hobie livewell screen?

hello hobie forum members, I live in florida where shallow water and sea grasses are common. I've just gotten my livewell! love the design and all the simple functional parts but noticed after several hours of running time the pump flow was reduced to about half.when i got back to shore and removed the intake line there was a "hairball"of slender eelgrass.the livewell performed well but blockage is going to happen.hobie sells a ton of kayaks around here and i'm sure this is goig to be a relevant issue.anyboby got a solution? i have a stainless baitwell screen but it's larger than the scupper.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/show ... php?t=3367

Does this help ?

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Hobie Mirage Revolution
Ocean Kayak Prowler 13
- Look ma no hands

It would help a whole lot more if the pictures were visible to non-members of that board.

Brian C

Saw a post where the guy used some plastic window screen material. Removed the intake end fitting from the tube, covered the inside (tube side) end and re-inserted in the tube. That created a perfect screen for the intake line.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I live in Florida on the West Coast, so I experienced the problem with sea grass. What I did was stop the grass at the intake.
I cut the screen wire in a 3/4 inch strip long enough to extend up through the tube with about 1/2 inch extending out of the tube on both sides. The screen is over the intake hole and pulled as the intake is inserted back in the tube. At this piont I replaced the screw that holds the intake to the tube. I trimed the excess screen at the top of the intake tube. The sreen is wrapped behind the opening of the intake tube and super glued.

This works. However the screen will slow down the volume of water. If grass starts to cover the screen you must start boat movement to force the grass away from the intake. You can also shut off the pump, however it will need to be primed again. This will take boat movement.

t

No need to cover the intake twice. Just using the method as found on the other website is sufficient. Covering the intake from the inside as well as the outside is redundent and probably the reason your flow of water has slowed down. By just wedging the screen from within, you're already creating an airtight seal, and that sucker ain't going anywhere. I've had my screen on for about two months and it has performed flawlessly. If anything gets caught in the screen I just turn of the motor for a few seconds and the reverse flow flushes anything out the intake tube. Better to not complicate things by super glueing and such, when not needed.

There is only one screen in use when appling the screen to exterior. There seems to be fewer times that the grass blocks water flow. It is just another way of correcting the problem. It would be great if Hobie could provide a better fix.

We have been looking into this from reading our users questions.... here is a an answer from our engineering staff:

"Adding a simple screen over the intake isn't going to solve the problem completely because if the screen gets clogged then we have another problem. Also, having a screen over the intake slows down the water flow without even being clogged. I have an idea on an attachment accessory that we could try to design that would help the weed problem and still allow for good water flow"

So keep the good feedback coming...we'll try our best to create the best accessories we can.

Ok
How about zipp tying screen material on the outside of the tube ?
In theory it should be self cleaning , maybe

Logic
Water through screen through tube to pump to livewell
Screen gets clogged by debris, suction is lost
Suction lost = no holding power for clog
Debris falls away naturally by gravity
a few strokes on the mirage drive and the livewell is primed again

I'm probablly missing something here.
But it sound like it would work, at least thats what the voices in my head keep saying

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Hobie Mirage Revolution
Ocean Kayak Prowler 13
- Look ma no hands

Last night my garage was stinking like something died. My wife thought it was the trash, but a short investigation led me to the Hobie livewell. It had been used three days ago, and I left it to dry out with the top open. As it turns out, a crayfish was caught in the impeller of the pump. It was rotting and covered with tiny maggots! I only had minnows in the livewell, so I am not quite sure how the crayfish got in; either he was sucked in from the lake, or he was able to sneek in with the minnows from the bait shop. I picked the pieces out of the impeller, and I thoroughly washed the livewell with dish soap. This was my first time using the livewell, and up until my garage started reeking, I thought it was great. I don't want to go through this miserable process again, so I need some way to keep debris (and small animals) out of the impeller.

I've had trouble like that too but not being sucked in. There is a small gap between the pump and the wall of the livewell. California (pacific) sardines are mostly too big but those damn anchovies. Pheww what a stink. To ensure no stowaways on the way home, I disassemble the pump and leave all the parts inside the livewell

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Hobie Mirage Revolution
Ocean Kayak Prowler 13
- Look ma no hands

Any update on this accessory?? I could really use one.

I'm getting real tired of having to stop fishng so I can unclogg the intake tube, sometimes learning the hard way that its clogged (dead bait). Then having to re prime. What a joy when its full of water and the rod holders have a rod in them. $250

You will still have to un-clog the screeen at times. This will just keep debris from getting to the pump. No Hobie accessory yet. Seems there have been many suggestions on how this can be done by users though.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I just found a fix for my weed problem........I think. I removed the stock clear suction hose and attached another, approximatley 15" long. The new tube has a natural curve so when I put the live well on, the tube will curve to the rear. Anyway, I plugged up the other end that's away from the pump and then drilled 30 or so, 1/8" holes in it. I didn't drill any holes within 5" of the pump. Don't want the holes above the waterline, so it will not suck air instead of water. Will test it tomorrow and see if it works or not. Will take picks if it does.


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A transfer from Big Water's Edge.com: http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/index.php

Ray

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Harold Ray Emerson
419 Lake Air Drive
Waco, Texas 78710

Phone: 254-772-3520