Anyone else ever left their plug out?

S

Stan Major

New member
I guess it is one of those things you hear about but never think it will happen to you. Yesterday after arriving here in Shelter Harbor Marina Beach Haven NJ, I paid my $20 at the boat ramp, launched the boat when water started gushing out the side from the pump. Oops, forgot the put the drain plug in prior to launch. I'd like to say that will never happen again.
 
Small open 14 ft fishing skiff - all the time; CD-22 only once so far in 11 years. Of course that year was the year the bilge pump crapped out; a quick insert of the plug and later pulling the plug when on plane solved that problem.

Jay
 
Not a plug. But on a prior boat with an inboard I did have a raw water coolant hose pop off while 10 miles out at sea. Bilge alarm saved the boat. And me. Lesson learned...
 
I have tested my bilge pump, several times, in that manner, at least that is what I told the bystanders. I now have a checklist for launch.
 
I can honestly say I have not, but come close.

Best plug out story was at Folsom Lake. A fellow launches his 70s style Day Cruiser and the wife takes the truck and trailer to the not-so-close but out-of-sight parking lot. The owner realizes the boat is over half full of water when the guy next to him offers to put the boat on his trailer so it doesn't sink. They get the now 3/4 sunk boat on his trailer and he pulls it up the ramp. The boat now weighs a few tons and breaks the Good Samaritans trailer essentially in half. Several lessons to take away from that one!
 
20 years ago Going down to wawawai on snake river to do some steelhead fishing.I had a 12 foot aluminum boat in the Back of a utility trailer. We put boat in water off dock. As I was going up for fishing gear,my buddy says,"ah,do you have the boat plug?" I told him it doesn't have a plug as the boat slowly filled with water. It seems in our haste we put the boat on top of the battery and had a nice hole in the bottom
 
How many time do you have to do it befor you're a member of the Club?

I've had many checklists, but in my case that's a waste of time.

Impatient Boris
 
I think most of us have done something like that . I now just leave mine in . The only time I take it out maybe once or twice a year to make sure rubber seal is good or to replace also always keep a spare
 
once about 6 or 7 years ago in the Lund. it was a joint effort, two people launching and not communicating responsibilities well.

"did you put the plug in?"

"oh no!"

remove boat.... bilge... try again.

I've learned I take full responsibility for everything on my boat and everyone will either stay out of the way or do very specifically explained tasks. I even prefer to dock and launch by myself (or with my wife). Buddies are asked to sit down and stay out of the way :mrgreen: until they have been out enough to understand the processes.
 
Used to have a 13 ft Boston Whaler tied up at the dock in MD. I actually had a cover for it but would sometimes forget and a couple of good thunderstorms would fill the boat during our absence during the week. No risk of sinking but lots of gear got wet before the water went over the stern. In the end I would sometimes pull the plug before leaving the boat. Next weekend I would pop her on plane and plug from inside. No worries. I now keep Chimo in the water don't try the same trick!
 
Great post!
I am now a club member myself! My wife and I were rushing to get our boat to the Honda dealer to have a few issues addressed with our engine. We had the boat in our driveway while I was adding shore power and a few other additions to the boat. We wanted to simply 'float the boat' to seat it more securely on the trailer before we drove it the 40 miles to the Honda dealer. So, in my haste-the plug was out!! Luckily the boat was still attached to the trailer-so we were able to pull it out. It is amazing how quickly the boat filled with 'canal' water.
Regards,
Jack Howell
 
I am not in the club but have been an accessory to a newly joined club member.
My mate is backing his 17' Whaler, with 70hp Merc on the back, down the ramp, I am holding the dock line. As it floats off I lead it to the end of the dock in deeper water while he goes to park the truck and trailer. The trailer park is full so he goes looking for a space about a block away.
I notice the boat is filling with water so quickly pull the boat back to shallower water, where it then turns sideways and settles on the bottom, water just below the gunnalls, completely blocking the ramp. Meanwhile the lineup is growing ever longer with other boaters waiting to launch.
My mate saunters back, sees what has happened, and says oh s%&#, I left the plug in the truck. He runs back to the truck and is gone a long time. I'm now trying to explain to the ever growing line of frustrated boaters who have left their boats and come down to the ramp to see what the hold up is?
My mate finally returned breathless and says, oh double s%&#, I have locked the keys in the truck! I run back to the truck with him. He searches around for a big rock to heave through the window. I notice through the truck canopy that the truck sliding rear windows are open. I crawl through, unlock the drivers door. He grabs the plug and we run back to the ramp. The lineup is now unbelievably long. My mate walks into the water, gets absolutely soaked as he leans over the boat and puts the plug in. He then shouts, oh triple s%&#, my cell phone is still in my pocket. That's now toast. With a bucket he starts bailing the water out until the boat floats and then we move to one side. We now have an audience of about 50 people. BTW, our fishing trip was cancelled.

Martin.
 
I've come close, once. However, reading through the replies I need to ask. My plug is a screw in type installed from outside the boat. It sounds like some of you use an inside plug. Just curious how many have "inies" and how many have "outies" :-).
Also fwiw, I usually tag my boat with tags I've made that says "drain plug out" when I have the plug out. Colby
 
The plug I have is an 'innie', not a screw type. I'd be curious which type folks prefer to use. Ours is in a pretty difficult spot to easily reach-behind my 2 batteries.
Regards,
Jack Howell
 
I always had a spare plug in my 22 that was attached with a small zip tie on the inside of the boat near the drain. That way if I ever did forget, I could jump in, pull that one loose and insert it from the inside. I used a small zip tie since I could break it with a little twist.
 
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