Now I am in the club too!

[michaelsen]

I launched my brand new regal next to two guys messing with their OB. When the boat was free of the trailer one of the guys asked if I had alot of rain water in the boat, because it seemed like my bilge pump had a awful lot of work to do. I looked out and saw all the "rain water" being pumped out, and then another look in the cup holder where my plug was stored and it was still there. Oooh man! Never have I gone in the water that fast. I got the plug in and heard one of the two guys: "look Jim, remember we talked about how deep the water is on this ramp". By looking at me standing behind my boat they got their discussion settled.<br />On the dok I had some embarrased kids watching me. The day before I had told them that there was one important job for them to do when we go boating: remind your dad about that little plug thingy whenever we launch the boat. I guess the whole thing with a new boat and boating and all was just to exiting. I am sure we all will remember it now though.<br />How do you remember your plug? Any special ritual to avoid what I just did?

 

[Trent]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

Put the boat keys with the plug.

 

[Fishbusters]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

Ask yourself 1000 times "Did I put the plug in?" It keeps you from forgetting that. The only problem with this method is it makes you forget other things.

 

[crab bait]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

there's alot to said for developing GOOD habits quickly an stickin' to them in the SAME order time after time.. EVERY time.. bad habits can carry along ,too.. just be aware of them an nip-it-in-the-bud,pronto.

 

[Down South]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

The easiest way to rember to put it in is to leave it out once.<br /> Don't worry, I don't think you'll ever forget again.

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

i think along the same lines as PFB...hehehe remember one thing, forget another. i guess if i launched a boat everyday, it'd be different. but the idea given by trent has been mentioned before, and seems like a good idea too. maybe future boats will have a 'thingy' similar to the magnetic window(house alarm)switches, so if the plug isn't in the alarm goes off

 

[crab bait]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

NAH, THAT DON'T WORK... you'd think it would.. but i manage to do that wonderful funny trick about once a season.. i'll never learn...everyone at the dock loves it.. it never gets 'old'..........really ,, happends when in a rush .. the CULPRIT OF A L L ACCIDENTS .. !!

 

[BassScratcher]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

It's happened to me twice. I try to avoid the problem by putting the plug in before I leave the house. By doing this, I avoid the distractions at the ramp and am not as prone to forget the plug.<br /><br />At least your boat did'nt sink! Here's a story from this year's Memorial Day weekend. There's a place on Lake Travis called Devils Cove. This cove is known for big parties. Seems every boat on the lake will tie up to each other and listen to loud music and drink. This kid was having a good time in his (or Dad's) $100K 35' Baja when he realized that the boat was taking on water (he forgot the plug). The kid had his buddies untie the ropes and he frantically started the boat, jammed it in gear and gunned it. As he did this, he rammed another boat and put a hole in the side of his hull. The boat sank like a rock. I have a picture with the nose vertical, the kid hanging on to the boat as he tried to tie it to another boat to keep it from completely sinking. But as the sinking Baja started pulling the other boat down, they had to cut that rope. Rumor has it that insurance would not cover it because they're claiming driver error. To top it off, he was being fined around $1000 for each day it sat at the bottom of the lake. They retreived the boat two days later.<br /><br />Consider yourself lucky!

 

[85Winns]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

Last year was the first year I owned a boat - used one of course to start off with. My first launch - no plug thingy. Only problem was the bilge pump **** the bed after the first quart of discharge. Back on the trailer she goes so I could drain her. No harm done, just a new $25 pump and a leason lerned.<br /><br />Later that year I successfully performed a "dry launch". Backed down the ramp nicely, but sligtly scuwed to the right. Tapped the brakes to straighten things out and away she went. What a thing of beauty. Who needs driveway chalk !! Nice blue streak down the boat ramp. <br /><br />All I could think of as I ran to the back of the boat was that the stern drive was in the bilge and the transom was serverely crack. The stern actually sat in 6-9" of water and we were able to "catch a wave" and get her buoyant enough to lift the bow and slide her in without further damage. Of course we pulled her out and gave the under side a good look over. Mostly all cosmetic.<br />But what a #%@&** nightmare.<br /><br />I hope I have committed the 2 most stupid things a rookie boater can do. I am definatly "in the club."

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

well at least you had the courage to admit it. i believe i'd cry if that scenario happened to me. i saw a boat for sale this year and although the guy said it was just normal wear & tear, maybe a sandbar, i believe a ramp is the only thing that could've made his hull look like that. so it seems you were very lucky. this guy had put several coats of offcolor patches on it, and it still leaked. i wanted the boat(same as mine but newer/more HP) til i saw that.

 

[88spl]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

I would ground the kids, if not trade them in!!!

 

[texas_angler_2002]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

i fit in the group like stink on $hit.i went to my local lake after i just bought my boat.i thought i was hot $hit. a young guy with a nice boat and i get there and i back up almost to the water and unhook the winch . so i back her up and stop like a dumb a$$ and the boat floats away. just my luck the current is going out and not in, so i hurry and park the truck and tell these kids on a jet ski id give them $20 bucks to get my boat.that little a$$hole told me make it $25 and u got a deal. i was in no mood to argue and told him deal . while he gets it everyone is laughing there a$$es off on the shore and they ask me how im gonna fish with no boat. just my luck after i get the boat back i drive around a bit and as im heading back to hte dock i hear the erry sound of the prop being ate up by something.lets just say it cost me a pretty penny that day and from then on i never have gone fishing alone.

 

[michaelsen]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

that little a$$hole told me make it $25 and u got a deal.

 

[rickl]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

Don't feel bad Mike. I hate to confess but I did the same thing with my first boat. I actually took the boat out on the lake and then realized that the plug wasn’t in and it was sitting in the cup holder of my truck. I went back to shore and managed to pull the boat out of the water before it sunk. (Something to be said about foam flotation). I spent the next ten minutes at the ramp watching the water rush out along with a small crowd as I turned different shades in embarrassment. Welcome to the club.<br /><br />Rickl

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

a few suggestions based on my past experiences:<br />always keep a spare plug in the boat.<br />plugs CAN be installed from the inside.<br />a bilge pump is a good investment for any boat.<br />yes I am a member too

 

[Cast-Away]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

I took my inlaws out last year for a ride in my new boat. At the launch the guy there asked me if the plug was in and I said "of course"! Two minutes later water came up over the carpet. My Mother-In-Law is afraid of water so you can just imagine what it was like to get her in the boat after that! Was this intentional? You decide.

 

[88spl]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

Nope, never have I forgot to put in the plug in all my years, but I have forgot to 1.put lock-down straps on, 2.forgot to move the haidite blocks (2) + 2 4X4's that I use to prop the boat up when in the garauge, just waxed it that night befor scratched it up! 3. Left the key at home. 4. Put a floatation device (in the box) ontop of my tool box in my truck, when I got to the store to exchange it.....gone,,,,slid off. 4. Forgot life jackets. 5. Forgot ski rope. 6. Left cooler full of snacks and drinks back in the garauge. 7. And the worst thing I ever did was to tell the wife "I'm Captain on This boat", but never have I left the plug out! Just a gift perhaps

 

[88spl]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

Or should I say.....some of us are more gifted than others!

 

[driftwood47]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

On leaving the plug out- I made up a plastic tag with the word PLUG ? on it wired to the safety chain at the bow hook. Since this is the last thing unhooked and the first to be hooked up it reminds me to check before launch.

 

[flashback]

Re: Now I am in the club too!

I never take mine out so i don't worry about it.