CONTINUOUSWAVE

Just recently purchased 1998 17 Outrage II.

FIRST TOPIC ON DRAINS FOR LIVE WELLS: I found two live wells in the aft cockpit deck: one on each side below cushioned seat.

The prior owner had no plugs in the drain holes so they are just open.

Is it recommended to put plugs in drain holes if not being used for a live well? Why would you allow water into the aft wells if not using them. I would think this is putting more weight in rear of boat when water can flow into them.

SECOND TOPIC ON WATER SEPARATING FILTERS:
One of the wells has what I believe is a water separation filter.

How often should the water separating filter be changed?

ON TOPIC TWO

Re the filter in an aft live well you describe as a water separating filter: the filter could be a fuel-water separating filter in the boat fuel system; or it could be a filter for a circulating pump in the live well.

Any filter should be changed when the filter media is clogged with debris that has been trapped by the filter.

A fuel system filter should be changed when the pressure drops across the filter exceeds a few PSI. If the filter has a clear bowl you may be able to see visual evidence of debris or water. The filters are not very expensive. If buying a used boat, changing the filter would be a prudent step. Write the date on the new filter so you will know when it went into service.

ON TOPIC ONE:

I don’t recognize the term “wash hole.”

Are you trying to describe an overboard drain to the sea?

There is a drain tube or through hull drain, labeled #7 and #8 under both rear quarter seats as shown in the diagram attached below.

If the "wash holes" you are describing are overboard through-hull drains, the general rules about putting in plugs into overboard drains is given in the owner's manual. If you do not have a printed copy of the owner's manual for your boat, then see my on-line version of the owner's manual at

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/manual9-17/

and read about drains at

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/refere ... drainTubes

It may not be specific to your 17 OUTRAGE II, but you can get a general idea of how to use plugs in drains. Typically, a drain whose exhaust is below the waterline will allow water to enter into a well and rise to the waterline when the boat is at rest. If you want the well to remains dry, install a plug in the drain.

If the well is not covered by a hatch with a gasket to prevent entry of rain water or spray, the well can collect water if the drain is plugged.

Usually you can drain a well with water when the boat is underway by removing the plug. Venturi action on the drain exhaust will drain the water. Or you can remove the water from the well with a pump or some other means. If the boat is on a trailer and sitting, removed the plugs so any rain water will drain overboard.

The term you have used "wash hole" is not a proper term and you should abandon use of it in favor of a more descriptive term like overboard through-hull drain.