Anyone else ever left their plug out?

Almost did it once, at Squalicom. For some reason it popped into my head just as I was backing down the ramp!

It's now the first thing I do when I exit the truck. I keep it and a crescent-wrench in the door of the F-250 and I have two extra plugs on board, just in case.
 
Roger, I like your idea. Now, back to innie and outie. ;-) Since I have the screw in type that installs from the outside, if I wanted to keep a spare just in case, could I get one of those rubber type that just plug from inside? And would that work until I could get the regular one back in? The threads do not go all the way through the hull. The plug recepticle is one of the brass fittings that mounts on the outside of the transom, well sealed, and then the plug screws into that.
 
colbysmith":3iueq5fi said:
Roger, I like your idea. Now, back to innie and outie. ;-) Since I have the screw in type that installs from the outside, if I wanted to keep a spare just in case, could I get one of those rubber type that just plug from inside?
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I would think it would be a matter of "if it fits in there and tightens, then why not keep one aboard just in case." They do come in a few different diameters (speaking of the "Thermos bottle" expanding type).

Another option is a plug like is made for using on "big boats" with through hulls. The traditional is a tapered softwood plug, which you install by tapping it in with a hammer. If it has been kept relatively dry in storage, then it swells up after being put into place. Also, I have seen that Forespar now makes a bright orange rubbery plastic tapered plug (picture a tiny construction cone) that works similarly.

The new fitting I installed in my boat has a plug installed from outside, so I was thinking of getting one of the wood or the Forespar plugs to keep inside the boat (I removed the brass tube, so I don't have the "depth" for the Thermos style plug anymore).

Sunbeam
 
colbysmith":xit0civb said:
Since I have the screw in type that installs from the outside, if I wanted to keep a spare just in case, could I get one of those rubber type that just plug from inside? And would that work until I could get the regular one back in? The threads do not go all the way through the hull. The plug recepticle is one of the brass fittings that mounts on the outside of the transom, well sealed, and then the plug screws into that.
Click to expand...


I also have the bronze screw in type from the outside. I then bought two one inch different expanding rubber type plugs to put in from the inside. Neither of them will expand enough to make a seal. Maybe it is because of the bronze one from outside has taken up most of the room? It is also hard to put in from the inside because that is where my battery and bilge pump are. But seeing as my exterior plug stays in all season, I probably do not need anything else anyway.
How tight should the exterior plug be? I put a bit of plumbers tape on the thread, used a wrench until it was tight, then gave it just a tad extra.

Martin.
 
I make sure that the main battery switch is one before launching the boat (need to do this for the engine tilt anyway). This way the auto bilge pump will come on if the boat is launched with the plug out.

This happened once and the pump was able to control the amount of water coming in until I was able to get the plug in (I was wondering what was coming out of the side of the boat, then it struck me).

I have an "outie" threaded brass plug. Having an "innie" would be kind of a pain to get in and out.
 
ssobol":968h95c9 said:
I make sure that the main battery switch is one before launching the boat (need to do this for the engine tilt anyway). This way the auto bilge pump will come on if the boat is launched with the plug out.
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You may have yours set up differently for a reason, but I believe it's customary to have bilge pumps wired "hot," so that they will work whether or not the battery switch is on. I wired mine up this way (i.e. they work no matter what position the battery switch is in, on or off). (It just so happens I have a Blue Sea Safety Hub on the unswitched side, and it has its own fused wiring positions, so I hooked up my bilge pumps there.)

ssobol":968h95c9 said:
I have an "outie" threaded brass plug. Having an "innie" would be kind of a pain to get in and out.
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When I reconfigured my transom drain plug I had to choose which way to set it up. I chose "outie" for the same reason as you -- figured that if I had things stowed between the fuel tanks it would be a pain to reach. (I can see reasons to prefer either though.)

Sunbeam
 
The bronze plugs are pipe thread(tapered) so they do not require Teflon tape. I have never seen this type screw in from the inside. Some small aluminum boats I've used had a thermos type plug from the inside so you could pull it when under way to drain water.

Regards, Rob
 
My Bilge pumps (I have two) are hot wired through their own fuses. If the battery isn't dead, the pumps will come on if there is water! ;-)
 
Which time and in which boat :roll:

if you are already on the water and under way just go fast and the water will go out as you are on plan. Just dont stop for very long. Always carry several spares.
 
I did it twice in one season. Always when someone was talking to me. I did learn to insert the plug from inside the boat. I would suggest that you try this at home.
 
Have caught the boat plug before launching a couple times,on similar topic at fuel pumps last weekend with nephew it was busy,told him to take gas cap off handed him the pump he squirted a shot in rod holder before I had a chance to correct him. Wont let anybody else help with this from now on. Rod holders are within a foot of gas near rear seat on this boat. Usually do it myself but it was super busy with big boats jockeying for next in line.Learned a valuable lesson do it yourself.
 
Pat, several boats have exploded at fuel dock because people have put the fuel into a surface mount rod holder hole instead. Filled the boat with gas and then got a spark from the motor when they started the boat. Not good.
 
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