# Installing TUNA TUBES



## PELAGIC PIRATE (Oct 10, 2007)

If anyone has had a set installed in Orange beach or near by :

1) who can do this Job right

2) did you have to run a new intake and if so : How big :

3) two tube set up : what size pump and what brand:



THX :thumbsup:


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## whome (Oct 2, 2007)

Saunders can do it. Yes you will need a new thru hull and at minimum a 1HP pump....


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## PELAGIC PIRATE (Oct 10, 2007)

Capt. Jon Pinney said:


> Saunders can do it. Yes you will need a new thru hull and at minimum a 1HP pump....



Thx for the response


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## team_A_II (Mar 31, 2009)

PELAGIC PIRATE said:


> If anyone has had a set installed in Orange beach or near by :
> 
> 1) who can do this Job right
> 
> ...


I have a 6 tube deck tank and two individual 8" round tubes for sale if you are looking for some.


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

General rule is 1,200gph per tube ,It's gonna be a bigger price tag but a pump box will do all your live wells and your tubes . And in my opinion it's the way to go . Then you can individual valve everything and use bilge 
Pumps of different sizes . Plus it's only one hole in the boat , and you can probably put in place of exsisting thru hull .JMO


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

I wound up installing dedicated 2" thru hull and a 3hp Hayward pump. The 3hp pump was only $300 more than the 1.5hp and being a centrifugal pump you can throttle down the discharge without harming the pump or elevating pressures too much. It will surprise you how much fluid flow volume you lose when you step down in hose diameter, or add any bends or 90 degree fittings.

Getting the right pump and setup for tuna tubes can be both an art and a science.

Good luck!

Robert


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## PELAGIC PIRATE (Oct 10, 2007)

MSViking said:


> I wound up installing dedicated 2" thru hull and a 3hp Hayward pump. The 3hp pump was only $300 more than the 1.5hp and being a centrifugal pump you can throttle down the discharge without harming the pump or elevating pressures too much. It will surprise you how much fluid flow volume you lose when you step down in hose diameter, or add any bends or 90 degree fittings.
> 
> Getting the right pump and setup for tuna tubes can be both an art and a science.
> 
> ...



Hi Robert 

Question : are you running 4 tubes or 2 tubes 


We are running 2 : 


Thx


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## PELAGIC PIRATE (Oct 10, 2007)

recess said:


> General rule is 1,200gph per tube ,It's gonna be a bigger price tag but a pump box will do all your live wells and your tubes . And in my opinion it's the way to go . Then you can individual valve everything and use bilge
> Pumps of different sizes . Plus it's only one hole in the boat , and you can probably put in place of exsisting thru hull .JMO



Something like this ?


This is what I had imagined but have been told : No it's a yacht 

Not a kingfish boat 


The picture here shows the set up in a 70 foot Richie Howell

Must be the 70 kingfish edition


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

PELAGIC PIRATE said:


> Something like this ?
> 
> 
> This is what I had imagined but have been told : No it's a yacht
> ...


Kingfish boat or yachts ,sea chest are awesome . Makes life simple changing pumps . If livebaits your thing I believe it's the way to go.


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## JVT (Jun 5, 2009)

I am sure Saunders can do the job right but it likely will be costly. You might try Ron Rowley of RonTek Marine (251-609-3121) to see if he can do it. He works on a number of boats at Sportsman.


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Mike
I have mine set up for maximum flexibility so to speak. I have two Deep Blue Marine 3 tube "boxes" as well as three Kodiak tubes that fit in the transom live well with a bracket/top that holds them in place and makes things look ok. I know I can run the two Deep Blue setups with my pump and I am assuming I could run the all three at the same time, but doubt I will ever go out that way as I usually like having the transom live well for smaller tuna size baits. With my Deep Blue boxes once the we quit live baiting they both fit in my engine room out of the way.

It's not the best situation but it works for us.


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## Capt. Alex Pinney (Jan 23, 2008)

Call bill Swick with "gulf coast werks" . He builds and installs tubes. He is building me a set of 3 now . Don't go through your sea chest you will get bubbles. Install a 2 inch thru hole.


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## Tiretyme (Sep 29, 2014)

I have no idea exactly what you are looking for, but here's quite a variety:

http://www.thehulltruth.com/sportfishing-charters-forum/506287-homemade-tuna-tube.html


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## whome (Oct 2, 2007)

Capt. Alex Pinney said:


> . Don't go through your sea chest you will get bubbles. Install a 2 inch thru hole.


Exactly... If you get bubbles you have wasted your time and money and will continue pouring money into it until you get it right. If you are serious about it and want your baits to live more than 5 minutes go independent of all your other pumps and plumbing. It's also important to have as few elbows and turns in your plumbing as possible to prevent any bubbles. Msviking is right on the pump, the bigger the better, you can always choke it down. You don't want anything smaller than 1hp for two tubes


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## PELAGIC PIRATE (Oct 10, 2007)

Capt. Jon Pinney said:


> Exactly... If you get bubbles you have wasted your time and money and will continue pouring money into it until you get it right. If you are serious about it and want your baits to live more than 5 minutes go independent of all your other pumps and plumbing. It's also important to have as few elbows and turns in your plumbing as possible to prevent any bubbles. Msviking is right on the pump, the bigger the better, you can always choke it down. You don't want anything smaller than 1hp for two tubes



Bill has been reached and the job is booked 


Thx Guys for all your input :thumbsup:


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## paulx981 (Jun 13, 2009)

I Have a variable Speed pool pump for sale $800, Bill Swick recommended and installed it for us, Just got a new boat so we don't need it anymore. Just throwing that out there.


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