Dumb newby transom plug question

Hey all, this may seem like a pretty dumb question, but I'm gonna ask it anyways. I just picked up a 1986 Hydra Sports bass boat. It has three seperate transom drain plugs on it do to its hull design. The middle one is very difficult to get to. Does anyone else out there have this problem? Would it be a problem to install the plug from the outside in? Use a still plug that you turn the handle to tighten it so you can make sure to get it extra tight? Or do you really have to install it from the inside? The outer two plugs are very easy to get to, but the middle one is blocked by the gas tank and the transom. You'd need about 3 elbows in your arm to get to it easily.

Thanks!

Seth Petro

Seth, I've never heard of a bass boat that had the plugs go in from the inside; all that I've seen go from the outside. I'm wondering if the previous owner put them in from the inside.
I'd also maybe suggest some new plugs as well.

My Gambler has 3 plugs and the all screw in from the outside.....they're not the type that you have with the handle to tighten to make the rubber compress.

When I bought my new Ranger in 1985 the drain plug was on the inside.I purchased a self closing plug that installed from the outside.Not sure if they make them anymore.

Thanks both of you. I kind of figured it had to be installed from the outside, but when I looked, the drain hole was just smooth, no threads. I'll have to take a closer look and see what I can find out. I got the boat as a project and it appears that the guy I bought it from took the plugs out after every use, but he must still have the plugs as they are no where to be found in the boat.

What do you guys think of that DPS from Bass Boat Solutions? Looks like a good idea to me. Price isn't terrible either.

Thanks again, I'll take a closer look to see what I'm dealing with.

Seth Petro

The "sleeve" of the drain hole will be smooth if you're using the rubber plugs that expand when you tighten them. The DPS system is slick but you'd need 3 of them, given that your boat has three holes.

Thanks Al, I'm pretty sure all three of my transom plug holes are smooth. The outer two holes are actually very very easy to get to, so I'm not really worried about them, just that center hole buried under/behind the gas tank.

So I think I might invest in that DPS system for the center drain hole and see how I like it. If I find that I really like it, I'll probably buy two more for the other two holes.

Thanks again all for answering this newby's dumb question of the day!

Seth Petro

Why not just change out that center drain plug for a new (screw in from the outside) plug. Should be just two screws and you're good to go.

Maybe Im missing something, but if your transom plug drain holes are smooth, could you not just leave out the interior plug and stick in a $1 black rubber plug from Walmart or a boat shop from the outside? Or is the hole a strange diameter where a regular plug wouldnt fit?

are you sure they aren't for the livewells??
my boat has 3 holes, the bilge drain hole, the livewell fill hole and the live well drain hole.

Thats me 1 is drain 2 are livewell drains Make sure someone didn't remove the livewell drain hoses and fittings Easy way to tell is to fill live wells with water

Mine is the same way, 1 drain, and 2 livewell drains...

I have a total of 7 holes on the transom of my boat. I have one bilge drain on each far side. I have two screened entrance holes for the two livewells. Then inside of those two, I have two more holes, one each for livewell drains, one is plugged off due to broken drain valve. And one final hole in the center for a final center bilge drain. I also have an overflow hole up high in the transom for the rear livewell, left hand side. A livewell over flow for the front livewell, left hand side. And an exit port the the bilge pump on the lefthand rear side of boat. So yes, I do have 3 total bilge drains. All three will get turn to tighten rubber plugs to start with. Center one inserted from the outside, hoping it doesn't get yanked out while underway. Probably install it and then take a hacksaw to the hand of it.

Thanks again all,

Seth Petro

Is this boat called the Tri-Star? Hydra Sports took their try at making a tunnel V bass boat and I'm pretty sure it did have 3 plugs in it. 1 for each tunnel and 1 in the back. Fast boat but hard to drive at slow speeds due to warter burping thru the tunnel slots.