Plug vs bilge pump.

[dingbat]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

Exactly. I suppose the water pressure should hold any flat piece of plastic (i.e. credit card) over the hole long enough to get to the tow vehicle but has anyone ever tried this ?

I wouldn't give much credence to the water pressure, ~1.6 psi holding a credit credit in place. A plastic trash bag or something similar on the other hand.......

 

[QC]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

This points out why the rubber type plug belongs on the outside. The water pressure pushing it in instead of out of the hole.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

Also why I would never use a rubber type plug and always use a screw in type.

 

[QC]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

"never use", and able to use are two different hings But I agree with garboard (scfew in) plug benefits.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

This points out why the rubber type plug belongs on the outside. The water pressure pushing it in instead of out of the hole.

you could think that, but you would be wrong.

Rubber plugs are not designed to rely on water pressure. When there is pressure, it's not enough to seal hard rubber. When there's no pressure or worse, back pressure, it has to stay in, or you'd be replacing plugs every time you came off a plane.

Other than limited access, there is no good reason to have a rubber plug outside the hull, but a half dozen good reasons to have it inside.

And rubber plugs are nothing to be afraid of--as long as they are inside.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

another factor on the rate of water coming in through the hole is that the boat might reach a float point where there is less pressure, eventually equal pressure, between the bilge inside and the sea outside.

 

[QC]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

When there's no pressure or worse, back pressure, it has to stay in, or you'd be replacing plugs every time you came off a plane.

Huh? Pressure differential is bad? Huh? If they are tight you never will lose a plug from either direction. I am just suggesting that you can't push a plug out with pressure behind it. I have never stressed about plugs coming out, ever. I have rubber type on my tinny, and I use it on the inside because it is easy as the OB is in the way. I was only making a simple point that pressure would be holding the plug in if placed on the outside if you were dumb enough not to tighten it down. Nothing more, nothing less. Plug paranoia is just that....

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

true, as you said, if they are tight you probably won't lose one from either direction, although if something fails, the one you lose outside is gone and the one you lose inside is right there waiting for you. But your post suggested you thought the outsde water pressure could make a difference in holding it in; I disagree. And a rush of bilge water against the plug when you take off out the hole is pressure in the direction that could knock it out if it were outside. So overall, there is no real advantage from outside pressure but lots of risk having a plug outside the hull.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

if you are not naked then you at least have some article of clothing on board to rip a temporary plug from and as long as the hole is mostly sealed with your tighty whiteys then pretty much any pump will keep up plenty long for you to explain to the cop why it was that you stripped and used your underwear instead of ripping the sleeve from your shirt........ :laugh:

 

[QC]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

But your post suggested you thought the outsde water pressure could make a difference in holding it in; I disagree.

All good. I knew there would be controversy on that from the git go. I guess it was trollish. So today I have been a troll and performed a monster hijack. All in a day's work

 

[jbetzelb]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

With all of these questions and answers do you at least have a couple spare plugs on board? As long as you have the engine running and can get on plane you can actually drain all the water out the open plug hole. It will suck the water out at about 15 MPH. Then you need enough pump to keep you floating for about a minute while you stop and put in a new plug. I didn't learn this from my bad. We were fishing in a friends boat when we noticed water coming up through the floor vents. Plug must have come out when we trolled through some weeds. No spare plug so we fired the engine and flew ten miles to the doc. Right when we got to doc I jumped out and put my hand over the hole. Boat owner got the trailer and it was like nothing ever happend. He was the owner of a couple spare plugs after that event.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

You guys just made me remember a time when I was out with a buddy on his Jon. He put the plug in from the inside but didnt tighten it. Launched the boat and the plug got pushed out into the bilge area when backing it into the water. That boat also had a leak so if it were on the outside it might have stayed in during launching but for sure would have been pushed out to the bottom of the river once the water rushed back during acceleration. So I gotta agree with H.C. on this one.

 

[limitout]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

You guys just made me remember a time when I was out with a buddy on his Jon. He put the plug in from the inside but didnt tighten it.

had he done this from the outside the plug would come out as soon as you were up to speed when there was negative (suction) pressure on it and it would be gone forever with no way to put it back in. the boat would have sunk and your story would have a quite different ending.

there is no right or wrong side for the plug because what matters is that it is in securely or not, a rubber style plug on the outside only stays in so long as the boat is not moving.

if there is trash in the way and its not sealing well you can remove it and clear it then replace it and tighten it up so it doesn't leak but if its on the outside you have to put it back on the trailer or go swimming to do this and you better pray you don't drop it. IMHO the best and safest way to use a rubber style plug is from the inside where you cant lose it.

 

[AChotrod]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

had he done this from the outside the plug would come out as soon as you were up to speed when there was negative (suction) pressure on it and it would be gone forever with no way to put it back in. the boat would have sunk and your story would have a quite different ending.

there is no right or wrong side for the plug because what matters is that it is in securely or not, a rubber style plug on the outside only stays in so long as the boat is not moving.

if there is trash in the way and its not sealing well you can remove it and clear it then replace it and tighten it up so it doesn't leak but if its on the outside you have to put it back on the trailer or go swimming to do this and you better pray you don't drop it. IMHO the best and safest way to use a rubber style plug is from the inside where you cant lose it.

Agreed 100% I had never even contemplated installing a rubber plug from the outside. On my Nitro its a screw in style from the outside that is secured to the boat so even if it did screw out it would still be there. Still worries me though.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

IMHO the best and safest way to use a rubber style plug is from the inside where you cant lose it.

Yeah right! Try that with an I/O boat with a V8 engine it!!!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

Yeah right! Try that with an I/O boat with a V8 engine it!!!

they have rubber plugs?

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

if you are not naked then you at least have some article of clothing on board to rip a temporary plug from and as long as the hole is mostly sealed with your tighty whiteys then pretty much any pump will keep up plenty long for you to explain to the cop why it was that you stripped and used your underwear instead of ripping the sleeve from your shirt........ :laugh:

sounds like the voice of experience there...one I'm glad I missed

 

[bassman284]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

Yeah right! Try that with an I/O boat with a V8 engine it!!!

Heck, it's darn near impossible on my outboard Lund.

 

[QC]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

they have rubber plugs?

Some do.

 

[limitout]

Re: Plug vs bilge pump.

Yeah right! Try that with an I/O boat with a V8 engine it!!!

try that with your outside plug laying on the bottom of the bay!

its about still having a plug to replace or as smoke said using your tidy whiteys lol.

and I don't know of ANY I/O engines that use rubber plugs, everyone I have ever seen is a screw in plug from the outside because you have no inside access to get to the plug hole.