It can be nerve-racking to drill a hole in your boat, but sometimes there’s a good reason to do it. Consider peak hot summer days, for example, when heat and lack of circulation can be a suffocating force in your livewell. It’s true that this is the hardest time of the year to keep fish alive in your livewell, but it’s a great time to learn how to install some V-T2 Livewell Vents.
DIY with G-Man: How to Install V-T2 Livewell Vents
G-Man’s Advice When Installing V-T2 Livewell Vents
How V-T2 Livewell Vents Work
V-T2 Livewell Vents are a low-cost, no-electricity-needed modification for your livewell. Whether you have one hatch or two, this is a universal option for you to customize your setup and improve the health of the fish you keep in your livewell all day long.
Once installed, the vents allow oxygen to flow continuously inside of your livewell and provide a release for heat and metabolic gas that can be harmful to fish. The design of the louvered vents even facilitates increased inbound air flow as your boat travels down the water, all without any draw on your battery.
Tools and Materials Needed to Install V-T2 Livewell Vents
Here’s what you’ll need to install V-T2 Livewell Vents:
-
V-T2 Livewell Vents (packaged in pairs)
-
Hand drill
-
Drill bit set with a 9/64" drill bit
-
Phillip's screwdriver
-
5/16" wrench
-
3" Bi-Metal hole saw
-
Garbage bag
Process Recommendations for V-T2 Livewell Vent Installation
For best results, be sure to follow G-Man’s advice in the video, including the following process tips:
-
Preview where your V-T2 holes will be placed, ideally as close to the middle and center of the livewell lid as possible
-
Vents can be placed a little forward, to the back, or to the sides as needed to meet your individual needs, but as much over the center of the water as possible for optimum circulation
-
For livewells with two individual lids, place one V-T2 in each lid
-
Be careful to allow for needed clearance, so that the sleeve of the V-T2 will clear the livewell frame or any lid lift or locking mechanism
-
Place the garbage bag in your livewell, wide enough for the lid to be inside the mouth of the bag to catch shavings or cuts
-
Measure carefully for placement and use a marker to mark where you will make the cuts
-
For a cleaner cut through carpet, make the first few cuts or revolutions with the hole saw in reverse, then place the drill in forward to cut through the lids
-
Place the V-T2's in the cut holes and use the VT-2 as your pattern for drilling the holes with a 9/64" drill bit
-
Attach the V-T2's with the provided marine fasteners
-
A 5/16" wrench can be helpful, but we recommend slowly tightening the nylon nuts by hand to prevent gallowing, which is a process that will cause the nut to meld and break the bolt
Learn More About V-T2 Livewell Vents
For even better results, combine your vents with The Oxygenator and G-Juice. All are must-haves for healthier fish and the cost effectiveness of V-T2 Livewell Vents can't be beat!
