I almost made a big mistake

[zelmo]

Here is the article on the death:


https://www.stamarine.com/news/frien...harrrisburg-pa

[zelmo]

Here is the article on the death:

https://www.stamarine.com/news/frien...harrrisburg-pa



Sorry for the double post.

[Dubee]

I leave mine out all the time. I have had it on the water for 3 days tied up to a dock at night. No problems.

[RonCat]

On my 2000 BassCat I could put the plug in from inside the rear hatch. Forgot it twice in 14 years, turn on bilge, plug from inside, problem solved. Never take it out of new BassCat.

[JerryT]

Fished an 4 hour week night tourney with the plug out and never sunk.. did have a nice fountain coming up from the floor drain for a bit.. it made it to a certain level and stopped taking in more water

[Mikez521]

I installed a Flow Rite Remote Drain Plug in my boat. Now I can close it without getting out of the drivers seat.

[250bassFL]

That's not a big mistake. I would just call that a small brain fart as opposed to some stuff I have done.

[375VTROCKET]

Left the plug out of the Triton 2 weeks ago as we were backing it in the bilge pump came on. I thought maybe rain water blew in while it was under the shed. Then I did a mind check and figured out I had left the plug out. Glad I had an autobilge which came on to remind me.

[oldgoat188]

One of the reasons that automatic bilge pumps should be standard equipment

[BassinB]

I have left mine out many times in my 203. The plug is on a little plastic tether, and the water pressure pushes it in on its own part way. This means that the leak is so slow, I have to run the bilge every hour or so. Not a big deal at all.

[518RangerJeff]

I have a colornote check list listing what I need to do right before launching.
This is my list.

FIRST UNDO BOTH TRAILER STRAPS SO YOU DON'T FORGET ONE

Remove steering locks
Remove engine mount
Check drain plug
Turn on main switch
Turn on trolling motor switch
Take out rail bumpers
Squeeze fuel bulb
Remove finder covers
Undo trolling motor strap
Put aerator on recirculation

[jigman51]

It's funny what happens when you get out of your normal routine.

[MMosher]

I clip mine to my engine key chain. Go to start the big engine will remind me real quick if I forgot to put the plug in. Done it twice over the years but never made it off the boat ramp so I was good.

[Lowerider58]

I took an extra plug and put it on a piece of parachute chord. My Aluminum Triton uses a threaded plug that just hangs from the drain when unscrewed. If the plug is unscrewed I clip the extra one on the the trailer hitch to remind me to screw the plug in when I hook up to the boat. If I were going to tow with the plug out I'd clip it to the winch handle.

[Z520C]

Yep. Not a big deal. It's been awhile but I have done it twice.

I did it this early spring, I had no idea that plug was that far under there. It’s way out of reach when trying to reach when boats not on the trailer. ESP in 50 degree water.

[GZ ONE]

Did once in this type of weather ( summer ) found me a boat ramp trolled backwards to ramp got out of boat into water and put it in while in water standing on ramp. Winter time probably would put it back on trailer and do it .

[billius]

I very seldom take the plug out of my boat. I just have no need to do that. I know in some states you have to remove the plug when you pull the boat out of the water due to invasive species.

[T.Willie]

Since I keep the boat in a garage I have been putting the plug in before leaving for the ramp. I went on a trip and since there was a chance of rain I left the plug out for the trip.

When I got there I had two wheels in the water when I realized that I hadn’t put the plug back in.

That got me thinking - if you did make that mistake how long would the bildge pumps give you to do something about it? I remember a situation some time ago where a guy died trying to put the plug in while his boat was in the water. Should he have put the trailer in and pulled the boat out? Would he have had time to do it?

was at taylorsville the day it happened, sounded a little strange but after the divers recovered the body about 200 yards from the marina said he was on the rear platform trying to get the plug in and was overcome by carbon monoxide from the running engine! No matter how a tragic and very sad situation for all involved!!

[bschwoep]

I have a plug like the one below, it has a tab so you don't have to remove it to drain the water. One time I forgot to screw it in and fished all day with the plug "out". Didn't notice it was out until we pulled out and saw some water coming out of it. It made enough of a seal that the water coming in was so slow that water never came up through the floor (manual bilge). Couldn't believe it.

[jlouderback]

I think I could cut a hole in the bottom of my Ranger and it wouldn't sink