Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

[Pbear]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

yup - I been a member for over 10 years - lol - did it once but saw the water rushin in the back before the trailer cable was disconnected from the trailer - pulledr er back up the ramp to drain - whew !!

 

[mlukich]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Does it count if you only forget one of the two plugs (Carolina Skiff)? Don't ask me how I remembered one of the plugs and forgot the other... They're only about 3 feet apart... Put the one in at the house and didn't give it another thought. Boat was still on the trailer when I noticed the water coming in so I just pulled it back out and drained it.

It really sucks getting up there in age...

Mark

 

[Big Sarge]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

pshhh I got a boston whaler, plugs are for squares

 

[SooLineRob]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I joined the group on my third time out...

We launched the boat, I parked the truck while wife cleared the ramp and docked at the courtesy dock. I came back, hopped in, and began my in-the-water pre-departure checklist. Part of which is OPEN the bilge storage locker. Wow! About 10 inches of water! Since my plug is located below the stern drive and unreachable from inside the boat, I stayed at the dock (no other traffic), shut down the engine, raised the drive, stripped down to my shorts, and dove in the water. The plug is attached to the hull by a chain, so once in the water, I just reached down and screwed it in. My calm wife (she was actually amused by the whole situation) handed me the wrench from the tool kit, I snugged it up, climbed up the swimmer's ladder, and away we went. And yes, the bilge pump was running and draining the water quickly once the plug was back in.

She said she was surprised I just didn't get the boat on the trailer to deal with the plug. I said "...having to go for a swim is my way of revising my pre-departure checklist since there was an incident...". I now keep the spare plug attached to the ladder; it reminds me to LOOK DOWN at the plug before I board the boat to prep it for launch. I then place the spare around the truck's steering column, which reminds me to remove the plug during recovery and for the trip home. Once the plug is removed, the spare is then placed on the ladder again to remind me to put it back in before the next launch...

I was very relieved to read here on iBoats there are two kinds of boaters; those who have forgotten the plug, and those that will forget the plug!

 

[LoweRider]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I was very relieved to read here on iBoats there are two kinds of boaters; those who have forgotten the plug, and those that will forget the plug!

You forgot about the third kind of boaters, those that lie about it!

 

[j_martin]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I've been pretty proud, not being so stupid as to forget the plug. Then.......

The other night I went fishing for a bit alone. Came back to the landing about dark, put the boat on the trailer, pulled the plug, went for the transom saver, and discovered some ace (spelled with a double s) had flipped up the pipe that the transom saver goes on, so it was against the bottom of the boat.

Not to worry, I put the boat back in, tied loosely to the dock, pulled the trailer out to straighten it out, then noticed the bass bote was getting real low in the water real fast.

Ran out the dock, leaped onto the boat, turned on the bilge pump, jumped back to the dock, ran to the beach, emptied my pockets and ran into the lake. You can't reach the bilge drain on a bass boat unless you dive like a clam diver, so I got pretty wet putting the plug in.

I let it pump out, loaded it, spread some towels on the truck seat, and about that time the cell phone rang. "How's fishing? said my wife.


..........I had to buy some flowers on the way home.

I guess I'm a member.
John

 

[mrboat]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Fortunately only one other person had to witness that showing. :redface:

your really lucky about that one- first time i took my new boat out i new it was gonna have some issues, so i wasen't too worried. but when we got to the ramp, there was like 100 people there, waay busy. so i get my boat in the water, and for the next 2 hours while i work on it, every person loading and unloading comes up to me and says, " u got boat problems?? " - no dumbass, i am just sitting here wrenching on my engine for fun.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Please explain to me why is it that the FIRST time out WITH A CUSTOMERS NEW BOAT I 'rinsed' the accumulated 'dust' out.

Ever since then, MY plug resides in the cup holder on top of the keys, at the ramp, BEFORE the key goes in the ignition, the plug goes in.

I won't admit to aging, I like to think that I'm just 'large' for my age, but let's just say I could have been a founding member except................

I'm not that old.

