Ok, I built a bait tank for my Ocean Kayak Drifter. Thought I'd share the experience.
As you can see the Ocean Kayak Drifter has a rectangluar recess just behind the seat. Where as a lot of people use a 5 gallon bucket I couldn't. So I had to find something that would fit in the recess, hold enough water to make a viable bait tank and be something I could work with.
In Boater's World one day I found this 'storage box'. It was only $20.00 so if it didn't work oh well.
I got it home and checked it for fit. Like it was made for it. It fit perfectly in the recess. So far so good, but how much water will it hold? So I got a 1 galloon milk jug and started filling it up. 5 gallons with room to spare.
let's get to work. Let's see ... I need ;
Pump - Attwood A500 Aerator pump $30.00 at Boaters World
Battery to run the pump - Yuntong YT-1270 (12v 7ah) gel battery $20.00 at Hobby People. That ought to run the pump for several hours, especially since I wont be running it at 12v. Running it at 12v gives 500 gph which would beat the bait to death.
Which brings me to;
DC speed control - $7.00 at Fry's - Varies from 3vdc to 11 vdc - that should give me the flow I want. (did you know that at the restaurant in Fry's they don't sell fries?)
A marine grade on/off switch - $4.00 at boater's World
A check valve so when I prime the pump it doesn't just run out the other end.
Boater's world carries one for $16.00 but they were out of stock and I wanted to get this done. I went next door to Doit hardware and picked up a backfloe preventer for a hose bibb for $3.00. A backflow preventer is not a check valve but it is close enough to work with.
The difference is that though they both allow flow in only one direction a backflow preventer allows the backflow to run out onto the ground. Just what I don't want, but easy enough to fix. A little silicon caulk in the holes and now I have a check valve. A couple fittings for another $3.00 and some 3/4 tubing that I already have. That should do it.
Total cost about $85.00
Onto putting it all together.
I drilled a hole for the pump just big enough to pressure fit the pump outlet and put on the aerator elbow that came with the pump.
Drilled some overflow holes.
Mounted the speed control and on/off switch
and wired it all up to the battery which goes into a dry bag.
Turned the tray upside down, cut the middle part out, leaving enough lip to keep the bait from jumping out.
Put it in the kayak and strapped it down.
Tested it with a 5 gallon buck with water running into it and everything works great. Now it needs a sea trial ... maybe Sunday.
And, I can put it all inside and put the lid on and have a truely portable bait tank.
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