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  1. #1
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    Any of you guys suffered this brain malfunction?

    Thought I would share this one only among Allison friends: Finally got the Saturday to do list done around 4 pm and headed to the Mississippi for a little fishing and boat ride in my 2003. Quickly put in the drain plug and hooked up the rig for the quick 20 minute trip to Lansing. After idling out under the rail bridge at the landing I turned around to grab the life vest when I noticed water in the boat and lots more coming in. Darn plug must have fallen out on the trip, I thought. Well, I declared an emergency, passed about 5 boats "slow no wake" on the way back to the ramp dock (all were pleasant!), sprinted to the truck as fast as my 62 year body would allow, and wallowed her onto the trailer. Boat must have held well over 100 gallons of Mississippi mud water. Bought a new plug today and upon installation, could not believe that I had installed the old plug in the live well drain. Only excuse I have is that both are right behind the skid planer. Has anyone else done this?--if not, you are warned that in haste its possible to find the wrong drain. Lesson learned!

  2. Member
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    #2
    Did that in my Bullet 20 XD in the dark before daylight one morning. Had to get my co to get on the front deck while I struggled to get it on plane. Ran the bilge pump until some of the water was pumped out while riding back to launch. Let my co jump on the dock while approaching slow then back my truck and trailer down the launch while I drove boat on the trailer.

    Found the same thing you did. Plug in live well drain hole. Took about 10 minutes to drain all of the water out.

    I hope you feel better knowing there are two of us idiots out here.

    Never did it in either of my Allisons though.
    Last edited by 1Holeshot; 08-05-2019 at 10:38 AM.

  3. Member
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    #3
    At least you put the plug in "Somewhere". I forgot to do that on a brand new boat once while pre-fishing a Redman on Eufaula. Wow! That was interesting. When you have to back a boat up on a sharp inclined bank, trim the motor down on hard bottom to keep from sinking long enough to put a screw-in plug in, underwater, 35 degrees out...yes I have done similar if not worse. You only have to do that one time though. The lesson lasts a lifetime. LOL

  4. Member fishnfireman's Avatar
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    #4
    Guilty of all the above..
    One more reason to install an automatic bilge.. If the pump out is like an Allison you will know REAL quick that something ain't right.
    Years ago idling thru a stump field in a Ranger at Lake Fork the plug got dislodged. Not much you can do but keep going and hope.
    Ever since then I've made sure to have an auto bilge and its the only thing wired straight to the battery.

  5. Member
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    #5
    Had one of those "hinged" fold over handles on a drain plug get pulled out while placing brush piles for crappie. It was on my 18' Xpress. Looked and water was coming up on the floor. I was afraid it would sink before I could get back to the channel and plane off.

    Finally got the boat on plane while running bilge pump and returned to my lift in the boat house and raised the boat to finish draining hull. Fortunately I had a spare plug with the tee handle and went back out fishing later.

  6. Member
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    #6
    the wrong hole, eh..........can get you in trouble!!!

    sorry....I couldn't resist!!!
    2013 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro
    2023 Mercury Racing 300R
    Bravo FS 30P
    ProMax 30P

  7. Member
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    #7
    I have forgotten to put the plug in several times over the years but not with the Allison. I have a flo rite drain plug in now so I don't have to crawl under anymore
    2013 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro
    2023 Mercury Racing 300R
    Bravo FS 30P
    ProMax 30P

  8. Member
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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by AllyFishing View Post
    I have forgotten to put the plug in several times over the years but not with the Allison. I have a flo rite drain plug in now so I don't have to crawl under anymore
    Want to help me install mine? ��
    Allison XB21 Prosport Mercury Racing 250XS with a 1.75 Sporty

  9. Member
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    #9
    It's easy. Get the brass insert out, measure the diameter of the hole and as long as it's over 1" in diameter seal the inner surface with marine tex then when it's dry smooth it out if necessary and install the drain assembly
    2013 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro
    2023 Mercury Racing 300R
    Bravo FS 30P
    ProMax 30P

  10. Member
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    #10
    Quote Originally Posted by AllyFishing View Post
    It's easy. Get the brass insert out, measure the diameter of the hole and as long as it's over 1" in diameter seal the inner surface with marine tex then when it's dry smooth it out if necessary and install the drain assembly
    That simple? Hmmm
    Allison XB21 Prosport Mercury Racing 250XS with a 1.75 Sporty

  11. Member
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    #11
    I have also had all of those thing happen. But I haven’t had it happen in the Allison yet. I don’t think on my XB21 you can put the plug in the wrong hole. But I worry about it being pulled out when I fish some of the junk I go through.

  12. Member
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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by NOTGSXR View Post
    That simple? Hmmm
    It takes some time obviously. I used a small hack saw blade to cut thru the brass insert at opposite sides so that I could tap it up and out of place then remove it. The diameter of the hole should be a bit larger than 1" in diameter. I mixed up some marine tex and applied it to the open area with a popsicle stick and troweled it real nice and even all the way around. Doesn't need to be thick just seal the surrounding exposed area. Make sure the outside surface doesn't get a glob around the edges so keep it nice and sharp. It can be sanded once dry if need be.

    Once dry and hardened insert the cable thru the hole and feed it up thru the pottie area and take it behind the drivers seat wall and find a spot where you want the actuator lever. Remember the cable can make turns but not sharp turns. Assemble the plug end and outside seated area and your good to go
    2013 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro
    2023 Mercury Racing 300R
    Bravo FS 30P
    ProMax 30P

  13. Banned
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    #13
    That's one thing i like about my Triton. I can fish all day without the drain plug in. I've even left my boat on the water for 4 days without it in.

  14. Member
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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Dubee View Post
    That's one thing i like about my Triton. I can fish all day without the drain plug in. I've even left my boat on the water for 4 days without it in.

    2013 Allison XB-21 BasSport Pro
    2023 Mercury Racing 300R
    Bravo FS 30P
    ProMax 30P

  15. Member
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    #15
    I forgot to put my plug in my 2003, put the boat in and parked my truck. When I climbed in the boat the water was already in the floor, I thought "no big deal this is a light boat and my 225 should at least get it on plane". Boy was I wrong.
    I rode around for 10 minutes letting it drain some then put the boat in neutral grabbed the plug and jumped in the lake and put it in. Climbed back in the boat and began bailing water (did I forget to mention that I had an appointment with allison to fix the wiring and bilge pump on my boat! ). Jumped back in and pulled the plug, put the boat in gear and plowed water for about 5 minutes before the nose dropped. This was the 1st episode!!

  16. Member
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    #16
    The 2nd episode..I took the boat out with some buddies to run. When we where done I stopped at floating restaurant/bar to have a beer with one of the guys. Drain plug is in and livewell drain is plugged also. The boat is tied to the dock while I'm in the bar. Apparently I hit the livewell switch when I climbed out of the seat. The pump ran for a while. There was over a foot of water in the floor of the boat when I went to leave. I don't know how it would take to sink my boat but i do know that it can be about half full and still float!!
    End of episodes....hopefully.

  17. Member
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    #17
    I did this once, not an Allison, going Sea duck hunting in November. Freezing cold, junk boat, wouldnt start. Battery was actually floating and buddy was ripping things apart trying to get to choke. Fired up the floating tub and drove it as far up ramp as I could. So heavy, motor would barely push it. I think I would cry if it was a new Allison. Some day Ill be part of the club, I need a forever grin!