When do you put your plug in?

[tboltmike]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

My plug goes in at home before we leave, and I check it again when I remove my transom straps in the prep area, where you are supposed to remove them.

I leave it out for the ride home, to allow any water that may have gotten in a chance to run to the back. I leave it out until the next trip. That may change when I finish building an extension to the lean to on my pole barn.

Also, my plug has a lanyard and is attached the the stern.

Ditto.

I insert my plug from the outside and have it wired to the motor bracket. It is too big of a pain to get to the bilge side of the tube. Also, I can see that it is in and secure. Have been doing this for over 20 years with no problems.

Also, keep a spare in the boat's glove boxa
Mike

 

[BTMCB]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

Plug goes in at home during departure check. Double check it at launch during strap removal. Plug comes out after retrieval when I put the straps back on before departing for home. Stays out. So far, so good!

 

[Tig]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

I bought a boat with a self bailing deck. No plug, no worries.

 

[Aviator5]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

At home before we leave. But I do it only once per season.

 

[Philster]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

I keep it out and put it in on launch day (at home or the ramp). I enjoy the launch a lot more if I get more done at home.

It makes no sense to leave it in when on land. You cannot possibly present one sound reason, that over rides all others, for leaving it in. It makes no sense.

There are millions of boats out there, and if all the millions of boats sat with their plugs in all the time, that would ensure trouble for X% of them. I see no reason to put myself into a category of someone who could have trouble because the plug was left in.

If water gets in, nothing good can come from it, and it gets worse if it can't get out.

 

[Beeg31]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

If you live out west in areas dealing with quagga and zebra mussels, you'll have to take your plug out or you don't launch. Large lakes like Mead and Powell have been dealing with the issue for awhile, and this past season many of my local Colorado lakes are now posting NPS check stations. Once cleared, you get tagged, but if the tag is missing when you relaunch on another day, you have to go through the whole process again. With our i/o motor, we have to lower the lower unit and make sure the plug is out. Any visible water causes concern and can result in decontamination which is essentially a power sprayer hooked up to a boiler along with the earmuffs as well. Apparently hot water alone kills the buggers if it's hot enough.

My experiences have been good, but it adds a big delay to your plans if you have to be decontaminated and it's a busy day. When I came back from Lake Powell this year, the damp dock lines under the seats were enough to get decontaminated. About an hour long process of pulling everything out of the boat onto the ground to be sprayed off along with a thorough washing of hot water by the NPS on the entire boat.

Everyone in general has been very nice, but in talking with different NPS workers, they have encountered some sour apples with the process. They can and have quarantined boats which I believe is a 30 day you're SOL from using your boat on that lake.

 

[rda738]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

in garage why bother My roof don't leak

 

[vegasphotoman]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

On our Glastron ....We put ours in at the ready area of the dock....
and take it out at the dry off area...& leave it out in case of rain intrusion...and venting any gas fumes etc

on our OTHER boat...it HAS NO DRAIN!!!!!!!!
1981 23 ft fiberglass Sleekcraft executive.....so no worries!

Hijack.....has anyone else got a boat with no drain plug??????
we either have to use the bilge pump or a super soaker squirt gun to drain it out.....

Should we add one???????????

 

[vegasphotoman]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

BEEG31 When I came back from Lake Powell this year, the damp dock lines under the seats were enough to get decontaminated. About an hour long process of pulling everything out of the boat onto the ground to be sprayed off along with a thorough washing of hot water by the NPS on the entire boat.

GOOD INFO!!!!!!!!!!!

Lake Mead currently has no such stations...they may be on the way tho
theres ALOT of those zebra and quagga mussels...people come from California all the time and prob bring em back to thier little lakes in cali...
OUCH! bummer!

 

[rolmops]

Re: When do you put your plug in?

When I was in the service,I was trained to be ready and wait...
I prepare everything for the next boating trip (fuel,repairs,maintenance) immediately after I return from the lake.That way my boat is always ready to go.The plug goes in when the trailer gets hooked up to the van.