why take the plug off??

[Floatsum]

Re: why take the plug off??

Old school for me (force of habit?).
Boat lives on trailer in damp old New England.
I pull the plug, open hatches when stored.
1) circulates air in bilge
2) helps minimize mold
3) guarentees any fuel fumes get dumped
4) Battery gases get flushed too
5) Just the way I was trained (LOL)

 

[BamaAlum97]

Re: why take the plug off??

In general, the plug stays in on my boat...My boat is stored on a lift in a slip at the local marina. That being said...anytime the boat is put on the trailer, I do remove the plug.

 

[fishinhardwater]

Re: why take the plug off??

extra weight of the water trapped inside your boat may bust your trailer springs and put too much load on your tires

 

[jdlough]

Re: why take the plug off??

Saw a guy at the launch the other day...

He has an "O" ring on his boat's key chain.

Whenever he removes the plug, he ALWAYS stuffs it in the O ring.

Pretty good reminder next time he starts.

 

[cribber]

Re: why take the plug off??

I keep my plug out while it's parked in the driveway since the boat and trailer are too large to go into the garage. I keep my boat covered but there is always that little bit of rain that get in and accumulates no matter thru the canvas covers. I keep two plugs in a bag in the bilge and two plugs in the tool bag. Kind of anal... but if we meet and you forgot yours at the house, I've got a spare for ya to pass on to the next one of us who forgets.

 

[Sharkfighter]

Re: why take the plug off??

My boat sits outside and so I take plug out. For me it is all about routines. I have 2 plugs on boat (carry spare just in case) and try to put the plug into same spot after each use.

I definately think you should trailer the boat home without it to let more drain (depending on size/type of yer boat.)

I put the plug in a place that I see it when I am getting boat ready for each trip. I never thought about leaving it in but if it was in a garage I might do it.

I have some standard pre-trip checks I make such as a multimeter to the batteries, safety stuff in place, 2 stroke oil topped off, Storage box with safety gear in place, I leave boat key in boat but nice to glance at it and make sure it there before I pull boat to Marina. Fishing rods /bait /camera/ sunglasses ( i keep spares and spare hat on boat), leaves and twigs swept out.

So anyone want to start a thread with their pre-trip checklists? Something you do EVERY time you go? I am on boat about once a week all year but am always looking to learn new ideas.

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: why take the plug off??

I leave mine out because thats one more itty bitty place for the insides to get some air , breath & dry out

 

[CATransplant]

Re: why take the plug off??

Since I always use a transom-saver, I make a point to drop the outboard when I return home with the boat. Then, the next time I use the boat, I have to raise the outboard and put it on the transom-saver. While I'm back there, I make a point to check the plug and put it back in if it's out.

Then, when I get to the ramp, while I'm in the prep area, I have to remove the transom-saver before launching. Again, since I'm back there, I check the plug.

My main drain plug is tethered to the transom, so it can't easily get lost. I also carry one in each tackle box. There's another up in the bow storage area, and one in the glove compartment of my tow vehicle.

I'm anal about drain plugs.

 

[Span 24]

Re: why take the plug off??

Old school for me (force of habit?).
Boat lives on trailer in damp old New England.
I pull the plug, open hatches when stored.
1) circulates air in bilge
2) helps minimize mold
3) guarentees any fuel fumes get dumped
4) Battery gases get flushed too
5) Just the way I was trained (LOL)

I too leave the plug out except when on the water for the same reasons, plus:

Marine starters are very expensive! I would hate to have to replace a starter because it rusted due to rain water filling the bilge.

If its that difficult to remember the plug why not make a red ribbon about 3 inches wide x 2 feet long and write "Install plug before removing" and attach it to the bow ring. So, even if you forgot the most important pre-launch item you would at least know it before you got the boat off of the trailer.

Michael

 

[Expidia]

Re: why take the plug off??

I always leave mine in (it hangs off it's built in wire anyway even when it's out like when I'm hosing down the interior).

I leave it out over the winter with the boat in a higher than normal position by cranking up the third wheel to drain even though it's covered.

I have a trailerable cover, but the one time I do leave it out is driving home if the cover is off. If it starts to rain during an a hour or two trip on the way home no sense in towing all that extra water home

 

[fishingman220]

Re: why take the plug off??

guy i used to work with had a 18ft sea ray bowrider. one winter he put it away with a cover on it, about march he noticed the tires on the trailer were low. he pumped them up to 50psi. still looked very low. then looked under the cover and the water was up to the very top. ended up, he parked it right under the vally in the roof beside the house and he left the plug in. the cover lost its waterproof and it filled up. every electrical piece had to be replaced and it was never right again, everytime you took it out something else went wrong. so take the plug out.

 

[Expidia]

Re: why take the plug off??

That's a good point about checking the slope of the roof if you park next to a garage like I do too. Leave enough room between the boat and the roof.

