Anyone running a Hot Box.

[yellowlab]

Hello and greetings to fellow Arima owners on this forum! My first post here: wondering if anyone is running a hotbox with the kicker pee to fill a basin? I like the idea of cleaning off and or warming the hands, knives, between cut plugs. One idea I had was to cut an opening in the motor well table to house a stainless tub. Not sure if plumbed line from my kicker will lose too much heat due to the length it will need to get to the basin or if it's not a good idea.  Any suggestions would be appreciated, Thanks.

[Markshoreline]

It was cold today while I was doing some projects on my boat in the driveway and I was thinking of using the port sponson tank for a warm tank.  There's no overflow to it which is a disadvantage but there is a drain.  The starboard side has a pump so it also has the drain so I guess it could be routed all the way over there....
Would either of those work for you?

[Danno]

My next Arima will utilize a hotbox. I'll use the bait tank on the sponson where the kicker is mounted. A warm hand wash after baiting a line would be welcome in March and November.

[fishorcrab]

If you need a lot of hot water, you could always get a Coleman portable water heater. Of course, that means propane on board and fresh water only. 

http://www.coleman.com/product/hot-water-on-demandtrade-portable-water-heater/2000007107?contextCategory=2200#.UrFO9X-9KK0

Might be good for boat camping, though.

Paul

[yellowlab]

I was considering the port side sponson but might be too big?  I've seen some nice integrated boxes for welded boats but the reach would be too great for an Arima. I still like the idea of cutting a small square hole in the motor well table for this but wondering if the length of tubing rigged from the kicker will be cooled off from the air temps by the time it hits the box.

[Peddler]

I had this set-up on my last boat.  The water that came out of my kicker was VERY hot, even at the end of the 6-ft hose.  I think you could run it from one side to the other, and still be ok.

FWIW: you won't be tapping into the "Pee" stream to get hot water, you'll need to tap into the line where the cooling water comes out of the engine.  In my case, it was tapped-into the thermostat housing, but this will vary depending on what kicker you have.

[StreamFixer]

Putting a drain in your bait well or sponson boxes not a big deal.  Just go slow with the hole cutter when tapping the well as it tends to be a bit brittle and could break instead of cut if you are trying to go too fast.  Also as fine a tooth saw as you can find.  Sharp hole saw blade and minimal pressure will do the trick.   

The hole into the motor well needs to be lower than the hole in the bait well.  Check for working room between the walls of the two before you cut.  It gets really tight quickly.

I re-rigged a sponson well with drain in the bottom to a functioning baitwell last spring when Woody and I installed by bait well and washdown pumps.

The rest is just fittings and 5200.

StreamFixer

[Threeweight]

I think you need to tap into the thermostat housing or cooling jacket, regardless of what motor you use.  In cold weather, very little water may be exiting the cooling jacket, the pee stream being mostly bypass flow the thermostat lets pass to maintain the correct operating temp.  At least on my Honda 8, the pee stream will be coooooold in my driveway while the engine is running toasty warm.  When you turn the motor off, and the cooling jacket drains, then the pee stream gets warm.

Re: the hole saw... can also run it in reverse to start the hole and avoid chipping the gel coat.

[Peddler]

Here's a pic of the tap into the thermostat housing on the 2002 Merc 9.9 I had on my last boat.  VERY hot water would exit the hose on and off, as the thermostat opened and closed.  This was also handy when flushing, as I knew when the thermostat had cycled, and I'd gotten a complete flush.  It took a lot longer for the motor to warm-up and the thermostat to open when running on the hose than when running in a body of water.

[Salmon King]

I have thought about this option often too.
Do you think it would be possible on my Merc 9.9 2-stroke?

[yellowlab]

Here's a pic of the tap into the thermostat housing on the 2002 Merc 9.9 I had on my last boat.  VERY hot water would exit the hose on and off, as the thermostat opened and closed.  This was also handy when flushing, as I knew when the thermostat had cycled, and I'd gotten a complete flush.  It took a lot longer for the motor to warm-up and the thermostat to open when running on the hose than when running in a body of water.

Awesome! yes, I was planning on following the directions from another fishing forum to tap into the engine. I am running a T8 and I believe, I'll need to get a different anode. I'll post up photos once I have my Salt Boss made and the kicker hung. Thanks for the ideas and tips!

Here is the link for the mod for a T8 and talk of the anode. Hope its ok to post another site, if not, I'll remove it: http://www.gamefishin.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=18821&hilit=hot+box

[GregE]

Glad you found the Gamefishin thread- I was looking for that one and couldn't find it.

[mtpar]

I plumbed my kicker and just put a  small 1 Gallon Plastic Bucket in the motor well.
Easy to reach in and rinse hands. Very Simple.

MTPAR

[yellowlab]

Just a reply to close the thread since I asked the question.  With the help of other internet forums, I used the tips and plumbed from the block the line that exhausts through the leg and out the prop. I verified with Curt at Three Rivers Marine that this line is post thermostat and no need to modify or mess with the anode, which you should NEVER modify as its pre-thermostat and will have issues with your outboard performance and temperature management.  I capped the line and zip tied it, and used a length of 5/8" water tubing from the autoparts store and fed this through the electrical grommet on the port side of the kicker.

I didn't like the idea of keeping a bucket or box anywhere exposed, so the port sponson was the logical choice to house the hot box (bucket). I also didn't like the idea of drilling and holes or using extra fittings. My mod doesn't require any holes or mods to the outboard or the fiberglass.  A piece of leftover ice-maker clear plastic tubing was used and I fished this through the drain pipe of the sponson. There is still enough clearance in the factory drain pipe for water to drain, and its not being used as a livewell, so no issues with competing for space.  A plastic 1 gallon ice-cream container seemed like a good basin for the catch water, which is incredibly hot.  I tested the kicker for 40 minutes at normal operating temperature and at all speeds and this thing works like a charm! Coming out of the block, post thermostat at 160 degrees this is going to be great way to clean off the hands between fish, rinsing the knife between cut plugs, and perhaps warming up a meal in a ziplock bag or vacuum sealed boiler bag for a hot lunch on the water. Sure beats having a cold sandwich on a wet and rainy day.

I can't wait to get the new boat out on the water and to try all my new installed modifications, thanks to all that chimed in and for the ideas and tips! If you need any clarification or help feel free to email or PM me, will be happy to help out.

[yellowlab]

It was cold today while I was doing some projects on my boat in the driveway and I was thinking of using the port sponson tank for a warm tank.  There's no overflow to it which is a disadvantage but there is a drain.  The starboard side has a pump so it also has the drain so I guess it could be routed all the way over there....
Would either of those work for you?

Hey Mark, while I was washing the boat, I noticed that I do have an overflow fitting on the port side sponson and none on the starboard. I guess this will be a nice backup feature, or if I need more warm water, I could plug the bottom up with a rag, however that would be way too much water...