drain plugs

[redfury]

A question I've been pondering for a while has me wondering that the consensus here is on drain plugs.

I'm aware of 3 different types. The Garboard style plug ( screwed in from outside the boat ), the rubber expansion type, and the plastic style with the anti siphon ball w/plastic tab to keep from dropping or losing the actual plastic plug.

Since so many here are redoing transoms, I thought this was something worth mentioning in this thread, since it doesn't seem to come up as often as I would think it should.

Pros and cons to the different types, best usage for conditions ( salt vs freshwater ), ease of use, technical issues ( debris in bilge for example, or having to be outside the boat to put the plug in ( in case you forgot to before you launched )

 

[i386]

Re: drain plugs

The Garboard style has large flange so it's not a good candidate as a replacement in my little boat. Many larger boats, especially I/O make it difficult to get to the plug from the inside. For those, the Garboard is ideal IMO.

 

[oops!]

Re: drain plugs

for smaller boats .....under 17'.....expansion rubber plug.

bigger boats........ garboard type......


over 40 feet (or displacement hulls)....none.....(auto bilge)


all sizes, a young octopus with a gazillion bailing buckets

cheers
oops

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: drain plugs

this is my preference, if a garboard is not there.
http://www.iboats.com/Seachoice_Dra...12794840--**********.293422728--view_id.21696

 

[redfury]

Re: drain plugs

http://www.iboats.com/Seasense_One_...2807181--**********.485374674--view_id.237498

What about this style? This is what I had considered, but hadn't seen a brass one, only plastic locally....

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: drain plugs

never seen one up close. looks just like the garboard, but with a ring? have no idea it would work one way.

 

[redfury]

Re: drain plugs

It's like a garboard, but it has a pin and a ball in it. Water can leave the boat, but not enter it. I worry that something like that would be a problem with any kind of debris in the boat more than a normal drain. I suppose it would depend on how much access one would have to the bilge area.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: drain plugs

in the old days before bilge pumps, we used a system similar, on the ski boats. but with a bilge no need anymore, a bilge will pump more water than will drain out, faster.

 

[redfury]

Re: drain plugs

in the old days before bilge pumps, we used a system similar, on the ski boats. but with a bilge no need anymore, a bilge will pump more water than will drain out, faster.

I guess I was looking at it as an idiot proof drain plug Especially since I've already proven to myself that there's an idiot launching my boat every once in a while Thought process being that if I forget the plug, the ball will stop the boat from taking on excess water.

 

[BillP]

Re: drain plugs

I prefer rubber plugs for transom drains. They're easy and are the only ones that can be removed/installed while the boat is running.

Garboard plugs need a wrench or t-nut and are a hassle. They are really intended for placement in the lowest part of the bilge for draining rainwater. Big boats stored on dry land can't be tilted enough to drain though transoms so they are the ones who usually have garboard drains (they don't have transom drains either). The flange on them means they don't sit as close to the bottom as a drain tube when mounted vertically on a transom. They leave more water in than tubes...not much but about 1/4" more than a transom tube if that matters.

The float type drains are sensitive to transom angle and trash. Too much transom angle makes the balls very sensitive to staying on the seal. Debris can lodge between the seal and ball and leaks happen. I'd only use them in conjunction with a rubber plug and never leave the boat in the water long with only the float to depend on. I'd also use them on self draining boats that sit too low in the stern and let water back through the aft scuppers.

bp

 

[redfury]

Re: drain plugs

I wish I had my camera, but I was looking at a boat the other day that had a drain plug that you could screw down tight or open up while in motion and pull water from the boat. The bottom of the boat had a shallow "scoop" pointing to the rear, and the drain on the inside was like a "poppet" valve. You just screwed it down until it sealed. It was pretty neat. Of course, what to do if the seal fails from age....not exactly an item you see on marine store shelves.

 

[BillP]

Re: drain plugs

I wish I had my camera, but I was looking at a boat the other day that had a drain plug that you could screw down tight or open up while in motion and pull water from the boat. The bottom of the boat had a shallow "scoop" pointing to the rear, and the drain on the inside was like a "poppet" valve. You just screwed it down until it sealed. It was pretty neat. Of course, what to do if the seal fails from age....not exactly an item you see on marine store shelves.

Sounds like a "self bailer"...seen on small sailboats like Sunfish.

 

[Modemagic]

Re: drain plugs

this is my preference, if a garboard is not there.
http://www.iboats.com/Seachoice_Dra...12794840--**********.293422728--view_id.21696

here's a dumb but important question.... hehe Which side do these go into?? I've seen guys on the launch ramps put them in from the outside as well as the inside.