jayhawkfishin Posted December 29, 2005 Share Posted December 29, 2005 What is the best thing to do if you Forget to put in the plug? If you are a long way from the ramp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User cart7t Posted December 29, 2005 Super User Share Posted December 29, 2005 Best thing to do? Probably put the plug back in. It'll make your day so much more enjoyable on the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawkfishin Posted December 29, 2005 Author Share Posted December 29, 2005 I know to put the plug back in but how? On our boat you can't reach down and put the plug in when your in the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass Hammer Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Ram a beach and hop out and put it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassResource.com Administrator Glenn Posted December 30, 2005 BassResource.com Administrator Share Posted December 30, 2005 Ram a beach and hop out and put it in. Yup, that's exactly it..... and hope your bilge pump works. Yet another good reason to carry some towels on your boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cajun1977 Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 if i owned one of them nice bassboats like glen has id jump my happyass into the water and put the plug in if i had to but thats just me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User flechero Posted December 30, 2005 Super User Share Posted December 30, 2005 I know to put the plug back in but how?On our boat you can't reach down and put the plug in when your in the water. What kind of boat do you have? I haven't seen a bass boat yet that you couldn't do it from the topside... you may have to get your head wet but you'll reach it. (I'm sure there are some, maybe the new stuff with the extended transom sides?) If you are short, you may need your partner to hold your legs to keep you from falling in. Most boats now a days have 3 or 4 drain holes back there for livewells, coolers, etc.... you need to know which is which, from topside in case you ever have to do this. If you really can't get to it, just get your boat on plane and head back to the ramp, as you are on plane, water will be flowing OUT of the boat through the plug hole. All the old timers at Fork used to preach if you hit a stump and knocked a hole in the boat, get to a boat lane , pull the plug and get it up on plane... it gets (most of the time) the hole out of the water and your hull will be draining on the way back to the ramp. Of course that is if you don't get hung on the stump!! Thankfully I never had to test the theory, my old boss DID though and he made it back by doing just that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassResource.com Administrator Glenn Posted December 30, 2005 BassResource.com Administrator Share Posted December 30, 2005 Actually, there's a lot of (newer) boats where you can't get to the plug from "topside" - mine included. The integrated engine set back places that plug waaay underneath. Heck, it's a little tough to get to it even when it's on the trailer! Next innovation - plugs that work via a valve, controllable at the helm -- much like a livewell. That way, there's no more forgetting the plug, and it's as easy to open/close as the livewell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User flechero Posted December 30, 2005 Super User Share Posted December 30, 2005 I figured some of the newer designs would be the likely culprits. I'm not up on the newer boats since I haven't felt the desire to get back into boat payments yet! ...lol There are still 2 other options for anyone who is likely to forget the plug... I don't endorse or use either of them but know people who use one or the other and have no complaints. 1. Leave the plug in... only after a trip, pull it on the ramp, while putting on straps and transom saver, then re plug. (this assumes you have a dry storage or garage. 2. They make a plug with the ball, it's a one way valve. Closes when you launch and if any water gets in it opens once the boat is out of the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User flechero Posted December 30, 2005 Super User Share Posted December 30, 2005 Next innovation - plugs that work via a valve, controllable at the helm -- much like a livewell. That way, there's no more forgetting the plug, and it's as easy to open/close as the livewell. Do you know how easy that would be to make? The drain on my livewell is a simple cable operated valve... you would just have 2 knobs, one for livewell and one for plug. Now that I think about it, I'm surprised no one does that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User J._Bricker Posted December 30, 2005 Super User Share Posted December 30, 2005 On a hot day you won't mind going swimming to put in the plug. My boat is like Glenn's, it is a pain with the location even with the boat on the trailer. And the one time I forgot to put in the plug because I was in a hurry to hit the water (go figure), I was reminded with in 5 minutes when the blige pump kicked on. Best way, put in the plug when your hooking up your transom saver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axis Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 What is the best thing to do if you Forget to put in the plug?If you are a long way from the ramp. I don't think you are going to get a long way from the ramp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 Once you discover it's out, If you can get on plane or get enough forward motion to create a cavity behind the boat, it will suck all the water back out and just don't stop until you get back to the ramp. If you have a partner, make a quick stop to let him out to get the vehicle while you get back on plane to suck the water back out again and then drive straight to the trailer when it's backed in. The boat will not take on water unless it's sitting still or moving very slow. If buy yourself, and can get to the hole from the battery compartment, like Glen says, stuff it with rags or something after getting it sucked back out by running down the lake. If it uses the standard