Took the family to Rockport Saturday for a lot of water fun (aka as tubes and skies behind the boat) and a tiny bit of fishing. As I pulled in they were setting up a tent with a sign that read "Free Boat Safety Check". No need for that kind of stuff for me, I have all of the required safety gear, and even a few extra items, and I have taken the Coast Guard course, and I been operating boats for about nine years. Hurriedly, we prepared the boat for launch, because I wanted to claim the best beach area, and with the high water good beach area is hard to come by. Launched the boat and tied it off at the dock while I went with my wife to disconnect the boat trailer in a parking space above the ramp. Got back in my boat and my foot got wet! Immediately, recognized that I had forgotten to put the hull plug in. This was the first time I had forgotten to put it in, and hopefully it is the last time I forget. Turned on the bilge pump and headed for high seas to go as fast as I could and syphon some of the water out of the boat. Called my wife on the radio, explained the situation and told her that I needed to have her put the trailer back on the Suburban. Kathy radioed back in a few minutes that a nice man was helping her and that they would be down on the ramp shortly. The "nice man" turned out to be two volunteers with the Free Safety Check tent. Got the boat on the trailer, and then on the ramp to drain for at least ten minutes. Got a kind lecture on making certain to go through a checklist (written or mental) before launching. Found out later that a portable boat ladder doesn't float very long when it falls off the side of the boat, and that rocks along the shoreline are tough on props (got in the rocks because I just missed out on claiming the prime beach area to some folks who arrived while I was draining the water out of my boat, so we had to use an area that was more rocky). As far as the fishing report goes, got to troll for about 30 minutes. Caught one rainbow of about 16 inches and had another one on that got off. Expensive and frustrating day on the water!
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Kent, how do you get yourself into so much trouble by going out to relax and have fun? It sounds like you are very lucky that the boat didn't sink while you were taken the trailer off the hitch. I guess the best way to look at it is, it could have been worse. I'm also surprised that it was the first time you had forgot to put your plug in. I think it was the first year that I got my boat when I forgot to put my plug in. I'm glad every thing worked out OK, even with the problems you had and no, I'm not picking on you. The way I look at it, if anyone out there has never had it happen to them, it is only because they haven't been on the water enough, it's just a matter of time.
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[#505000]Gosh I hate that feeling (the lecture) about something you already know darn well about. I very rarely get stopped for traffic violations but every time I do I can about repeat the lecture I get word for word because I've given it so many times to others. I just sit there and mentally kick myself the whole time because I know better and now I have to have my nose "rubbed in it" a little while I get "the lecture".[/#505000]
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[#505000]Oh well I guess we're all human and we all make mistakes. I'm just glad you caught the problem before it became a really really big problem. [
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Sounds like quite an adventure Kent.
I have actually forgotten to put the plug in before launching and I have pulled the plug to drain the boat while slipping across the water.
Not many realize that a boat can be drained while the boat is in motion if the nose is kept higher than the stern as it moves through the water. The boat dont actually have to be running at high speed to do so.
Years ago I had a boat that would take on a little water over night at Powell. We'd simply back it off shore, pull the plug, run it around about half throttle until the water had left the boat (usually only a minute or two), then stop and replace the plug. Piece of cake..
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Some boats have easy access to the plug; unfortunately, mine is not one of them. It is impossible to reach the plug while the boat is moving, and can only be reached (while the boat is stopped) by standing behind the boat and reaching under the water about 18 inches.
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Kent,remember there are two types of boater's when it comes to forgeting the plug.Those that have done it and admit to it,and those that won't admit to it.
As for the safety check it never hurts to have one done every now and again, reguardless what your expercince is.It dont take long ,then you know that offically the boat meets all safety standards
I was just curious about something thro,why didn't you leave the blige pump running,beach the boat ,and put the plug back it?.Would of been alot easier then having to put the boat back on the trailer.
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[size 1]"I was just curious about something thro,why didn't you leave the blige pump running,beach the boat ,and put the plug back it?.Would of been alot easier then having to put the boat back on the trailer."[/size]
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[size 1]I was going to try to just back it on the boat ramp and stand on the ramp behind the boat, but in the meantime my wife had already gotten the trailer back on and so I quickly put it back on the trailer. I knew that I could run it around until the trailer was in the water and keep it pumped out fairly well. Also, because I wasn't wearing a swim suit I didn't want to go around all day wearing wet clothes.[/size]
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I did the same thing at Lindon a couple years ago. My excuse is it was only the second time I had put my old boat in the water. An amusing thing happened while I was hanging over the stern stabbing & cussing the plug in place. A couple of young & pretty obnoxious PWC riders put in & were really poking fun at that dumb old coot that didn't have brains enough to put his plug in. They headed out while I was waiting for the bilge pump to get me pumped out. I got just outside the harbor & there they were. One standing on each side of their craft cussing & griping "come on man, hold it higher or the water will never drain out". I asked them if they wanted a tow back to the ramp & they sheepishly declined. I guess they got it going "cause they weren't there when I got back from fishing later. It's kinda crummy but something about that made my day.
