Cracked live well...any ideas on a good fix?

[Mike S.]

It's no surprise that the livewell is cracked across the bottom in the boat I just bought from my buddy.  I've known about it for years.  It appears to have cracked from he divider slamming up and down while in place.  Does anybody have a good idea to seal this up?  I have thought about plastic welding, since I have an uncle who does it on rv holding tanks, but I am not sure what type of plastic it would be made of.  Maybe a multi layered patch of epoxy?  I can post pics later if that would help.  Any ideas?  I really don't want to fill the whole boat with water if I use the livewell.

[Bobber]

Fiberglass Resin and cloth. Its easy and the strongest thing i can think of.

[thedude]

i'd say the same - only try 3oz fiberglass cloth and epoxy.

[Waterfoul]

Make sure you rough up the area you plan on putting the fiberglass... give it a rough surface to adhere to.

[Mike S.]

I've never done any fiberglass work.  It will bond to plastic?  I went and bought a 1 inch plug, so at least now the live well doesn't fill with water.

[Waterfoul]

I've never done any fiberglass work.  It will bond to plastic?  I went and bought a 1 inch plug, so at least now the live well doesn't fill with water.

It will IF you rough it up real good... I'm talking a very course sand paper.  I suggest West Systems resin... best around and you can get it from the West Marine store near you on James Street, just west of US 31.  This is Epoxy resin and will stick to the plastic much better than the cheaper polyester resin ever will.  Talk to Ross or Joel.

[Mike S.]

Thanks.  I will have to run in there, and check that out.  I put 3 1 inch plugs in it, and that keeps all the water out, but haven't yet fixed the crack.  As of now, the live well is just empty space, and useless.