 

[JoeCrow]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

So far (touch wood) I haven't done that
But I usually put the plug in before hooking up the trailer
I have however, on several occasions, launched with the rear tie-downs still securing the boat to the trailer
Who knew the back of a trailer could float so well? :redface:

 

[CBC]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

So far (touch wood) I haven't done that
But I usually put the plug in before hooking up the trailer
I have however, on several occasions, launched with the rear tie-downs still securing the boat to the trailer
Who knew the back of a trailer could float so well? :redface:

LOL... I was just getting ready to admit my sin when I read your post. I did that yesterday and didn't realize until I was busting a gut pushing on the boat and noticed the back of the trailer swinging around.... oops :redface:

 

[JoeCrow]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

That's why I put the plug in BEFORE I leave the house
I know if I can forget to remove the tie-downs, forgetting to put the plug in would be way too easy

 

[wuttja]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Apparently I'm still learning this launch thing... so in my first season not only have a I launched sans plug, but now I've practically had a hernia trying to launch my boat with the transom straps still attached. Nothing like impressing your dad (who has owned boats for decades now) with your nautical skills, straining like no tomorrow and... nothing. Ah ha, I think. I must need a little more water, I'll back her in a touch more. So I back it up some more, and push like crazy but nothing. Finally, the little light bulb goes off (again) and I realize the straps are still on. Pull up a ways, remove the straps, back it in again, and she floats right off as expected. I guess the good news is that the plug was in!!

 

[mthieme]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Congratulations. You are now among the ranks of seasoned veterans.
You have warning light for your bilge ?????

 

[wuttja]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

You have warning light for your bilge ?????

No actual warning light, just that 'aha' moment when you finally realize what is going on! :redface:

 

[CoastTrash]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I can join this group. I have never done it to my boat but have done it before. I was taking a marine mechanics class. So this guy brings a boat to the class saying it was miss firing and wanted us to put a depth finder on there too. Now this is a Cajun Speical flat bottom boat with i believe it had a 50hp on the back. So we get out to the pascagoula river to lanuch away. We back the truck up and make sure we got our life jackets and um "fishing poles" haha. So he backs the boat into to the water. I am holding the boat next to the ramp. He gets back we hop into the boat. He looks at me and says my feet are wet.... I look at him. Then we look down there is water at our feet. We look up at each other and we both say at the same time you put the plug in??? We both say "shoot" and he jumps out to get the truck. Then we spend the next 45mins draining the boat.

 

[mthieme]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

wuttja,
Congratulations. You're now a more experienced seaman and I guarantee you won't do it twice.
Well, three times.

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I'm not very smart, and forgetful, so have a self bailing boat.

 

[coricluster]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

my boat never leaves the water....therefore i cant say i have joined this club yet....

but oh well have fun with the boat

 

[Fishinmagician]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

welcome aboard, we are a fun bunch. you would think you wouldnt forget, you know, water and all not wanting to sink, but like you said, who needs a list in the car, you know what your doing....ahhhhh the memories...our next club meeting will be in the spring, schedule is to be posted...........

 

[legoman67]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

cant say i have done this(knock on wood) but working at a marina i can tell you its not a fun task if the person doesnt realize that the plug wasnt in and then leave the boat tied to the dock for the night.....
Alright, here it goes.

So at about 4:30 or so an older gentlemen comes down with his boat to moore it for a month(pre arranged), nothing unusual, drops the boat(17ft campion) off the trailer and motors over the slip we assigned him, ties it up, puts the canvas cover over it, and heads home(its about 5:30 by the time he is done)

At 7:30 we are just about ready to close for the night(of course!) and one of the regulars comes up and says there is a boat half way to the bottom, hes one of the usuall BS'ers and we didnt believe him at first, then finally he convinced me to come and have a look. Sure enough the boat was halfway to the bottom, the motor was completely submerged and the seats were floating around in the slip, i radio'ed up to the office and my co-worker came down and we were able to secure a sling under the stern and tie it off the the dock, then fired up the 100gpm pump and had afew guys holding up the stern well we shot the water out, the i scrambled around and jamed a fuel cloth in the plug hole. Then i kept an eye on it well my co-worker ran back to the office to make that "pleasent call" (around 8:30-9 at this point)

long story short, by 10 the boat was successfully on the trailer again only 5 hours after it arrived, the shortest monthly ever! spent afew month and afew thousand in repairs(new engine, all new electronics and wiring) and the boat was back for a full month a year later.