Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

[INJUN]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

WOW!
If I was there, I'd still be laughing.

 

[HVSTRINE]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I joined that club and rejoined it years ago. The worst one was when I let my Father-in-Law use my old 16 ft runabaout. My son is in the boat when Grandpa backs it down the ramp. He yells that water is coming in the boat, so my father-in-law panics and tries to quickly pull back out. He forgets that he already removed the winch and safety chain. This promptly causes the boat to roll off the trailer and almost stand on the transom. Luckily the 80hp merc was still tilted up and was not damaged. The hole in edge of the transom/bottom wasn't too tough to patch. Oh, and my kid was OK too!

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Add me to the list... Multiple times, different boats.

Years ago, I had a Hobie16 catamaran sail boat. Hulls are pretty much sealed except for a drain plug. At the end of the sail, I would drain any accumulated water out and the replace the plugs. One time I took a friend with me. Relatively calm weather to start with and so the boat was a little sluggish. Later on (after about an hour) the wind picked up, but the boat was still a little sluggish. Humm? Did I put the plugs back in? Nope, now the boat really heavy and we had to partially beach it and pull the plugs and then wait about 10 minutes and repeat it. Eventually we did get to sail, but the the wind died down again. I don't think my buddy was all that impressed with Hobie sailing.

The other times were more typical and just like you have already heard from all these other posts.

TerryMSU

 

[5150abf]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Done it, launched and ran "no wake" for 15-20 minutes, find a spot and open the rod locker to see swirling water, took a second to figure out what was going on, went to put the plug in and had about 2'' of transom left, way too close.

Before I went out again I put an alarm on my second bilge pump which is slightly higher than the primary so now if I am taking on water I get an ear peircing alarm to let me know I have a problem.

 

[sfborn]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Well I joined the no plug group on our third launch of the boat. Amazing how fast the bilge filled on my '87 Bayliner Capri (outboard). Within 90 seconds, the water overflowed bilge and was filling the cockpit. Put it right back on trailer and drained it out, BUT the question is what kind of damage may have been done. It was salt water so concerned about corrosion, but it did not reach battery or speakers. We put boat in garage for couple days and the deck (carpet) feels dry.
Should I be washing the carpet since they were soaked with salt water or just let it be?

 

[Nandy]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I would definetly had rinse the carpet and the hull inside a few times before the salted water got dry. By know corrosion has probably started. As far as the carpet, I would definetly rinse it with a hose for quite some time, If it is really good carpet I would follow with one of those wet/dry vacuums to wash it.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I would encapsulate the boat and trailer in a thoroughly dried nitrogen atmosphere for 20 years...

Really, it's a boat. It gets wet, both inside and out...that is what it's supposed to do. There's better things to worry about out on the water than whether your boat gets wet.

Fresh water is going to do more damage to wood than saltwater...quality fiberglass and fasteners shouldn't care about a little saltwater; wiring and electronics can be another matter.

At least that is how I look at it...YMMV

 

[sfborn]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Hmm, we have differings views from the north and the south. Some things never change

 

[catchall]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

All most every boater has done that at least once even if they addmit it or not. For me, My first boat in high school, it was a p.o.s., the pump was not working so i would pull the plug when i was on a plane to drain it. Pulled to a dock and tied up quickly and left it for a hour. When i got back the only thing keeping it from the bottom was the rope. Lucky for me the local sea tow lived on my street because salvage is not cheap.Needless to say i never did it again.

 

[dlngr]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Me ? 2 boats-Forgot plug total of 3 times.. Hey, ya learn from your mistakes,right? By now,I must be a genius. I like the little 10' john boat -NO PLUG to forget!

 

[JeffsAV]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I just got my first boat. I grew up with a few boats, but did not have much experience with a trailered boat. I consider my current boat my "first" boat. I took my 1977 Ouachita Spirit bass boat to the lake with my wife, and two boys, 6 and 3 yrs old. This being my first time taking my family out on a boat, and also being only the second or third time I had taken the boat out. I can only say that it is hard to remember everything when you are alone, let alone when you have the wife and two very excited boys who are high energy to begin with.
I loaded the boat into the water, got the trailer and truck parked, and got everyone in the boat to head out. as we were turning away from the dock, my six year old say,"Daddy, why is there water on the floor?" My heart went into hyperdrive, and I realized what I had done. I had the plug in the splashwell, so I grabbed it and reached my arm into the water and got it in. I was lucky that my bilgepump worked. Close call to say the least. Now I am one of those guys that has the plug in before it ever leaves the house.
Thanks for making my idiocy a qualification for being part of a distinguished club!

