How to plumb bait tank on 2320?

Classic Parker Boat Forum

Help Support Classic Parker Boat Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Tito

Active member
Joined
Dec 4, 2020
Messages
43
Reaction score
8
Looking to install 48 gal bait tank on my 2320. I was thinking of the water pick up with thru hull in the bilge in the back and punching a thru hull out the transom for the water exit. I’d run the plumbing between the deck and the fuel tank up to the bait tank. Not sure what other guys do on their Parkers. Does this sound ok?
 
That transom will be fine....It's done on other boats all the time. Install a 1 1/2in Seacock.

You breezed right thru that about the drain hose routing......My answer is Maybe?.......Maybe not? That needs to be confirmed....and not taken lightly....I'm suspecting bulkheads that must be drilled thu and no way to get the drill and holesaw in there to do it.

As to the pickup....If there is not one already...Install it on the Port side....Reserve the STB side for a thru hull X-Ducer.

For Pumps...I use a Rule Dual port....Top port for livewell....and bottom port is for supply to a wash down pump later on.
 
same boat as you.
I combined my bait tank inlet with the through hull for the raw water wash down.

my exit (drain) line is above the water line.
 
That transom will be fine....It's done on other boats all the time. Install a 1 1/2in Seacock.

You breezed right thru that about the drain hose routing......My answer is Maybe?.......Maybe not? That needs to be confirmed....and not taken lightly....I'm suspecting bulkheads that must be drilled thu and no way to get the drill and holesaw in there to do it.

As to the pickup....If there is not one already...Install it on the Port side....Reserve the STB side for a thru hull X-Ducer.

For Pumps...I use a Rule Dual port....Top port for livewell....and bottom port is for supply to a wash down pump later on.

Great info!
1. Confirming. I can use the existing thru hull for my wash down and plumb a T so it can also be used for the bait tank? (Already on the port side). I just replaced the wash down pump so all will need is a pump for the bait tank. Recommendation on a good pump for 48gal bait tank much appreciated!
2. I found there is already an opening in the bulk head so that’s no issue.
3. Drain either off the transom and above the water line? Or I even thought adjacent to on of the bilge pump drains. I have (2). One port and one starboard.
4. Does the drain need to be low for gravity to drain? (Sorry for the stupid question I’ve never installed one). Or will the intake pump push the water out when the tank is just flowing?
Thanks for all the help!
 
This is my intake pump tied into the factory wash down pick up.
 

Attachments

  • C20FD31B-2656-4FE0-9F29-A5A4B2EAB0C5.jpeg
    C20FD31B-2656-4FE0-9F29-A5A4B2EAB0C5.jpeg
    1.6 MB · Views: 88
My exit line plumbed above water line. Ensure you drill your hole and leave space to install nuts, washers, etc.
 

Attachments

  • E920B1E6-1F4F-4A4F-8DCD-DCF1B5A1E94A.jpeg
    E920B1E6-1F4F-4A4F-8DCD-DCF1B5A1E94A.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 79
Everything I’ve read is that your pump size and fill time is more of a local thing.

I fish with anchovies in the Pacific Northwest so the rule 750 fills my 50 gallon tank in about 5-6 mins which is a pretty ideal flow rate.

The rule 750 pump can be swapped out at sea so long as you have a isolation valve to prevent sea water from filling your bilge and a valve to prevent your tank from draining into your bilge.

keep the questions coming. I asked many rookie questions and asking questions and having a high level of detail will pay off.
 
Last edited:
Everything I’ve read is that your pump size and fill time is more of a local thing.

I fish with anchovies in the Pacific Northwest so the rule 750 fills my 50 gallon tank in about 5-6 mins which is a pretty ideal flow rate.

The rule 750 pump can be swapped out at sea so long as you have a isolation valve to prevent sea water from filling your bilge and a valve to prevent your tank from draining into your bilge.

keep the questions coming. I asked many rookie questions and asking questions and having a high level of detail will pay off.
Where is your valve located that prevents the tank from draining backwards through the inlet as you replace your rule 750 bait pump? And plus how would you know if your pump died? For me, bait dies, then I know. At that point keeping any water in the tank while I change out the pump would be a moot point. Thoughts?
 
The valve for tank isolation is further up line not shown in the picture

I just realized the pump is a 800 not 750 as I previously stated. 🤦‍♂️

I have researched installing a zero or low flow alarm but have not pulled the trigger yet. I typically just keep an eye on it.

One more thing about the pump.

