How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

wcasey5 · Mar 12, 2012

When I was growing up we had a small wooden boat, and the bilge plug was one of those rubber stopper expanding things. Now with my new to me bayliner, it has a brass plug. How tight does it have to be? I know tight enough not to fall out, but is there a torque spec? Does it have to be really really tight? Sparkplug tight? Sorry got the rookie question, I did a search and found nothing.

Glowplug007 · Mar 12, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

I tighten as tight as I can by hand, then check every now and then. Never had a problem. Most will say to take it out after every trip but I rarely ever have water in my bilge.

robert graham · Mar 12, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

Just good and snug...it most likely has tapered pipe threads and only going to tighten so much. A dab of grease or teflon pipe dope on the threads would keep 'em nice and corrosion-free so you can remove it easily to let the rainwater out....don't want water sittin' in the bottom of a boat! Good Luck!

dingbat · Mar 12, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

11.237 ft lbs.

tpenfield · Mar 12, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

dingbat said:
11.237 ft lbs.

Yes, that sounds about right to me

Home Cookin' · Mar 12, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

I have one that wouldn't hit bottom and I was afraid it might vibrate out, so I got another plug. Musta wore out the first one. A little bottom paint in there helps, or pipe tape I guess.

Has anyone seen or heard of one vibrating out? I haven't. doesn't seem likely and I have enough to worry about.

rivermouse · Mar 12, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

Only thing I know is the ones that expand as you tighten them work great but I would stay away from the ones like you find at walmart for 2 bucks..It doesnt hurt to have an extra one handy just in case for some reason the first one gets broken.

hoppy22 · Mar 12, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

I use the oil filter technique, hand tight plus a quarter turn

wcasey5 · Mar 12, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

dingbat said:
11.237 ft lbs.

I'll have to convert that to metric, but that's cool.

Thanks for the reply's, I bought some spares and tried them out hand tight. And they were harder to come out than go in. So I see how this works. Thanks again!

Philster · Mar 13, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

Glowplug007 said:
I tighten as tight as I can by hand, then check every now and then. Never had a problem. Most will say to take it out after every trip but I rarely ever have water in my bilge.

You take it out so you don't drown your boat on land. If rain were to pile up in it, you could turn the whole thing into a swimming pool. Most engines and electronics don't like to be submerged.

Also... this is a common occurrence. Can happen if you cover your boat, too.

wcasey5 · Mar 13, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

My boat doesn't have a name yet, so it may be named "remember the plug" across the stern.

Captain Caveman · Mar 13, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

This topic comes up a lot in Minnesota these days, as we just implemented a boat plug law to slow the further spread of invasive species into our lakes and rivers. You can no longer trailer a boat with the plug in. So many people have griped about the potential to forget to put the plug back in before launching.

When I put the transom straps on my boat after pulling it from the water, I put the boat plug on the transom strap. I use the boat plugs with the ring that flips up to expand the plug. That ring just hangs loosely from the transom tie-down strap hook.

Other people tie the plug to the motor somehow. Some attach the boat plug to their trailer winches.

The point is to put the plug somewhere so that you'd have to really be loopy not to notice it during your launch procedures.

Prophammer · Mar 13, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

easy to forget, no need to be real tight, some water will get in there anyway!

cyclops2 · Mar 13, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

I have learned to put the plugs on a 18" long chain.

Forgot. Untill I saw water slosh up between the slotted floorboards.

coreybv · Mar 13, 2012

Re: How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

dingbat said:
11.237 ft lbs.

Yep.

If you only go 11.236 it'll leak. If you go 11.238 it'll strip the threads, and then leak.

Remember to get your marine torque wrench calibrated at least once every season.

How tight to tighten the bilge plug?

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