Livewell Hatch

We have a Tracker Pro Team 175 TF. It has a front and rear livewell and the hinges are located at the front and rear side of the hatch depending on which end of the boat one is fishing from. It has been real inconvenient to reach over and open the livewell while spider rigging from the front. Seems like they would have set them up the other way so the handle is on the same end as the angler rather than the back side of the lid. For me it would be much easier to reach down and lift the lid to open rather than reaching over and pulling the lid toward me. I'm thinking about drilling out the pop rivets and switching them around. Does anyone know why they install them that way? It seems backwards. I'm thinking about drilling out the pop rivets and spinning them around. Has anyone done this or have any advice on whether switching them would be a bad idea?

They usually place the hinges so they are facing forward when you are running or traveling down the highway to reduce the chance of the kid blowing open if the latch isn't caught. However, my Tracker had the rear livewell hinges to the rear so that theory only holds true part of the time.

I changed the lid on my center console livewell on my past Excel Bay Pro 203. When I asked the factory to change the lid on the new 203 to hinge at the rear, they balked and asked if I had experienced the lid coming open when trailering. I told them I had not and I would just change the hinge myself.

I too like you want to be able to put fish in from the front. I think boat companies worry more about liability than convenience much of the time.


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Originally Posted by mrdux

I changed the lid on my center console livewell on my past Excel Bay Pro 203. When I asked the factory to change the lid on the new 203 to hinge at the rear, they balked and asked if I had experienced the lid coming open when trailering. I told them I had not and I would just change the hinge myself.

I too like you want to be able to put fish in from the front. I think boat companies worry more about liability than convenience much of the time.


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Mine has pop rivets holding it in place. Did you use screws or pop rivets?

Bolts and locknuts.


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I did mine also. I used short bolt and lock nut. My lids are carpeted and very tight, doubt they could ever blow open. Have not in 6 years anyway. 20 foot Xpress.

How you put the lock nuts on back side? I dont think I can reach the back side to hold them without lifting the panel from the deck.

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Originally Posted by KFC

How you put the lock nuts on back side? I dont think I can reach the back side to hold them without lifting the panel from the deck.

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My 203 has a lip all the way around the inside of the lid that lets me reach the back side easily.

My tracker has the livewell lid opening to the front. I assume it is factory, I never have had any issue with it coming open. One thing I did do was cut a block of wood to prop open door so I could pitch fish from front deck into livewell that is on back deck. I use a cooler in warmer weather, so i don't worry about the sun or heat.

I usually plug the drain hole in my live well and put ice in there when its warm. I think they dress much better that way im gonna be swithing the lid around as soon as I can. I dont think the lid will blow open.