Water in fish box

[Ziggy]

Just got a 2007 Coastal 270 with fish boxes in floor on both sides. One box has water in & not sure how to get it out. Is it a gravity feed via Seacock? Drain clogged,(no screen)? Is it supposed to go into to bilge area and be pumped? Thanks

[WBO Admin]

It's probably macerated. Look for a macerator switch on the dash or near the box.

[cliffdweller]

If it is like the 22 walkaround, both drains are connected together. When the pump starts sucking air form one box, the other one stops draining. I use a towel to plug the box that is lowest and the water will continue pumping out of the other one. At no time will all of the water be pumped out of either box. I have to hand dip out the last half gallon form each box.

[Chris]

I'd be very surprised if the manufacture built the boat so that the fish boxes drain into the bilge.

On my boat, each box has a drain, connected to a hose, that then connect to a Y yalve. This Y valve selects between the starboard and port boxes. The Y valve connects to another hose that connects to a pump and then the hose from the pump connects to the thru hull above the water line. I have a switch at the helm to activate the pump. The water exits the boat through a thru hull located next to the thru hull for the aft bilge. I have built in screen on both drains in the inside of the box. I also have a screen filter loacted at the Y valve on the hose going to the pump.

Do you know what each thru hull is for on your boat? If not, it would be a great idea to find this out sooner than later but it will also assist you it tracking where this or other pumps might be on your boat. Gravety drains are usually placed low to the water line or several inches above it (sink, livewell). Pump-out drains often-times are placed higher on the hull and typically have an anti-syphon loop as well (bilge,fish box).

Chris