Brainfart occurred / drain plugs are overrated

[ONE-A-DAY]

So we launched the 21 Daytona around 4 pm to head over to the eliminator reception at the turtle. Backed the engine in and started it and made some adjustments that i needed to make, all the while the boat was filling with water, yup no plugs. Friend pulled out the trailer and me and another friend floated out in front of Windsor. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with the handling of the boat, couldn't get it to come on plane when my friend said "did you put the plugs in?".

I yelled had him to call my other friend who was parking the trailer and tell him to come back, his phone rang on the front seat where he left it, shit. Things are getting dicey now, back of the transom is under and I'm giving it more and more throttle in the no wake zone out front of the ramp when the decision was made to screw the rules and just come in hot up on to the beach between the north and south ramps.

Sat there for what seemed like an eternity while the pumps ran and ran and everyone else pointed and said "look at that idiot".

 

[Jed-O]

It happens to the best of us buddy. Glad it didn't go to the bottom. That's why I keep my plugs in the driver's cup holder. Hard to miss...

 

[milkmoney]

Walt. Glad nothing happen bad to ur sled or u guys.
One thing I did on my 18 eliminator was I put the drain plug in one of the homes in the steering wheel. [emoji106][emoji202]

 

[ONE-A-DAY]

I debated jumping in and trying to install them, but there are four and it was getting pretty rough, the beach seemed like the logical choice.

 

[SHEP]

You're not the first to do it and you won't be the last.

I never understood why people take them out and store them elsewhere anyhow. We leave ours in all the time and if we do take them out we put them right back in once the water is done draining.

SHEP

 

[28Eliminator]

This is my biggest fear...[emoji51]. Glad it turned out ok.

 

[dezrtracer]

Aww man !! Glad you saved it . :thumbsup

 

[Rvrluvr]

You're not the first to do it and you won't be the last.

I never understood why people take them out and store them elsewhere anyhow. We leave ours in all the time and if we do take them out we put them right back in once the water is done draining.

SHEP

I think its a ticket if you leave them in while on the trailer

 

[rivrrts429]

J-Drains [emoji106]

 

[McRib]

I think its a ticket if you leave them in while on the trailer

yup. you can no longer haul a boat with the plugs in. so stupid! all quagga related bullshit.

 

[Mrs.Racer277]

My BIGGEST fear! Glad to hear it all turned out OK.

I hate that they have to be pulled now. My boats do not leave Havasu. Such a pain. Grrrrrr

And what about the wake board boats???? Do they check their sacks???? Sorry off rant. :grumble:

 

[Gelcoater]

J-Drains [emoji106]

View attachment 485376

Is that the one way flap delio?

 

[Bobby V]

yup. you can no longer haul a boat with the plugs in. so stupid! all quagga related bullshit.

I don't think they are checking in Havasu. Maybe on the highway out of town.

 

[rivrrts429]

Is that the one way flap delio?

Yeah, I've had them on my last two tunnels. They work okay on the smaller boats.

 

[McRib]

I don't think they are checking in Havasu. Maybe on the highway out of town.

they are. I was pulled over for it leaving DS on my way to my storage on the way out. no ticket. just made me remove it. LHPD.

 

[Bobby V]

they are. I was pulled over for it leaving DS on my way to my storage on the way out. no ticket. just made me remove it. LHPD.

Wow. I better start taking mine out then. :grumble:

 

[McRib]

could have been a fluke but I wasn't driving like an asshole or anything and it was 1 in the afternoon. he didn't say anything about anything else just the plug.

 

[Gelcoater]

Yeah, I've had them on my last two tunnels. They work okay on the smaller boats.

Yeah.Fuck those things.

Many years ago we were out at WaterWheel,a guy there had a sweet yellow hydro,big blower motor.
He had it anchored.
We all jumped on our ATC's (gives you an idea of how long ago ) and went out to those little dunes back there for a couple hours.
Came back and the dudes boat was (at first glance) gone?
On second look,only the injector hat was visible sticking out of the water with a yellow haze around it.

After some doing with inflatables,inner tubes,etc. they got the nose up high enough to attatch a rope and tow it around a bit to drain.That flap had a few twigs stuck in it,letting in the water.

 

[Coleblooded]

I think its a ticket if you leave them in while on the trailer

Yea, they have to be pulled now. Bilge needs flushing every once in a while

 

[rivrrts429]

Yeah.Fuck those things.

