One more "no plug" idiot :)

[SNye45]

I never thought I would be caught out, but this afternoon was my time.

As my wife was backing the boat into the water, I busied myself priming the bulb, lowering the outboard, and starting it. As I told her to back a few feet more, I heard this unusual sound of water coming out a hose. I look behind me and see water gushing out of the bilge pump outlet. - Action needed - *I yelled to my wife to stop going backward and go forward quickly. Thank goodness for bilge pumps and bunk trailers. The bow had come off its stop about 4 feet, and luckily the trailer still had "hold" of the boat.

My wife pulled the boat out and I jumped out and pulled the plug out of my pocket. For some reason I had "spaced" putting the plug in. My "routine" had not worked as I normally put the pug in when I an kneeling on the ground after having removed the Transom Saver.

My wife actually suggested that she would write up a checklist for me which she would check off. Wow - I never thought she was that interested in prepping the boat.

 

[Maclin]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

Classic, but good catch it seems to me.


My problem with a checklist is I have to remember that I made one out, and then where I put it.....

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

We live and learn. Good for you without disasterous results.

 

[Minuteman]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

I get shivers every time I read or hear one of these stories. I haven't done it yet and when I finally do (o yes, I will) I hope I catch it quickly. I think I fear embarrassment more than damage.

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

I never thought I would be caught out, but this afternoon was my time.

As my wife was backing the boat into the water, I busied myself priming the bulb, lowering the outboard, and starting it. As I told her to back a few feet more, I heard this unusual sound of water coming out a hose. I look behind me and see water gushing out of the bilge pump outlet. - Action needed - *I yelled to my wife to stop going backward and go forward quickly. Thank goodness for bilge pumps and bunk trailers. The bow had come off its stop about 4 feet, and luckily the trailer still had "hold" of the boat.

My wife pulled the boat out and I jumped out and pulled the plug out of my pocket. For some reason I had "spaced" putting the plug in. My "routine" had not worked as I normally put the pug in when I an kneeling on the ground after having removed the Transom Saver.

My wife actually suggested that she would write up a checklist for me which she would check off. Wow - I never thought she was that interested in prepping the boat.

You did not make an error ! You just found the wtong way to launch a boat !!

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

We all have heard it -
Two type boaters-
One have forgot the plug-
One who will forget the plug -

 

[spunkyjr]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

Naw just tell everybody that your cleaning out the bottom of the boat.

 

[MudSkunk]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

does leaving it on the living room coffee table and remembering where it is after spending 30 minutes at the ramp prep area looking for it count??

now i keep one in the truck one in the boat and the one i use to plug the hole...

 

[fishon13]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

My first boat was a crestlinner with an 85hp that was bigger than my 1979 TA motor. The first time I took it out was the only time since (I say since because it might happen again) that I forgot the plug. I made it about a half a mile away from the dock when my buddies said wow my feet are getting wet. I turned around and saw the coller bobing in the water. My buddy than began to dive for the plug by the time it was in the water was about 3 inches from the gunwhales. We dumped the cooler full of beer and started bailing. About ten minutes latter only 2" of water gone and beers and ice bobbing everywhere up comes marine patrol. He never said a word about all the beer but did offer us a tow to the dock. After getting the boat on the trailer and taking at least a half an hour to drain the water and a trip to get ice we were back in the water. (with the drain plug in)

 

[mmccoy555]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

We all have heard it -
Two type boaters-
One have forgot the plug-
One who will forget the plug -

It will or has happened to everyone. I agree.

 

[Thad]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

It will or has happened to everyone. I agree.

Yep, it's not if...but when!
The thing about it though, you almost only ever do it once.
My time was one the Mississippi. could'nt figure out why my boat would not plane. Then my brother told me his feet were getting wet:redface:

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

after reading many of these stories, I painted my plug red, and screwed a gas line cap (same thread to screw the plug into) to the transom next to the ring i use for the transom tie down to hold it. dont loose and dont forget to install it.

 

[bman1bpm]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

I was lucky with mine, Launching the boat and it came to me. Oh S*** the plug!!! The boat did have a good amount of water in it even with the short time I let it go. I hooked it back up to the trailer and pulled her out to drain.

One of the local boat launches has a big sign posted right where you can see it when you're backing into the ramp "Don't forget your plug"

 

[redone4x4]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

does leaving it on the living room coffee table and remembering where it is after spending 30 minutes at the ramp prep area looking for it count??

now i keep one in the truck one in the boat and the one i use to plug the hole...

I had to buy one at a marina once. didnt get as far as putting the boat in though before i realized i had left it at home. Now I have 4. yes, 4 drain plugs lol. one in the boat glove box, one in the toolbox, one actually in the plug and one in the truck. I'll never be caught without one again haha.

 

[imoutnumbered]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

I will confess that the one time I forgot my plug, I had a failsafe in place. There was no way we were going to make it to the middle of the lake without the plug! After the gug-gug-gug-gug sound my wife alerted me to, I put the plug in and tried again. Darn boat wouldn't move! At all! Pulled out, and found the tie down straps still securely in place. You'd think the big black and orange straps would be visible enough...

I won't even begin to profess the importance of latching down the coupler! (different trip) ​

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

Having spent a pretty fair amount of time preflighting airplanes, one thing that I learned is, to go through a set routine every time. I used to do everything in the same order every time. After awhile, checking and doing the various things involved in the process becomes automatic and you rarely forget anything.

The same concept is easily applied to launching and retrieving a boat. I do it and usually manage to get everything done that needs to be done.

 

[airmail]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

Having spent a pretty fair amount of time preflighting airplanes, one thing that I learned is, to go through a set routine every time. I used to do everything in the same order every time. After awhile, checking and doing the various things involved in the process becomes automatic and you rarely forget anything.

The same concept is easily applied to launching and retrieving a boat. I do it and usually manage to get everything done that needs to be done.

Like the saying goes. There are two kinds of people those that have forgotten their plugs and those that are going too. It only takes a minute of distraction from an outside source and the best laid plans of mice and men go out the door or in the drain hole.

 

[Wingnutt]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

I too have a set routine that I follow, and if anything distracts me, I start all over again. Plus I have given the admiral permission to nag me about the plug.

I have been one of those with that "oh crap I left the plug out" look on my face once as soon as I pulled away from the dock Not once but twice over the years, so I devised a routine to check everything immediately before the boat went in the water.

 

[TRACKMAGNA17]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

Ok, twice in the last three years I have gotten messed up with my regular routine and forgot to take the back two straps off of the boat. No matter how hard you try to push it off of the trailer, it will not move..(lol) I also keep two plugs in the boat and not to jinx myself, but I am pretty good about making sure that it is in. Im just glad the nobody was around either of the times that I forgot to take the straps off..

 

[81 beachcomber]

Re: One more "no plug" idiot

i have a "did you remeber the plug" floater ring that i put on the coupler when i store my boat so the first thing i do before even hooking up is put the plug in.

i also check that its there three times. at my house before leaving, at the gas station, and at the ramp before backing in.

i forgot mine once so fat but remebered as soon as i started to back into the water. took only a couple mins to drain. lucky