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The method to my madness:
1) The wrench for the plug is kept in the cupholder by the ignition key. After taking the boat out of the water at the end of the day, the plug is removed and the wrench goes back in the cupholder while off the water. It's in the gunwale storage while out on the lake.
2) The keychain with boat key and trailer lock key (another set is at home) is always kept ONBOARD in a hideyhole under another cupholder. Nothing worse than getting to the lake and the damn boat key is at home!
3) The transom straps go on the driver's side floor in the truck after removal. It's hard to forget to put them on after trailering the boat when your feet are tangled up in them.
BTW, I've been guilty on all three counts listed above - once. Still haven't figured a good reminder to plug in the trailer lights with the round 8-pin to flat 4-pin converter.
W2D
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][green][size 3]If misery loves company, you are all my friends.[/size][/green][/font]
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My first time out by myself was when I forgot that 'silly old drain plug'. I needed to check a couple things on the boat so I put in at Provo Boat Harbor, got the motor running and noticed the stern full of water. After saying a few choice words in 1 second or less, I jumped over the bow and onto the trailer and quickly winched the boat back up the trailer. I pulled out of the water, and I was lucky enough that day there were no other boaters on the ramp, so I spent the next 5 minutes on the ramp watching a gush of water coming out of the drain hole. My other memorable mi
venture was at Pineview with the whole family, got the boat in the water and for the life of me, couldn't get the boat off the trailer. Checked the bow eye for a hooked winch strap. No, not that. Checked around the boat and still clueless. Pushed hard, still no luck. Another boater noticed my predicament and started helping, still boat wouldn't budge. I finally re-secured the boat to the trailer and pulled out. At the top of the ramp, I looked at the stern and glanced at my 2 hp trolling motor and again said a few choice words. I left the chain on that secures the trolling motor to the trailer. OK, found the problem but noticed that it was locked. Shoot, the key is at home, this time, just one choice word. Good thing, the chain was just a light-duty one so I took my trusty Leatherman and started cutting away. After two minutes, I got the chain off and made it back to the launch ramp and ended up being a nice day for the whole family. Such is the life of a boater!!
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[crazy] [font "Arial Black"][red][size 3]Ahhhh yes, the true tales of a dedcated boat owner. You got love it. kent I'm glad that your situation turned out alright in the long run.[/size][/red][/font]
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Remembered this after I posted my last. The first time out in the spring, or last trip in the fall after you've drained the engine to be sure a cold night doesn't raise havoc, don't forget to put the engine block drain plug back in if you've got an inboard or stern drive. Last fall I went to Strawberry for one last hurrah & about halfway across the lake began to think "man, this boat is getting sluggish" then I heard this funny sound coming from under the hood, had my buddy drive while I investigated. You've, probably guessed the rest. Lifted the hood, let out a string of expletives a Marine drill instructor would have been proud of and started fishing around in the bilge for the [url "mailto:##!@%&&*drain"]##!@%&&*drain[/url] plug. Got a nice cool shower while getting the plug screwed in, didn't want to shut the engine off & lose headway with the load of water we were carrying.
Now you're all convinced I don't have all my chairs up to the table & I'm afraid you're right. Once the trusty ol' bilge pump got us pumped out we did have a really fun day though.
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[red][size 3]Sounds to me like you seriously offended the fishing gods by pulling things like waterskis behind a perfectly good boat. Try not to let it happen again.... [/size][/red]
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Try using what I call the "Ball and Chain" to prevent or at least slow down the water entry when the plug is left out. The actual product is called a "Gator" or something like that. Anyway, it is a round rubber ball that is suspended over the plug hole on the outside of the hull by a couple of small chains. When water needs to drain out, it pushes the ball out of the way. When water tries to flood into the boat, the ball is sucked into the hole and stops most of the water. Costs about $5 and is worth any price when you leave the plug out. Mr. J.
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I was thinking that they must have something like that. I am picking up some more bulk outboard oil this PM I will see if the boat shop carries something like that. If they don't happen to carry it where have you seen them sold?
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