Many years ago we were out at WaterWheel,a guy there had a sweet yellow hydro,big blower motor.
He had it anchored.
We all jumped on our ATC's (gives you an idea of how long ago ) and went out to those little dunes back there for a couple hours.
Came back and the dudes boat was (at first glance) gone?
On second look,only the injector hat was visible sticking out of the water with a yellow haze around it.

After some doing with inflatables,inner tubes,etc. they got the nose up high enough to attatch a rope and tow it around a bit to drain.That flap had a few twigs stuck in it,letting in the water.

They'll do that if you don't check them. They're not for everyone but I like them. You're right though, any debris and they'll stick open.

Look on the bright side. They made it a whole lot easier to get it float'n again lol

 

[MSum661]

.....That flap had a few twigs stuck in it,letting in the water.

Yep! They work good if you put it in the water, make some runs and then put it back on the trailer.
The tiniest piece of garbage or twig will not be your friend if you leave your ride unattended for too long.

 

[Jed-O]

They'll do that if you don't check them. They're not for everyone but I like them. You're right though, any debris and they'll stick open.

Look on the bright side. They made it a whole lot easier to get it float'n again lol

Pine needles are the biggest issue with those here in Arrowhead and Big Bear.

 

[rivrrts429]

Yep! They work good if you put it in the water, make some runs and then put it back on the trailer.
The tiniest piece of garbage or twig will not be your friend if you leave your ride unattended for too long.

I don't leave mine on the buoy/dock long and just double check them when I do. No way would I leave it over night.

Between the motor plates and a thousand other holes it's tough to keep the boat totally sealed lol

Pine needles are the biggest issue with those here in Arrowhead and Big Bear.

That would not be the place to use them. I find those damn pine needles weeks after coming down the hill. They get into every nook and crack.

 

[Tinkerer]

Been there done that - Unreal how much water comes in with three plugs out. I did the beach thing also. My plugs were in the truck. I am going to buy another set and keep them in the boat glove box just in case.

 

[Jed-O]

I hear ya. I've had my v-drive for 10 years. And I still have nightmares about it sinking even when it isn't parked in a slip over night.

 

[MSum661]

I don't leave mine on the buoy/dock long and just double check them when I do. No way would I leave it over night.

Between the motor plates and a thousand other holes it's tough to keep the boat totally sealed lol

Lol....its nearly impossible to keep any hot rod river racer sealed dry. They're all leaker's...even on a good day!!

 

[warpt71]

If you all are so worried about the j-drains, you can still put a plug in, from either side. My dad and I never had an issue leaving our flats in overnight w/ j-drains. Add an automatic bilge and you're golden!!! Lol

 

[the510]

You're not the first to do it and you won't be the last.

I never understood why people take them out and store them elsewhere anyhow. We leave ours in all the time and if we do take them out we put them right back in once the water is done draining.

SHEP

If your in AZ they'll give you a ticket for leaving it in... Even if your house is up the block from the ramp. Trust me I know

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I don't think they are checking in Havasu. Maybe on the highway out of town.

I've seen the cops sitting outside of Windsor ticketing people as they leave.

 

[Bobby V]

I've seen the cops sitting outside of Windsor ticketing people as they leave.

Another reason I don't launch at Windsor.

 

[707dog]

sound retarded but good to know about keeping drain plug in while on the trailer and towing:thumbsup

 

[941Punk]

Done this.

Launched boat at Willow Valley. Waiting for 3rd to get to the boat, finally shows and try to get on plane and it aint happening. I open the hatch and that fucker had around 2 or 3 feet of water in it. I B-Lined it to a beach and i'm waving and blowing the air horn telling people to move! I'm coming in HOT.

I swear it took an hour to drain that fucker and I felt so bad to everyone grabbing kids out of the way. I gave away all my beer.

Never ever again.

 

[Hallett Dave]

So we launched the 21 Daytona around 4 pm to head over to the eliminator reception at the turtle. Backed the engine in and started it and made some adjustments that i needed to make, all the while the boat was filling with water, yup no plugs. Friend pulled out the trailer and me and another friend floated out in front of Windsor. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with the handling of the boat, couldn't get it to come on plane when my friend said "did you put the plugs in?".

I yelled had him to call my other friend who was parking the trailer and tell him to come back, his phone rang on the front seat where he left it, shit. Things are getting dicey now, back of the transom is under and I'm giving it more and more throttle in the no wake zone out front of the ramp when the decision was made to screw the rules and just come in hot up on to the beach between the north and south ramps.

