DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

[USS Neversail]

Forgot to put the plug in last night. Had about a foot of water in the back when I noticed. <br /><br />PANIC - <br /><br />Started the bilge, layed on my stomach to reach the plug hole to plug it. Finally got it in, with about 2" of free board left before I got swamped. Whew . . . OK, now I have been indoctrinated. <br /><br />LOL! Was a site to see, I bet. Me scrabling around trying to keep the boat from sinking, boat filling with water, and me cursing the whole way. <br /><br />Time to make a checklist. Last time, forgot one of the transom tie downs and couldn't figure out why the boat wouldn't launch.<br /><br />Time before that, forgot to connect battery before entering water and pushing away from the dock. <br /><br />AND the time before that, forgot to take motor off the transom saver. <br /><br />I think I've made most of the embarassing mistakes. Like I said, time for a checklist. <br /><br />Jason

 

[KCLOST]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

USS, that's hilarious...<br /><br />You probably didn't get a good opportunity to check that leak you repaired...<br /><br />BTW, I've been trying to ask you on a couple other posts, what model boat do you have....<br />I have a Bass Tracker II. I was playing around with mine this weekend, actually filled the boat up to slightly above the floor level to check the leaks I repaired with JB (no leaks). What bothered me was when I hit the Bilge pump that thing wouldn't prime. Took the pump out and it works great in a bucket, but I guess I'll have to let the boat fill up with about a foot of water before it will work...

 

[rshervill]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

How's this: My father is a cop at a resort town in ontario called Wasaga Beach where the launch ramp goes into a fast moving river. Apaprently this guy backed his 26 ft fourwinns in too deep and the truck got stuck on the ramp. He locked the door to his new Ford 3/4 ton and left the whole thing (boat-trailer-truck) in the water to go call a friend to pull him out. Long story short: The boat came off of the trailer with the winch cable still attached, drifted into tyhe fast current and took the whole package 1/4 mile down river!

 

[KCLOST]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

I got one,<br />I can't remember where this happened since it was such a long time ago but it happened.<br /><br />Two guys were pulling the boat out of the lake. It was about a 18 foot I/O of some kind, brand new looking. They ran the boat up on the trailer, everything went well... The guy driving the boat signals to the other guy in the truck to pull up the ramp. Well, they forgot to hook up the winch strap. He gets the boat/trailer about halfway out of the water when the boat finally slides completely off. The lower unit of the motor hits water/concrete first about three feet from the water's edge and the front fiberglass hull hits second on dry concrete. This all happens while the guy is still in the boat, needless to say he didn't look like he was enjoying himself at the helm...

 

[dstzn]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

Thanks for the stories, neversail. Although I am a first mate on the water, I am an experienced pilot. Gave up flying for something cheaper and easier to fish from. Well, at least I got something to fish from.<br /><br />Got lulled into thinking boating was easy, and never have used a checklist.<br /><br />I never would go with a pilot who did not use a checklist, and when I think about it, why should I boat without one? After being caught without my spare motor today, and after reading your post, I'm making one now.

 

[sloopy]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

<br /><br />I have never forgoton the PLUG!!! HA!!!

 

[jobassing]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

dosen't this belong in stupid human tricks

 

[495v]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

USS, wasn't that Seattle character there to help you out. Oh, that's right, he was the one sitting in the truck watching you. Did Seattle fall off the deep end or what? He never did reply to his post.

 

[USS Neversail]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

KClost - I have a Tournament TX model of the trackers. I guess I got lucky with my bilge, as all I had to do was turn the bendix the first time to break it loose and she's worked great ever sense. Are the wires running to it in the boat good? All connections good? I replaced my running light, the holder and the bulb before I realized that it was the ground splice that was causing my problem. Hope that helps.<br /><br />Sloopy - You are now cursed! Good luck, I hope your luck continues!<br /><br />JOB assing - Sorry for posting in the wrong area. <br /><br />495v - somebody went off the deep end that day. <br /><br />Hope everyone got a good chuckle and hope this served as a reminder to everyone - DON'T FORGET THE PLUG!<br /><br />Have a good one,<br /><br />Jason

 

[KCLOST]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

USS,<br /><br />Yea, everything is in good shape (wiring wise)...I might want to look at getting a new one... It sits on an aluminum base plate which is about 1/2" or so above the bottom of the boat. I don't like that design because it just raises it more out of the water....

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

A little trick that I do to remember the plug. Zip tie it to your steering wheel every time you remove it! You will not forget to install it again!! Unless, of course, it's a tiller!!

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: DON'T FORGET THE PLUG . . .

Couple of weeks ago, a customer came in raising **** about his boat filling up with water. He had picked up his boat a week earlier from us where we had to replace his transom that had rotted out. Come to find out, he never check to see if the plug was in before backing it in the water cause he had never removed it since he had owned it. He just expected it to be there. I couldn't help but call him a dumbass. I guess its up to us mechanics to check to see if the plug is in before the boats leave the shop now. He wanted us to pay for the new plug he had to buy cause he didn't know to look in the glove box for the old one. We paid him for the plug just to get rid of him.