FISH HOLD PUMP OUT

[Ghost Chaser]

Originally Posted by T Shark

????? I dont believe we are talking about the same thing. Thats a cartridge your talking about that snaps in to where? Can you explain?

These are Johnson bilge pumps on the Trophy Fish Holds. Keep the Bilge
Hardware (Plastic Orange) and just replace the motor which is a cartridge type that pulls right out and and the replacement ones snap in. Look down in your bige and you can't miss them. They look the same as your normal bilge pump except they are a bit more tucked in (hidden). Follow the black bilge hose from your thru hull fittings and you will find the pumps on both sides.

West Marine has them on sale right now (30% off)

[sea scum]

Nothing wrong with in the hold boxes (ice chests for filets and food :0) ) Just pull the plug under power to drain excess water. Gave up trying to keep the macerator working, did the same thing the seller did, forgot about it. Besides, you'll drain at the ramp too.

[T Shark]

Thanks for the description. That is not the same setup on my trophy. Mine came original with the single pump.

[Handymansd]

I have the same boat (1991 Trophy 2002FF WA) and have been dreading changing the pump because of the location. I agree that gymnastics and a few "daddy words" will probably be involved.

I think I will change the plumbing and go with the macerater pump as well as keeping the inline filter and screens in the holds. I am going to try to do this today so will try to get pics. Maybe the newer trophy's come with the simple 500gph bait/ bilge pumps, but it would take them a week to drain the large holds.

Does anyone know if using an adapter to change the inlet size to smaller than the 1.5" would damage the pump in any way?

[sea scum]

Just curious, does this boat have a drain plug too?

[slief]

I just sold a 1991 Trophy 20'. The fish well pumps are a pain as mentioned. My suggestion is to get the largest access plate you can fit into the engine well and ditch the small factory access hatch. Cut the opening for the new access hatch, change the pump out with a good marcerator and install the new hatch. You will thank yourself for installing the new hatch when it comes time to dealing with the bilge pump, bait tank pump or fishwell pump. I would also suggest going with a rectangular or square hatch as opposed to a round one, but if you can find a large round one that provides better access, it will still make your life much easier. In my boat, both fishwells fed into a small screen filter which then went to the pump. They were a royal pain as the screen element in the filter would continually plug up. A good jabsco marcerator will eliminate the filter and the clogging issue. Also, I would expect to spend more than $100 on a decent marcerator pump. Get a good one and be done with it.

You will also need a barbed T fitting to combine both wells. I would also suggest getting a couple of the rubber style hull plugs that you can put into the bulk head of fishwells so you can plug one if its dry when your pumping the other fishwell out.

[T Shark]

Yes the boat does have a drain plug too.

The mercerator pump works great and I did not mount it in the original pump location. Way to hard to get to.

I should have put a larger opening but didnt want to cut the boat up. If I have to do it again I will cut a bigger access hole.

Reducing the fitting on the inlet only shouldnt hurt the pump but definetly go bigger than the original size hose from the holds.

[j_m_vasquez]

T Shark, do you have pics of what you did? I looked and found the pump. It's going to be a pain in the @#$. I also found that the original owner didn't look to hard for the problem. I found that a fuse was burnt out. I replaced the fuse and I can now hear the motor on the pump working but there is still no suction. I assume the pump is either clogged or frozen. I have the single pump for both holds. I too don't really want to cut the boat but I do want to move the pump like you did. Pics would be great.

PS if you have any advice on the pump motor running but no suction,, let me know if I'm wrong in my assumptions and what I can do.

Thanks

[T Shark]

I dont have any pics and I cant take any(camera went in the water at Catalina). I will try and borrow one and get you a few pics as soon as I can.
As far as your assumption, you are right the filter is probably clogged. If you clean it it will clog again in no time at all. Within minutes. Dont waste your time.

[Norcal Nomad]

I sold my 1996 20 ft Trophy last year and believe it's the same set-up (so called "fishlockers" flush on deck?).

My advice to you is, screw the fish lockers and save your money. If at all possible, bolt down the lids and seal the gaps. As Unwired posted, you're better off with coolers. My experience with those damn fish lockers was nothing but a P.I.T.A. to clean. In addition, you leave fish and water sitting in those things and it's like a sewer: it stinks and its unsanitary.

I loved my Trophy but would gladly curse at the person who designed the damned fish lockers. I stopped using those stupid things because they just became a cesspool. Even when the boat is sitting on the lot, dust and soil gets into those things and when the rains come, all that becomes mud that eventually dries and hardens into something like adobe. PFFFT!!!

Instead of blowing $100 for a macerator, buy yourself two 120-quart igloo coolers ($52 each) at WallyMart and save yourself the hassle and money.

Just my .02.

Tight lines!

[slief]

Originally Posted by j_m_vasquez

T Shark, do you have pics of what you did? I looked and found the pump. It's going to be a pain in the @#$. I also found that the original owner didn't look to hard for the problem. I found that a fuse was burnt out. I replaced the fuse and I can now hear the motor on the pump working but there is still no suction. I assume the pump is either clogged or frozen. I have the single pump for both holds. I too don't really want to cut the boat but I do want to move the pump like you did. Pics would be great.

PS if you have any advice on the pump motor running but no suction,, let me know if I'm wrong in my assumptions and what I can do.

Thanks

Each hose from the fish locker drains should meet under the deck near the pump and run into a small round filter. It acts as the "y" connection and then goes via one hose to the pump. This round filter has a screw on top. If you unscrew the top, there is a metal screen filter which will plug up. Pull the screen out and clean it and put it back in or eliminate it completely. Downside to eliminating the screen is that the pump will eventually clog. You might also have some debris in the pumps impeller. If you have one of those cartridge based pumps, pull the cartridge out and check the impeller and base for debris. Flush it as needed.

If one of the lockers has water in it and the other does not, depending on how the locker hoses are routed, you could end up with a priming issue at the pump. It can suck air from the dry locker and will not prime itself to get the other locker to drain. That is why I would suggest having a rubber plug of some sort to plug off one of the fish lockers if needed. Thats what I would do when I wanted to drain one locker but not the other or if one locker was dry.

My suggestion is to open that access hatch up and replace it with a larger hatch. It will save you all kinds of head aches and bloody knuckles. A trip to west marine, a jig saw and some 4200 and you will be set!

As for other comments on the fish boxes.. I don't agree. They work fine if the issues are addressed. Not the best design but the draining flaws are easily fixed with a marcerator. Sure they collect some crap when the boat sits, but a hose and some water will fix that. Just keep em clean. Fill them with some ice and use them. Why eat up the deck space on an already small boat with coolers?

[T Shark]

Yeah, seal up fish lockers with screws and glue and buy two big ass ice chest and take up all of the deck space. That makes a whole lot of sensce. The mercerator pump works great. As soon as I can get you pics I will.