ShaneCarroll
Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2009
- Messages
- 639
Well, I have a very good system in launching / retrieving my boat. I never forget to put the plug in, and I never forget to take the plug out. However, sometimes, circumstances beyond your control prohibit you from your normal routine.
My plug is a brass plug, and it had a little metal ring that you could stick a screwdriver (or other long skinny tool) through to tighten / loosen it. I just use a pair of channel locks, as I don't trust the strength of tightening it with a screwdriver. Well, two Saturdays ago was my first (and only so far) boating day of the season, as I have been too busy at work to take the boat out. I put the plug in, went out, and had a great time. I get back to the ramp, and try to remove the plug, and it is in so tight that the brass is just flaking away. So now, I get left with a perfectly round, smooth drain plug. I figure no big deal, I'll just wait until the next day to worry about it. Well, weather wasn't permitting, and I didn't cover the boat. The boat is stored at my parent's house, as I don't have room at mine.
Well, today is the first day in two weeks that I was able to get to the boat. After all the heavy rain, it looked like a swimming pool. Luckily, the alternator and other things were not submerged. I turned the bilge pump on to drain the water, and tried to resume removing the plug. Nothing would work, I tried vice grips, and at the advice of a former marine mechanic, drilled a hole through the middle of the plug to in his words "relieve stress." Three drill bits later, still no luck.
I ended up having to remove the whole garboard assembly, and still cannot get the daggum plug out!!! Now it's late, all boating supply stores and marinas are closed, and I wanted to go out tomorrow for my birthday. This sucks.
I just don't understand how the plug has never given me a problem, but now there is nothing at all that I can do to remove the plug. How does it lock up like that? I guess the SHT involved here would be turning my boat into a swimming pool, but this is a royal PITA!!!
I can buy a new garboard assembly tomorrow, however it will have to cure overnight I hear with the 3M 5200. So my birthday is shot. . .
My plug is a brass plug, and it had a little metal ring that you could stick a screwdriver (or other long skinny tool) through to tighten / loosen it. I just use a pair of channel locks, as I don't trust the strength of tightening it with a screwdriver. Well, two Saturdays ago was my first (and only so far) boating day of the season, as I have been too busy at work to take the boat out. I put the plug in, went out, and had a great time. I get back to the ramp, and try to remove the plug, and it is in so tight that the brass is just flaking away. So now, I get left with a perfectly round, smooth drain plug. I figure no big deal, I'll just wait until the next day to worry about it. Well, weather wasn't permitting, and I didn't cover the boat. The boat is stored at my parent's house, as I don't have room at mine.
Well, today is the first day in two weeks that I was able to get to the boat. After all the heavy rain, it looked like a swimming pool. Luckily, the alternator and other things were not submerged. I turned the bilge pump on to drain the water, and tried to resume removing the plug. Nothing would work, I tried vice grips, and at the advice of a former marine mechanic, drilled a hole through the middle of the plug to in his words "relieve stress." Three drill bits later, still no luck.
I ended up having to remove the whole garboard assembly, and still cannot get the daggum plug out!!! Now it's late, all boating supply stores and marinas are closed, and I wanted to go out tomorrow for my birthday. This sucks.
I just don't understand how the plug has never given me a problem, but now there is nothing at all that I can do to remove the plug. How does it lock up like that? I guess the SHT involved here would be turning my boat into a swimming pool, but this is a royal PITA!!!
I can buy a new garboard assembly tomorrow, however it will have to cure overnight I hear with the 3M 5200. So my birthday is shot. . .