Even if you leave the drain plug out, water could freeze or a leaf or debris could block the hole so I check the boat a few times over the winter season too.

I check it by inserting a dowel into the open drain plug hole each time I brush the snow or ice off if any has stuck to the cover. Also a good time to check under the cover for mouse, varmint droppings and rectify if you see any. I spray the cover with some silicone to keep it slick.

And this Snow Brum (best invention if you live in snow belts) is great for taking snow off fast. I keep one in each car because it does not scratch the finish.

http://cozywinters.com/shop/sno-brum.html

 

[Silvertip]

Re: why take the plug off??

Wow! 31 posts regarding whether or not to leave the plug in or remove it when the boat is out of the water. Seems like the real issue is whether or not you are forgetful. If you are -- leave it in and suffer the consequences. If you are organized and have detailed pre-launch and retrieval processes, leave it out.

 

[RickV1955]

Re: why take the plug off??

With the benefits of taking the plug out.....seems crazy not to.

If for some reason, you leave the plug out....a pretty simple thing to put it in prior to getting underway...
Most of the boat plugs I've seen are somehow tied/tethered to the transom/stern of the boat....so doesn't seem like much of an issue to me.

 

[salty87]

Re: why take the plug off??

lots of greats reasons to take plugs out but the OP stated he keeps his boat stored inside his garage.

taking the plug out in this case is only a great opportunity to forget putting it back in. provided he pumps any water out with the bilge pump, there isn't anything to be gained by taking the plug out. seems pointless to me.

everyone is making assumptions...out is better than in...not always.
jack the trailer high and it will drain....doesn't work for a tandem axle.
pull the plug in the back...not all boats have drain plugs on the transom that can be reached.

maybe there should be a thread for common reasons to remove the plug...otherwise, i think the OP is being mislead.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: why take the plug off??

Lol, doesn't work for a tandem axle? Last time I checked the boat bow lifts when you raise the jack up, thereby making more water flow to the back. Maybe your tandem is different than mine? Lol.

 

[MudSkunk]

Re: why take the plug off??

its part of the checklist put the plug in when prepping to launch. pull the plug when prepping to go home. my livewell overflows to the bilge so pulling the plug end of the day is a no brainer. and it can take some time for the all the water to find its way out. plus in wisconsin if i am not mistaken you cannot go from lake to lake without draining the bilge by pulling the plug. i am not one to risk a visit from the DNR of wisconsin because a warden saw the plug was in when i drove up and conduct a boat inspection for invasive species and risk a ticket. those guys look for anything to muck with folks.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: why take the plug off??

Wow!

I think that every possible reason for 'pulling' the plug, has been covered...except the most important one of all.

The economy.

Every red blooded American needs to support the drain plug industry...and losing your plug, is good for the nation. Seeing as 95% of the drain plugs come out of Bilgeplug, MN...and the factory employs, on average, 5.5 people...and Washington has (so far) completely ignored any kind of bailout for this struggling industry...we need to do our part.

Spread the word:

Either a Federal bailout...or a bucket bailout...it's up to you!!!

 

[NBE]

Re: why take the plug off??

I used to always remove mine when I had a riveted aluminum boat. It leaked slightly and always had a little water in it when finished for the day so I pulled the plug after getting it on the trailer.

When i got my newer welded aluminnum boat I started leaving the plug in all of the time. The boat stayed under the carport so there was no rain or water issue. When I hooked up the trailer to go boating I always made a point to check the plug to make sure it was tight. Unfortunately when I developed that habit I stopped checking it at the ramp for some reason.

I usually travel 50 miles to the landing where we fish and some of the road is very bumpy. Well, one day I put the boat in and noticed that water was coming in like crazy. Turns out that the plug was missing, probably vibrated loose while going down the road and fell out. Of course since I checked it at home before I left I forgot to recheck it at the ramp. This particular time I couldn't find my spare as I haven't needed it in years so I had to reload the boat on the trailer and go several miles down the road to but another one.

I now have reverted back to my lifelong old habit of always removing the plug and putting it back in at the ramp during my prelaunch check.

Sooooo...all that being said, I leave mine out because it is possible to lose it while going down the road and my memory works better if I do it the way I have since I was a kid.

 

[David Greer]

Re: why take the plug off??

I once accidentally lef the plug in, turned off the battery, covered the boat and left it for 2 months. Came back in the spring and it was sitting with the tongue up in the air! The cover had let rain through at a sag (even though it was propped up) and the weight of the water tipped it up. Somehow it didn't short the battery, and I drained it, and then thought to check the oil tank (VRO). It was full--and that is not my style. A nice layer of water in the bottom, seeped in through the vent I guess. Pumped it out, no harm done, but good thing I looked before cranking!
So don't trust your cover to winter seaside northeasters; all systems will fail; gravity and open holes are pretty reliable, though.