things come to mind.

Try to follow the hose from the thru-hull that the fish-box drained out from and that may lead you to the pump. Also, if you can't get your head into the tight spots to have a look around, I've used my cell phone to take photos and videos in those tight areas. Also, a mirror might help as well.

The batteries should be strapped down. Aside from that, without knowing much about that model, it seems strange that Wellcraft would put in a plywood battery shelf/compartment. I'd certainly hold that as suspect.

Chris

Chris, thanks for the supply. My batteries are boxed and strapped to this plywood platform that spans the width of the boat and drilled into the fiberglass. I took the batteries out to get a better view. Did the cellphone trick and it led me to the bilge pump and the auto float switch and aerator i never knew i had. I have owned this boat for 13 years and this is the first major problem i have had since i repowered it with twin suzies 5 years ago. And i thought i new my gal. So frustrating.

Well that's just great, at least you found some more stuff to work on now! Haha

So that makes me wonder, when you installed the new bilge pump, what thru-hull did you use? Seeing that you found the old bilge pump I'm wondering if you didn't install it in place of the fish well pump.

I don't know but if it were my boat, I'd think that the plywood battery shelf was aftermarket and in the worse case situation is hiding the pump you are trying to get at. It's got to be a rather well built and sturdy shelf to last this long and be able to support the weight of those two batteries. Hopefully the installer took into account that it would have to be removed and replaced on occasion. Here's what I found on the web that looks like what yours may have originally appeared (http://images0.boattrader.com/resize/1/ ... ?t=1198430).

BUT - My fish-hold boxes' hoses connect to a Y valve on the transom just under a hatch. In looking at the PIG (http://www.wellcraft.com/downloads/prod ... CCF_98.jpg) for your boat, it looks like you might have a hatch similar to mine and through that hatch at the transom might be what you're looking for.

Chris

Chris, you da best. That pic you sent me is my bilge exactly except for the battery location. I.ll send you a pic. My batteries rest on a lengthy piece of marine plywood and I totally agree with you. It.s gotta be after market and that makes sense because the guy I bought the boat from was a cabinet maker. He.s long gone and may be deceased. But he did free up a ton of space in that bilge but left me with an overengineered problem. That pump has to be under that shelf. The bilge pump I replaced is your typical rule pump that ran runs off an automatic float switch and rests on the floor of the bilge with one discharge tube that discharges starboard. I got that pumping. I rewired it into a manual and automatic set up. Quite slick. I used the same discharge hose. But the final piece of the puzzle eludes me. Where is that f'ing pump. I.m so close. I saw a picture of a fishbox with an access hole cut into the rear of the fishbox above the drain for greater access. 8 inch pie. What to do, what to do, what to do. Why didn.t I discover this problem in April.