Drain Plug Won't Fit

[Knac]

I have a Princecraft 15 foot fibreglass boat. The drain plug I got with it won't fit. Its a short black snap type. There is a metal plate attached to the screw the snap goes onto. The plug won't fit into the hole very far because the plate gets in the way. Also the plug doesn't fit tight when you push the snap down. Are there different sizes of plugs? Do they wear out over time and not spread out as much?

 

[MTboatguy]

Sounds like it is either adjusted wrong or it has got hard and won't compress correctly, just pick up a new one, they are only a few dollars, I buy a new one for both of my boats every year.

 

[Knac]

Can you get different sizes?

 

[MTboatguy]

Should be a standard size, I have only seen one other size over the years and that was in an old mirrorcraft rowboat that had a floor drain. I have owned over a dozen boats in the last 20 years and the rest of them have all had the same size drain hole, even my late 50's model Glasspar Lido.

 

[GA_Boater]

These are the usual suspects. I assume you are talking about the plate opposite the snap. It sounds like the plug needs to be loosened some to fit. Hold the rubber body and turn the snap counterclockwise with the snap straight out. Keep doing that until the plug is a snug fit in the drain tube and snap it down.

Personally I don't like the snap type because if the snap gets snagged somehow, the plug can fall out of the drain. I prefer the twist type.

 

[Grub54891]

I throw away the snap type, get the screw on one. I've seen the snap type come out while under way, when it gets installed with the flap down. The water hits it and flips it open, not noticed till ya slow down or stop.then they sink rather quickly.

 

[fhhuber]

There are 2 sizes of common drain plugs and the wrong size is very obvious.

Small one in big hole and there's no way to compress it enough to seal.
Big one in small hole and there's no way to get it in at all.

then there's a screw-in type which kind of looks like the smaller of the above pictured style will fit.... but its wrong.

Might be others, but i haven't seen them yet.

 

[Woodonglass]

FYI, If you have easy access to the inside of the transom, you should always install the transom plug on the inside of the drain tube. This way there's no danger of it being pulled out by the friction of the water. Also you should always have 2-3 of these in the boat at all times in case one "Disappears" and you start taking on water in an In opportune situation. Another good thing to do is to attach the plug to the transom via a cord or brass chain so it can't get to far away from it's intended location. Mine is on a nylon cord zip tied to the motor along with 2 spares. My splashwell plug is the same size as the bilge plug which makes it nice since it can be used as a back up as well.

 

[Knac]

I think I may have figured out the problem. It looks like there should be a piece that fits into the hole on the outside of the boat that the plug fits into. Like a receptacle for the plug. That thing is missing. I compared my boat to others and they all have this receptacle. I will try Woodonglass's idea of putting it in the inside of the drain tube. It might be awkward to make it work but its better than nothing. I like his idea of them not being taken out by the fiction of the water. Can you buy these receptacles? Also do they have a proper name?

 

[52FordF2]

Are you talking about this

 

[Knac]

Yes. Although the one for my boat looked like it would have been shorter.

 

[52FordF2]

Or could it be a Garbord drain

 

[Knac]

The garbord drain has places for screws to go. There were no screw holes on the outside of the hole. Would I be able to use this type as a replacement?

 

[52FordF2]

They are sold long, but are needed to be cut down
Here an installation procedure, someone posted on iboats a while back. It maybe was WOG's

 

[52FordF2]

Yes Garboards can be used. I have one on my 74 Searay

 

[Woodonglass]

Well you know what they say..."A picture's worth a Thousand words!" and I suspect we've posted about that many words so far so.... How about posting a pic or two so we can SEE what you're Seeing and then maybe we can post some better advise.!!!!

 

[Knac]

I will do that if the plug won't fit on the inside of the boat like some mentioned earlier. That might solve the problem. Thanks everyone for the advice and help.