old drain plug, you can stick it in from the battery compartment side. If it's the screw in plug like mine, start stuffing what ever you can find. I pulled that stunt about 30 years ago. After doing it once, you learn to check and double check to be sure the plug is in. I put it in before I leave the house (unless it's raining) and check it again at the ramp, just to be darn sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenka Posted December 30, 2005 Share Posted December 30, 2005 What is the best thing to do if you Forget to put in the plug?If you are a long way from the ramp. I don't think you are going to get a long way from the ramp! I wouldn't bet on that! My boater and i were about 15 miles away from the ramp when we came off plane and figured out that the plug was out. In a newer style Nitro, he had to get in the water to plug it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sodaksker Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Back in the 80s I used to teach water skiing. Our boats were moored out overnight. If it were to rain the boats would fill with water. They had no bilge pumps, so we would just take them out and pull the plug, get the bow up in the air and hold that speed so that all the water would run out the back and then stick the plug back in. Just don't panic. There were a few times when we would forget to put the plug back in and I was sure we were going to sink a boat due to the amount of water on board, but once you get that bow up in the air and the boat moving you will be amazed at how fast that water will go out of the boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassdocktor Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Like J. Bricker said I just do it when I remove the transom saver. Should I ever forget I'll be taking a swim. On a 05 Triton 186 it's burried underneath. bassdocktor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_Bassman Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I've got a little elastic cord on mine; it's one of those thingys women use to tie a pony tail with. I got like six of them in a drugstore. for a buck or so. They will rot after a bit, or fall off, so I keep spares in the glove box of my truck. I loop the plug on the top of the steering wheel whenever it's out of the boat. That way, I see it before I leave the ramp, even if I've launched already, which I've only done once since using this practice. I have spotted it several times just before I almost launched, and I came up with the idea after about the third time I had to beach because of the stupid plug not remembering to put itself in the drain hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low_Budget_Hooker Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 -you can jump in -you can learn from your lesson and not forget it again. -You can print the pre-boat checklist found under "fishing articles" if you don't trust yourself. I agree Glenn, you would have thought they would have a system like that by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbj3579 Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I'm one of those that's not only done it once but twice, with my brand new 2005 Champion boat. Both times have been when I'm fishing a tournament. I can atest for the floatation of a Champion, the last time I did it back in Nov. I fished for almost 4 hours with the plug out. I'm a freaken idiot. LOL! Luckily I'm 6'5" and can reach the plug, as long as I don't mind getting my head wet. Maybe I'll learn. I need to print that check list off, HUH? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 You know, Many years back they came out with those self draining plugs that you could just leave in, kinda like a rubber flapper vavle. A friend of mine bought one and thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. That was until a stick hung on a piece of fishing line got stuck in it and held it open. Bad part was he didn't discover it till the next afternoon. He had the boat tied in the boat house in about 7 ft of water. When he went out to get in it, it was gone. Had his neighbor ride him all over that part of the lake to see if they could see it. Finally called the county cops to report it stollen, when they came to investigate, the deputy saw the rop he had it tied to hanging in the water, shined his flashlight in the water and asked my friend if that would be his missing boat his light was shinning on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low_Budget_Hooker Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 Many saltwater boats have those. Scuppers. They are for above deck water however. There is also one with a ping pong ball in a plastic cup, same principle, water goes out but can't come in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paparock Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 The problem can also depend on the boat you own. I know a guy that had a Gulf Coast based on an old Boston Whaler hull that did not discover he forgot to put his plug in until he put the boat back on the trailer. Gulf Coast boats are a sandwich of fiberglass and foam bonded together. Another Friend could reach his plug from his new boat. After swimming and taking some spray into the boat he came up with the idea of pulling the plug while under way at a stop speed to siphon the water out. Old "Murphy" was on board that day. All went well until he tried to put the plug back in. That's when the plug fell apart (why I always carry spares) and he had no spare. Ahhhhh, he thought I'll just beach the boat. Murphy of Murphy's Law now stepped forth. At about 100 yards from shore the engine suddenly stopped and would not restart. The water came in, the boat did a slow roll to sun it's belly and all his tackle took a through washing. Thus he earned the nickname Captain Nemo. It definitely was not his day as a foreshadow of the day was when on the way to the lake a wheel bearing went out on his new boat's trailer. And no I would never go fishing in his boat. I always said "let's take mine". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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