Transom drain plug.

[jestor68]

Re: Transom drain plug.

Down here in July the surface temp of the water is usually 83-86 degrees. The plug isn't going to tighten up much due to temperature variance.

Slug it in with an adjustable wrench, as is intended.

"Finger tight" can mean many things.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Transom drain plug.

A GOOD finger tight is enough, no reason to go crazy with a wrench... Here is something to ponder. I'd bet money that if you put it in finger tight when you unload, you aren't going to get it back out by hand at the end of the day... Under most conditions, you are taking a plug and socket that are at ambient air temp and screwing them together. Again, most conditions, the water temp is going to be colder, so when they cool down, the socket contracts, and it gets significantly tighter than when it started. The plug has tapered threads, so the contraction of the socket snugs it up quite nicely.

If the plug and socket are the same material they will contract the exact same amount... that isn't why it's harder to remove.... plus not everyone has the same torque rating in their fingers... I'm 38 6'4" and 240 lbs.... I can probably get it much tighter than a small stature 80 yr old.... the 1/8-14 turn after snug is a much safer bet as it takes strength out of the equation.

Not saying that it is incredibly likely to come out even if only screwed in half way and left loose but I'd bet my life that it won't fall out the way I put it in.

 

[Quit It]

Re: Transom drain plug.

beanz,
Thank you and your family for your service. If your wife has questions tell her to log in, lots of knowledgeable people here, ready to help.

Regarding the "tightness" question I know three things for sure

1. my mechanics said finger tight - or 1/8-1/4 turn for the non-T nut.

2. I've never seen anyone say they went finger tight and had it fall out

3. we have lots of threads on folks who need to replace their garboard drains and repair the fiberglass around it - could that be because folks are torquing on fiberglass when they don't need to?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Transom drain plug.

Down here in July the surface temp of the water is usually 83-86 degrees. The plug isn't going to tighten up much due to temperature variance...

The plug is not going to tighten up at all due to temperature changes.
The fitting will change size and the plug will change to match it because they both change to the same temperature.

Even if it did; a 100F change will expand/contract Bronze only .0001" across a 1 inch fitting.
You would never even notice it.
That is why press fitted parts need to be heated until they glow to make much of a difference.

(Ref: Bronze CLE = 10 x 10^-6 in/in/F)

The issue with the Bronze family of metals is the high copper content.
If you have ever tried to machine pure copper you will quickly find it to be a sticky metal to work with.
It tends to stick to itself and all the tool bits. Adding Tin to form bronze helps a lot.
But it still tends to stick together if you put some pressure on it and let it sit for a while.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Transom drain plug.

86 the teflon... it isn't needed.

True, it is not, but it acts as sort of a shock absorber and allows me to snug up the fit with a wrench, without accidentally overdoing it (as I have been known to do). And oh yeah ... you're bigger, younger and stronger than I am. Carry a big wrench i always say.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Transom drain plug.

Well I found away to permanently fix my drain plug issue, I switched to a pontoon. :first::glee:

 

[buellwinkle]

Re: Transom drain plug.

I would keep a cork from a bottle of wine. It floats and can be forced in from the inside if need be.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Transom drain plug.

True, it is not, but it acts as sort of a shock absorber and allows me to snug up the fit with a wrench, without accidentally overdoing it (as I have been known to do). And oh yeah ... you're bigger, younger and stronger than I am. Carry a big wrench i always say.

Good thing I'm not in Cali cause I think I just got threatened with a whoopin... LOL

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Transom drain plug.

No ... Just a torque contest. Your fingers vs. my wrench. So what is Teflon tape good for? I've got a bunch of it.

 

[90stingray]

Re: Transom drain plug.

Forget the wrench. I like to take that brass plug pictured earlier and hammer in a stainless roll pin. The pin gives me a t handle like shape i can grab with my hand and get her wrenched down by hand. No tools required for installing or removing... done deal!

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Transom drain plug.

Forget the wrench. I like to take that brass plug pictured earlier and hammer in a stainless roll pin. The pin gives me a t handle like shape i can grab with my hand and get her wrenched down by hand. No tools required for installing or removing... done deal!