Sat there for what seemed like an eternity while the pumps ran and ran and everyone else pointed and said "look at that idiot".

LMAO,
I did that back in the early 80's at the Narcotical Inn. The look on the faces of the people on the beach observers was priceless.
HD

 

[cole_skier]

Did the same thing years ago at Whiskey Town Lake. It was quite a ways to the no wake buoy and about half way the belts start making noisy. :smackhead Hit the gas and drove around until it drained most of the water then jumped in and stuck the plug in. Now first thing I think about is the plug

 

[RCDave]

I had a plug fart too years ago on my old jet boat at needles Marina park. Waiting for a friend parking the truck the boat looked deeper at the stern than usual. Opened the hatch and was was up to the exhaust manifold. Kicked on the bilge and jumped in the water and stuck a finger in the hole. Pretty funny my head was barely above the water and the boat drifting in the wind toward the dock. People were laughing their ass off

 

[asa400ex]

Leaving the plugs out is also one of my biggest fears. Since the new plugs enforcement, I pull the plugs out when we leave and I put them back in on the way to the ramp. In my experience the PD, they are not looking for the plugs in the morning when most people are launching. They seem to always be looking at plugs when people are driving down the highway or leaving the launch ramp.

I remember one big weekend when some jack hat was taking the plugs out of boats in the Channel late at night. I think that night they got to like 6 boats.

See you guys out there Memorial Weekend and be safe.

 

[JDKRXW]

There are two kinds of boaters;
Those who have forgotten to install the plug(s) when they launch and those who are going to.
I'm the first kind.

 

[rvrrun]

I did that once. Apparently, the only way I learn is by making a stupid move once.

 

[Deja_Vu]

Sooner or later everyone does this. Glad you got on the beach before it was too late!
Ziggy has a funny plug story. lol

My turn was at Laughlin.
Took the wife's mom and her hubby out to Lake Mohave for the day.
I always stop at the ready lane and take the tie downs off the transom, put in the plug, ask the wife to turn on the blower.
This time I took off the tie downs but got distracted and forgot the plug. Wife turned on the blower as usual.
Backed down the ramp and the wife started her up on the trailer....everything was fine until I see the bilge pump pumping a big stream of water and I suddenly remember the plug! Well I ask the wife for the plug (located in the Drivers cupholder) and she hands it to me and I wade in put the plug in.
By this time some dude comes over and asks" Do you need any help" I'm like "no, we just remembered the plug was out". Doh
We let it run on the trailer while the bilge pump did its job. After like 5 mins it was good to go.
I did tie the ramp up for a few extra minutes, but oh well. We got underway and out of the way.

 

[SBMech]

Been a passenger/boat bitch for several plug fails...

Not lost one yet, but man it is scary haha.

Keep mine on the steering wheel, figure no way I'll forget like that

 

[Kylemenz1]

I did it once last year. Launched by myself. Backed the boat in, went to start it and it would not fire. I was like what's going on here? Lifted the motor hatch and saw a TON OF WATER! Thank god the boat did not start right up, and it was still on the trailer. Otherwise I would have pulled it over to the dock, tied it up, and went to park the truck. [emoji15]

 

[Tommy Gun Images]

This happens to everyone at least once. When I first bought the Taco, which was my first boat, I launched at Emerald Cove and thought all was good while waiting for my buddy to get back from parking the truck until a passenger asked why the floor was full of water :yikes. Another buddy grabbed the plug from me and jumped right in. By the time we got to Road Runner the bilge pump had us sitting pretty :beer.

Fast forward about 12 years without incident and it's October and I'm in Parker for the Enduro. Well, being late in the season, I had already winterized the boat (I was living at 5000') but had decided at the last minute to bring the Taco out to the Enduro with me for one last trip. I had re-prepped the boat but for one small detail. The Taco like most direct drive ski boats has another plug midship under the engine which I remove to be sure there is no standing water in her while it's stored. As you can probably guess I forgot to put that plug back in. Me and the girlfriend launched at Bluewater and were making our way through the no wake zone when I turned on my bilge, like I normally do, to be sure we aren't taking on water. It immediately started dumping a huge stream of water and I quickly realized my oversight. I calmly grabbed the T-handle plug from under my seat and lifted the engine hatch while the girl asked if everything was ok. I said "yeah I just need to put this in so we don't sink". I reached down into the elbow deep water under the engine and screwed the big plug in. Now the girl can see the water and is trying not to trip out, but asks if we are sinking. I say not anymore and we head back to the ramp...