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I joined that club last year, my wife and I launched our boat the way we usualy do me in the boat her in the truck she backs in i pull the boat off and she goes and parks the truck while I tie off. This time Igot next to the dock shut the motor down and heard water running I turned my ear in the directiod of the sound to see water shooting out the bilge hole which started my thinking gears, why is there water being pumpede out my bilge......if ....my ...plug ....is ??????ON THE DASH OF MY TRUCK which my wife just parked A QUARTER MILE AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LUCKILY I RUN PRETTY FAST STILL FOR A 42 YEAR OLD man.thank god i had just repaired the bilge switch and put a backup pumpand switch with an alarm. when i got back my wife is yelling what is that sound and why cant I turn it off as I was jumping in the water and going under to screw the damn thing in.
IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT YET CHANCES ARE YOU WILL. THE QUESTION IS WILL YOU ADMIT THAT YOU DONE SOMETHING SO STUPID. AND CAN YOU LAUGH ABOUT IT.

 

[getusummm]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Former brother in law had a 21' Kenner Bay boat, he had several discharges all in the same area as his drain hole. Somehow he or his little brother managed to put the plug into the bilge discharge, lol. I never knew a twist type rubber plug could seal and hold so well. Not only did he take on water, he couldnt even pump it out. He managaed to run the boat til it was empty then beached it to put the plug in the right place.

 

[jefffz6]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Uncle was nice enough to lend me his Hydrasports bass boat 20 years ago. I had never been out alone. It did not take long to figure out what I did wrong. Limped back into the dock and trailered the boat...took a long time to drain all the water out.

I'm a first time boat owner now and have been out in St Andrews Bay, the Alabama river, and Lake Martin a total of 10 times. I've learned to never say never but...the plugs go in before the transom ties come off at the ramp...seems to be working.

BTW...I never got to use the old bass boat again and will likely not be loaning my boat either for this and a few other reasons.

Great forum

 

[twd]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I know how you feel.I was with my 10 year old son on a small lake . WE were starting to leave the dock when my son asked why water was filling up the floor of the boat. The plug ..... I got him out and had to run up to the parking lot to get the plug from the glove box in the truck. It took about 10 minutes for the bilge to pump the water out. I learned to keep the plug IN THE BOAT!

 

[aesgator]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Had something similar happen, but I knew I put the plug in. I overtightend the plug and the washer bent off the back and it fell out. I'm no waking it out of the canal when I notice I feel like I'm sitting pretty low. Turn around and see about two inches seperating the transom and the water line. I find the spare plug, and think if I gun it I'll loose the water. With the water level low however the motor hits the bottom and water comes over the transom. Now I freak out, send my buddy to the front, put the plug in and bail like hell with a bait bucket. Get enough out to limp back to ramp and get my boat out. 30 minutes later when its done draining I find the plug in the bilge without a washer. The ironic part was I had just got done telling my buddy on the way over I was going to wait to put a bilge pump on becuase it was just extra on a small boat like mine. Ate those words.

 

[sportsmanphil]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Ive always hooked mine to my boat key chain. Its worked for me thus far so I guess I dont belong to this club.................yet.

 

[cbavier]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Not joined that club yet but am scared stupid that I will !!!!!
I have a plug in the dash stowage box, the car, on the lanyard and in the motor well...........just in case, the more the merrier !!!!!
You could say I was paranoid !!!!! and you would be correct !!!

Me to Ken,
I hope never to join that club. Mine goes in and out with the straps. I put it in at home before I leave and check it again at the boat launch when I take the Transom straps off. I carry extras also just in case I was to lose it or someone thought it would make a good prank to remove it. I take it out after I pull the boat out and put the transom straps on. Then I put it on the Boat key chain. I hope I never to join that club.

 

[mmarincic]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

I.am a member of the club. I forgot to put mine in one day on Lake Mead.

We had already left the dock when I found out the front of the boat was getting pretty high. Lucky I could swim pretty good and got the plug in.

 

[vintage boat junky]

Re: Joined the "No Plug At Launch" Group

Experience is the best teacher and you don't gain it until just after you needed it....

I see it as a sort of boater's initiation. You're not a true boater until you've done that. I always beach my boat after launch, so bildge and bucket took me all of 5 minutes to get it out again. This lead to me making a rather detailed checklist. So since I formatted to a 3 category list that specifies before the trip, during the trip, and launch, I haven't forgotten it or anything else (important) in years.

The only other thing I've forgotten is setting the transom pin prior to leaving the access. Pain in the a*s to have to do that on open water. I always worry about dropping the pin. Luckily that scenario is few and far between.