Thats one way. I've also seen brass garboard plugs that had t-handles cast onto the end of them.

 

[jack7771]

Re: Transom drain plug.

Snap handle 1" rubber bilge plug:
MOELLER 029070-10 - Moeller 1" Aluminum Drain Plug 029070-10 - Boaters Plus

 

[90stingray]

Re: Transom drain plug.

That rubber plug is ok on a smaller boat since they are supposed to be mounted on the inside. But for a boat like in your pic... that wouldn't be fun to crawl in and out the bilge.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Transom drain plug.

Snap handle 1" rubber bilge plug:
MOELLER 029070-10 - Moeller 1" Aluminum Drain Plug 029070-10 - Boaters Plus

Make sure you're particular boat likes those (I don't know if it would work well in the OP's boat). My boat will spit one of those out within a 1/4 mile of the pier ... it waits on purpose

My old boat did fine on the snap handle type, but my current boat does better with the screw in plug.

 

[tinkerguy70]

Re: Transom drain plug.

No ... Just a torque contest. Your fingers vs. my wrench. So what is Teflon tape good for? I've got a bunch of it.

Well for plumbing, it acts as a lubricant and reduces friction for the threads of the pipe, I guess it does the same thing in this case.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Transom drain plug.

Hey guys excuse me for the dumb question, But I have never owned a boat before, Im currently deployed and my wife just bought one for our family. Now this leads me to a couple concerns obviously. Its a 1996 Glastron GS 215 with a 5.7l Mercruiser and alpha one outdrive. Thats all I really know. The guy says the motor is solid and he has it winterized. I already know the interior needs some help and Im willing to accomplish that as long as the boat runs. We got it for a good price (in my eyes). But something that concerns me. below is a picture that my wife said was leaking out water. Im sure its a drain plug, but he never gave us a plug for it. Heres my questions. The day we picked up the boat it was raining hard and he only had mooring covers on the boat. Is this water draining out of the engine compartment from the rain and him hosing out the boat? Or is this something more indepth then that. If this truely is a drain plug and should have a plug in it how hard is it to change this part? Is it just those 3 screws?thanks for any input. Im sure I will have more questions as I go along on this journey
View attachment 181731

First - Thank you for your service. Wishing you a safe and timely return.

Have your wife use a pencil or a stick and make sure there is not a clump of wet leaves or debris on the inside of the hole...... it is just rain water, condensation or residual water draining. Make sure it is clear so it drains out properly.

Once you are back then we can investigate further and even reseal the outside ring of the garboard plug.

Yep, the plug should be in when in the water and out now.

Make sure the wife has the trailer tilted up as far as possible and safe.

Bob - Retired Army

 

[britisher]

Re: Transom drain plug.

My new to me boat I got last year didn't come with a plug, so I bought a couple of replacements from Walmart (they're about $2.00+/-). I also bought an Attwood SS universal tool as it was on clearance down to $4.00. It is amongst other things a drain plug wrench. I keep that in the truck box glovebox. I also got into the habit (good I'm told) of disconnecting the battery after use. I therefore keep a small toolkit in the boat and one of the wrenches fits the drain plug nicely and gives me plenty of leverage. I keep the spare drain plug in the glovebox. I keep the main drain plug in the battery box tray, so i never (now anyway) forget to put it. Did it once, never again.

 

[jack7771]

Re: Transom drain plug.

That rubber plug is ok on a smaller boat since they are supposed to be mounted on the inside. But for a boat like in your pic... that wouldn't be fun to crawl in and out the bilge.

Ha -- yes, would be no fun to "crawl in and out the bilge." No, that plug would be for a quick temporary remedy if left with no good choice but to jump out of boat and plug the drain from outside the transom.

..................

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Transom drain plug.

Ha -- yes, would be no fun to "crawl in and out the bilge." No, that plug would be for a quick temporary remedy if left with no good choice but to jump out of boat and plug the drain from outside the transom.

If yer gonna carry an emergency plug carry the CORRECT plug...... threaded and rubber plugs are not interchangeable

 

[jack7771]

Re: Transom drain plug.

In reality, the rubber plugs are made for 1" while the screw-in type is a smaller diameter.