Bait Pump without Scoop?

[Captain Decent]

I’ve asked this question on a couple boards but wanted to see what you guys thought.

I am plumbing in a 40gallon live bait tank (bait tank for anchovies, not a live well). The only thru hull I have is one located just aft of the engines/transmissions under that little hatch under the rear engine cover. There is currently a raw water wash down pump hooked to it.

I was planning to install a bait pump to it but noticed, now that the boat is on a trailer that it is just a standard thru hull and does not have a high speed scoop attached to it like I’m used to running. Has anyone ran a setup like this on these boats without a scoop? Will it still pump while underway? I’d rather not drill anymore holes and I’m putting her back in the water this week so I don’t really have the time.

My plan B is to install a transom mounted pump in the interim until I can install one this winter.

I figure with the way this boat kind of squats in the water while running I have a chance. Any thoughts?

[CamB25]

Seems like you are in a position to test the high speed flow rate now. Run the raw water hose while underway and see if/when the flow drops off. If the flow stays strong, you're probably good to go for the bait well.

[Rawleigh]

Just add one.

https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/u ... Mount+Ring

[Tony Meola]

I have a wash down intake without a scoop and have been able to use it at 20 knots. Have not tried it at 25 knots since we repowered, but no reason it should not work a long as there is water for it to pick up. Too far forward and I could see it starving also too close to the props. But in the center of the boat should not be an issue.

[Tooeez]

I had a washdown without a scoop that worked at any speed. When I added a livewell I put the pump on the same thru-hull; it would not work at any speed above idle, while the washdown continued to function. After some head-scratching I figured it out: the washdown is a diaphragm pump, which is self-priming; the livewell pump is centrifugal, and must be below the waterline or have water supplied to it via a scoop. After adding a scoop the livewell pumps at any speed.

[Tony Meola]

I have a centrifugal wash down and have not had an issue while running.

If I was taking off one line I would use Check valves in both lines so one pump can't steal the primer from the other pump. I suspect that no check valve was part of the problem.

[Captain Decent]

Ended up getting a scoop from my buddy locally just in the nick of time. I’m getting about a 50/50 report on wether it would work or not so didn’t want to risk it. Works beautifully right now.