"roadburner" roadburner^at^comcast^dot^net wrote in message
...
On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 04:35:26 GMT, "Stanley Barthfarkle"
wrote:

Need to remove that plug after every trip to drain any water left in the
bilge. Leave it out if left outside, even if covered, since if you have a
leak in your cover, or if it collapses, it will be able to drain. Letting
even a little water sit in the bilge for days at a time will create big
problems down the road.

Pre-launch, make it a habit to install the plug when you remove the rear
tiedowns. Remove the plug when you fasten the tiedowns after loading the
boat onto the trailer.


Good advice. It doesn't hurt to carry a backup screw type rubber expansion
drain plug that can be put in from the inside of the boat. I still carry 2
on board.

I was smart enough to buy 2 of the rubber plugs
when I got the boat, and carry them in my boat
box. The original has a teather, but if when I
went in, the plug was gone for some reason,
I'd have to get back in the boat, get the plug,
and dive back in the water - would have costed
me another minute or so.

For those of us that have water inlets, like for the head, tapered
dowel rods should also be carried.

Can you explain this to me? - why would you
need tapered dowel rods ?


My first boat of many years ago didn't have a bilge pump. It was a small
16'
Glastron OB. The wife, kids, and myself used to go tent caming on an
inland
lake at boat in only campsites. The open Glastron bilge would fill with
water after a heavy rain. To empty the rain water, I would have my wife
drive the boat at a moderate speed and I pulled out the drain plug from
the
inside. The water was "sucked" out of the bilge. When the bilge was empty,
I
put the plug back in.

I never had the misfortune to launch without the drain plug, but the
original question has me wondering.

If you accidentally launched without a drain plug and you pulled your
trailer up and away, could one be quick witted enough to start the engine
and accelerate away draining the water? Then put in a backup drain plug
from
the inside? Just a thought.

Regards,
roadburner