Boat Plugs

[OptsyEagle]

This may be a dumb question but I thought I would put it out there and see if anyone has some new ideas or thoughts. I have a 14' Aluminum boat (Springbok) that use a 5/8" rubber plug for the plug hole. The type that presses in and then fattens a little more when the lever is locked in.

I find that if I screw in the brass piece at the end of the plug, so that it gets fat enough to seal properly, it is very difficult to get out and tends to rip off small bits of the rubber when I pull on it and eventually the seal gives way to small leaks. If I reduce the fatness of the plug it lets in small amounts of water from the start. Not a lot, but enough for a couple of bails every morning.

Anyone have any ideas on how to use these plugs better? A certain optimum fatness or I was thinking also of OMC gasket sealer on the plug, but thought it might be even more difficult to remove. I remove it about once a week when the boat is on my beach, when I leave the cottage.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Boat Plugs

I never did like those lever-lock drain plugs. Buy the type with a brass tee. You push in the plug and twist to tighten. Unscrew to loosen and remove. OR buy a garboard plug. The brass plate screw onto the hull with sealer behind it and a regular brass pipe plug screws into and seals that. You need a wrench to install and remove the plug though.

 

[LoweRider]

Re: Boat Plugs

I would try buying a new plug, then cleaning out the drain plug hole, looking for any burs or bits of rubber stuck in it. Adjust the new plug, (with the brass nut on the end) so that it just fits into the drain hole. Flip the lever and it should be good. I am guessing that either you tore off bits of rubber in the old plug, or, there might be burrs in the drain hole preventing the plug from sealing properly.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Boat Plugs

My 18' aluminum jon boat uses a 2" diameter rubber pipe plug with a wing nut on it for tightening. When I put the plug in, it's fairly tight, then about 1/2 turn on the wing nut and it's good to go, with no leaks at all. ACE Hardware carries a nice variety of pipe plugs in their plumbing department and maybe you could try a slightly different design for better performance. Take your present, leaking plug over to ACE and tell them your problem, and maybe they can show you some alternatives. I always carry a couple of spare plugs in the boat, just in case that black rubber ring decides to crack up on me. Good Luck!

 

[paultjohnson]

Re: Boat Plugs

hmmmm. Is the inside of the plug hole all corroded or something? Clean it with steel wool maybe. Ive never had that problem. Or is the hole threaded, whereby you should actually be using a threaded plug, or buy a better quality rubber plug and use a little silicone grease or something.

 

[OptsyEagle]

Re: Boat Plugs

Thanks guys. The hole seems fine when I just stick my finger in it. No sharp edges or burrs. I will give it a soft rub with some steel wool and see if it improves. The store I use don't seem to have the plugs with the twist tightener. They have them in 1" and larger sizes. I do agree they would work better.

The other idea I like is to tighten the rubber until it just snuggly slides in then lock it in. I think I might have been going too much one way or the other. Too loose because the last time it was a bear to pull out and then too fat because the time before that it was leaking a little. I just need to find the perfect fit.

I suppose if this is the biggest problem I currently have in this life, I guess I don't really have any problems at all. Thanks again.

 

[LoweRider]

Re: Boat Plugs

Thanks guys. The hole seems fine when I just stick my finger in it. No sharp edges or burrs. I will give it a soft rub with some steel wool and see if it improves. The store I use don't seem to have the plugs with the twist tightener. They have them in 1" and larger sizes. I do agree they would work better.

The other idea I like is to tighten the rubber until it just snuggly slides in then lock it in. I think I might have been going too much one way or the other. Too loose because the last time it was a bear to pull out and then too fat because the time before that it was leaking a little. I just need to find the perfect fit.

I suppose if this is the biggest problem I currently have in this life, I guess I don't really have any problems at all. Thanks again.

Just wait till you forget to put the plug in!