It's etched in my mind now!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Another reason I don't launch at Windsor.

The nice thing is the employees walking around the clean up area tell you when the cops are there, and usually remind you to pull your plugs.

I keep my plug in the cup holder with my key.

 

[thetub]

The nice thing is the employees walking around the clean up area tell you when the cops are there, and usually remind you to pull your plugs.

I keep my plug in the cup holder with my key.

I will hang mine on the steering wheel with a rope...

or on the shifter...

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

Yeah.Fuck those things.

Many years ago we were out at WaterWheel,a guy there had a sweet yellow hydro,big blower motor.
He had it anchored.
We all jumped on our ATC's (gives you an idea of how long ago ) and went out to those little dunes back there for a couple hours.
Came back and the dudes boat was (at first glance) gone?
On second look,only the injector hat was visible sticking out of the water with a yellow haze around it.

After some doing with inflatables,inner tubes,etc. they got the nose up high enough to attatch a rope and tow it around a bit to drain.That flap had a few twigs stuck in it,letting in the water.

You were a Water Wheel guy? Do you remember Mike and Al? Al's Custom Colors? They had the hydro..."Puttin On The Ritz?" I haven't heard about them in years, kinda wonder what happened to them...

 

[72Hondo]

Haven't done the plug thing, yet. But let me tell you about my F'UP.

I usually prep everything before hand, life jackets, horn, plug, Etc while in the parking lot, so I'm not one of "those" guys launching.

I always back the boat down the ramp so the pump and intake are in the water (yes it's a jet) and then stop. I like to leave the tie downs on and start and run it before unhooking and heading off. Gives me piece of mind for leaks and not being about to start.

I back the boat down, pump and intake in the water. Fire her up, look for leaks make sure I'm not taking on any water. I noticed I wasn't getting any flow from the pump. I had just installed a droop and heard if this happens pull it back out and then back it in again (something to do with air). So I did and everything's good now. Guy comes over and we chat a bit about the boat. I undo the bow, hope in and signal to start backing me into the water. I was deep enough now, fire the boat up, drop the reverse bucket and give it a little gas. Nothing happens, didn't go anywhere, maybe I'm still a little shallow? Back it down some more, try again, and nothing, I look back and am fully afloat. WTF? Gave it a little more gas, still nothing. I shut it down hop out. That's when my foot hits the the underside of the trailer tire. Oops, I forgot the tie down straps and the boat is floating the trailer. Only thing keeping me was the ball and hitch....

Pull it back out some, TOOK THE TIE DOWNS OFF, and launched, the correct way, with out the trailer.

Never felt more like a retard....

 

[lbhsbz]

At any given time, I have at least 4 sets of drain plugs in the boat, another few in the truck, and a couple in the toolbox. I've never launched without them. My dad carries only one...he's launched without it a few times.

I figure that if anywhere I look in the boat, I see a plug setting there, I'll never forget.

 

[Rajobigguy]

I did it once in the old Sanger ski boat. It was one of those trips where we left in the middle of the night, got to the lake early in the morning, didn't get any real sleep and set off for a early launch on the lake. About half way between Windsor and the channel my daughter and her friend sitting in the very back of the boat point out that there is water beginning to swirl around their feet. Immediately I knew what it was so I hit the bilge pump switch, slammed the throttle forward and started driving around in large circles until the water subsided a bit then I jumped out swam around to the back and stuck the plug in. From that point on the last thing that the wife says to me before I back her down the ramp is "did you put the plug in."

 

[TRAVISD]

I helped a guy out that forget to put the plugs in his Advantage a few weeks back. His wife was trying to back the trailer down at Windsor and was all messed up and i asked if everything was ok. Thats when i saw his boat just about on the rocks by the dock. I backed down there trailer and helped them get the boat out. he was able to put the plug in while floating there. When we got his boat back on the trailer he pulled the plug to get the water out and it drained for at least five minutes till it was done.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Did it once. My brother was in the back seat and asked why there was so much water on the floor. I remembered immediately, turned on the bilge and idled over to the beach. Put the plug in and let the bilge run for a few minutes. No big deal. I now take the plug out and immediately put it in the driver's cup holder. I also have 1 or 2 others in the boat as well. Heard too many stories of people losing them while on the water. My uncle accidently took the one out of my grandpa's spectra once while on the water and they didn't have an extra.