Boat plug question

[Cornbread9]

So my 87 Ashcraft (in the picture) is a fiberglass mold. It has the usual plug in the transom at the bottom of the shoe box size recessed area that the bilge pump sits in. On the other side of the bilge area is another plug. It plugs a hole that leads to the front of the boat under the walking area. What is this plug? Should it be left in or out during operation? Does removing it affect buoyancy, since air isn't trapped like a balloon? Thanks for your help

 

[tractoman]

Re: Boat plug question

Leave it in while underway and take it out with the transom plug. It'll keep bilge water in the bilge and let anything under the deck to drain while it's out of the water and the plugs are out.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Boat plug question

...Does removing it affect buoyancy, since air isn't trapped like a balloon? Thanks for your help

It shouldn't effect buoyancy. I've typically not seen those holes plugged though ... it's not connected to a live well or anything, right?

As a general rule (or my best understanding), you want to plug the drain hole through the transom (for obvious reasons) but allow water to flow to the lowest point of the boat: typically the bilge located at the stern in the center. That should be right where the pump is.

I would think trapping any accumulating water in the hull (by plugging that hole) will add unnecessary weight to the boat and leave you completely unaware that your taking on water while you're underway.

I've never had a boat with that hole (or opening) plugged.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Boat plug question

Under your deck, forward of the aft most bilge compartment, there is another compartment which is intended NOT TO DRAIN into the aft most bilge compartment while underway. This may be explained if your boat has an built-in fuel tank. The idea is to isolate the fuel tank compartment so that leaking fuel does not drain aft into the bilge (for explosion and pollution concerns) and conversely, so that bilge water does not flow forward into the fuel compartment (for corrosion and weight distribution concerns). The second plug may be removed from time-to-time once the boat is out of the water, in order to drain the fuel tank compartment of incidental accumulations of water.

 

[Cornbread9]

Re: Boat plug question

Well, I am gonna leave it in when underway i guess. Boat doesn't have built in fuel tank. It does have two compartments upfront that are now dry storage/homemade live well (above the deck). Whole boat is a fiberglass mold. Built like a tank though. I'll check it from time to time for leaks. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Boat plug question

I agree with Pez. the plug to the inner hull should be left in while the boat is in the water so no water can get IN that area. Few molded hulls have that access in the first place, since the inner hull is foam filled and water won't drain out. I wonder if it was added? But since you have it, no harm removing and inspecting for water only if you are on the trailer, the bow is up, and the bilge is dry and unplugged.

Store the boat with the bilge unplugged. And be sure that inner hull plug is absolutely water tight.