This is my first post ever on this website, so I should start with my own SHT. <br /><br />Up where we live, winterization and draining the engine are routine. After winterization, one plug is always left out of the engine so you can check the water pump when you startup in the spring. Every spring startup is the same. Check everything out, check all of the plugs (make sure one is out), run the blower a while, back the boat down the ramp, start the engine and make sure that water comes out of the missing plug within a minute or so, shut down install the plug and continue on.<br /><br />So, my son and I head out on a nice spring day. We carefully go through the routine. Main plug is in, battery is good, brakes, lights, all the supplies are in the boat, etc. Back it in, start it up, water comes out the starboard exhaust manifold plug wihtin 3-4 seconds. Shut down, install the plug and complete the launch sequence. Because there is nobody around, we tie the boat to the dock and leave it idling for a few minutes to warmup.<br /><br />So I park the truck and come back down to the dock where my son is holding the boat. He says: why is the bilge pump running? I stop, think, can't think of any reason why. All of the plugs are in and the hoses are tight (they have all been checked). What is up, is there a gasket loose, is the transom leaking what is up. It can't be the transom, the water is warm, it has to be coming from the engine.<br /><br />So we shut down the boat and check all of the plugs and coolant hoses one more time (7 points on my motor). All are in and snug. Where the heck is the water coming from? Meanwhile the engine is off and the water is dropping while the bilge runs. So I start it up. The water starts rising. Oh god, did the block crack, what is going on. So we pull the boat out of the water, pull the hull plug to drain it quicker so I can spend some time looking it over.<br /><br />Wait a second. Why isn't the main drain hose in its cradle? So I fish the hose from the bottom of the engine compartment and lo and behold, I didn't put the cap on the main drain hose. Exactly how stupid am I anyway?<br /><br />Twisted the cap on, launched the boat, and had a great day on the water
