Stripped drain plug

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Jun 30, 2016
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My plastic drain plug is stripped. It's got the slot for a flathead that's widened and won't allow a screw driver to turn it. Tried gripping it with pliers but not enough to bite into. Thoughts?
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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buy a new garboard plug. however to get the old one out, heat up the end of your screw driver with a torch, then jamb it into the plug to make a deep slot. pull out screw driver to allow it to cool. once cool, remove the junk plug with your new deeper slot and the screw driver.
 

joeanna

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 5, 2016
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or, put water near the plug on the inside to cool the screwdriver quickly once you punch through and douse the outside portion fast , when all is cooled turn the screwdriver out with the plug still attached. both ways will work,
 
Joined
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buy a new garboard plug. however to get the old one out, heat up the end of your screw driver with a torch, then jamb it into the plug to make a deep slot. pull out screw driver to allow it to cool. once cool, remove the junk plug with your new deeper slot and the screw driver.

Thanks that worked great. Now my plug is reusable for Now as well. Question how much water should drain from it? I had a steady stream for about 45 seconds then it went to a drip.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Thanks that worked great. Now my plug is reusable for Now as well. Question how much water should drain from it? I had a steady stream for about 45 seconds then it went to a drip.

buy a new plug, they are cheap. unless you have had a bunch of people swimming and filling the boat up, no water should come out.
 
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What type of boat? How was it being used and for how long?

1986 larson open bow 17.6ft. Was in the water about 2.5 hours running around the lake Sat and fished for a bit. Kids got out for a second too swim but didn't track much water back in.
 

spoilsofwar

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1986 larson open bow 17.6ft. Was in the water about 2.5 hours running around the lake Sat and fished for a bit. Kids got out for a second too swim but didn't track much water back in.

Then you have bigger problems then a stripped drain plug. A 45 second steady drain is a lot of water... At least it would be on my boat.

Time to start investigating for leaks. If it's an inboard/outboard, I'd start in the driveway and run the boat on muffs while looking in the engine compartment for leaks. If you can't find any like that, then it's time to put the boat in the water and continue looking.
 

JASinIL2006

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Feb 10, 2012
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Then you have bigger problems then a stripped drain plug. A 45 second steady drain is a lot of water... At least it would be on my boat.

Time to start investigating for leaks. If it's an inboard/outboard, I'd start in the driveway and run the boat on muffs while looking in the engine compartment for leaks. If you can't find any like that, then it's time to put the boat in the water and continue looking.

I agree. That's a lot of water in the bilge. I'd look closely at any through-hull fittings (transom assembly seal, garboard plug, bellows...).
 
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Joined
Jun 30, 2016
Messages
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Then you have bigger problems then a stripped drain plug. A 45 second steady drain is a lot of water... At least it would be on my boat.

Time to start investigating for leaks. If it's an inboard/outboard, I'd start in the driveway and run the boat on muffs while looking in the engine compartment for leaks. If you can't find any like that, then it's time to put the boat in the water and continue looking.



Put the muffs on with drain plug out in the driveway, and saw a trickle building up in the ski storage area where I notice water accumulates a little when out and about.
 
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