Parker wires deutsch connectors for the live well switch (on my 2016 model). So if you choose to not hard wire your pump you will need a deutsch crimping tool.
 
okay thanks! My original bait pump has died since I've had the boat since Summer. Apparently it died when we were out lobstering (lobsters didn't die so we didn't notice.) But then it didn't work the next day when we were about to go offshore. Ruined the day, so now I keep an extra pump on board. I've heard strainers will help keep the life of the pump lasting longer, seems like a lot of work though. Now I pull the pump before each trip to check for eel grass, etc
 
Drilling through your bulkhead is the biggest pain. use extra caution and take your time. I use a one inch fill line and a 1 1/2" bilge drain hose. You can do you drain under the water line but I like mine above. For some reason I like to hear my tank draining out and not into my fuel tank. I run a rule 1500 on my 48 gallon which also supplies water to my wash down pump. I actually have two plumbed in because it never fails being 70 miles out and one fails. Make sure you run a scoop on the bottom of the water pickup thru hull. A strainer is a good idea if a second bait pump is not ideal. I can post some pictures here later today of how It is plumbed.
 
Would love to see the pics g
Drilling through your bulkhead is the biggest pain. use extra caution and take your time. I use a one inch fill line and a 1 1/2" bilge drain hose. You can do you drain under the water line but I like mine above. For some reason I like to hear my tank draining out and not into my fuel tank. I run a rule 1500 on my 48 gallon which also supplies water to my wash down pump. I actually have two plumbed in because it never fails being 70 miles out and one fails. Make sure you run a scoop on the bottom of the water pickup thru hull. A strainer is a good idea if a second bait pump is not ideal. I can post some pictures here later today of how It is plumbed.
Would love to see the pics. Great info thank you! I already have a 6 gpm wash down pump. And was planing on using the same thru hull to pickup for bait pump. I will definitely have a filter in between.
 
Last edited:
I just installed a 90 gallon tank on my 2003 2520 DV Sport Cabin located in southern California. I installed a Jabasco 50840 Series Low Pressure Cyclone Centrifugal pump 29.7 gpm in the bilge. A 1" seacock through the bottom of the boat with a clam shell opening feeds the pump. On the output side of the bait pump is a T that runs to a Jabsco Hotshot Series 12V Automatic High Pressure Washdown Pump (pump doesn't require a prime) mounted in the transom above the bilge and water line and near the starboard battery. I have found that I need to run the washdown pump to prime my bait pump. I keep my boat on a trailer so the system drains every time I pull the boat out of the water. I haven't tried to get the bait pump to prime by just running at speed (have to leave the harbor to run over 5 mph and then come back in to get bait in the harbor) assuming the water would get forced into the pump through the clam shell fitting on the seacock. I have a Groco strainer on the inlet to the bait pump and routinely remove eel grass from the strainer which I believe would damage the pump if not strained out. Highly recommend installing a strainer. I have a valve after the T to the washdown pump which allows me to isolate the bait pump by closing it and the valve on the seacock. I carry a spare bait pump. I still need to change the electrical connectors to plugs to facilitate changing out the pump.

I installed my bait tank over the pie opening to the fuel tank right behind the pilothouse door. I ran the supply (1") and exit (1.5") lines from the bottom of the bait tank, through the pie hole, over the top of the fuel tank, and drilled two holes in the top of the bulkhead wall in the bilge (FYI, this "bulkhead" was only about 1/4"+ thick and was not "sealed" to the bottom of the deck so if water filled the bilge it could get beyond the bulkhead into the area where the gas tank is regardless of whether I drilled holes through it) for the 1" line to the pump and 1-1/2" exit line through the transom. I couldn't figure out an easy way for the exit to go out the side above the water line (if I remember correctly the deck is close to the water line so the line would have to be run above the deck) and based on the research I did it is ok to run the exit below the water line. I have a flotation bracket on the transom for the engines so my exit is through the transom about 6 inches above the bottom of the bilge to stay below the bottom of the flotation bracket. I have a 1-1/2" seacock with valve for the exit. I ended up needing the longer seacock due to the thickness of the transom. Make sure you use good all stainless hose clamps (they are expensive but worth it in my opinion) and use two clamps at each connection. I used like materials for all my fittings (bronze for the pump, T, and hose barbs and plastic for the strainer). In hind sight, I may have gone with the more expensive strainer with metal fittings to eliminate plastic fittings in the bilge.
 
Thanks guys for all the help!! Project came out great!! Check out the bracket my buddy fabbed up.
 

Attachments

  • 15510B1F-8A89-4F9E-8406-488FE7194A6F.jpeg
    15510B1F-8A89-4F9E-8406-488FE7194A6F.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 43
  • D76D9E4B-8513-4C90-A084-CEDDAE41CCFE.jpeg
    D76D9E4B-8513-4C90-A084-CEDDAE41CCFE.jpeg
    1,022.2 KB · Views: 40
  • B4A1D9A2-ECE0-486A-8EA7-1C5BF71502F9.jpeg
    B4A1D9A2-ECE0-486A-8EA7-1C5BF71502F9.jpeg
    1,022 KB · Views: 39
Back
Top