Remember to check your drain plug

http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhood/woodlands/news/article/11-rescued-from-sinking-boat-on-Lake-Conroe-5590052.php#photo-6535286

Yup almost had the same thing when I owned a bass boat. Forgot the plug, bilge pump helps me get to shore.

Yup almost had the same thing when I owned a bass boat. Forgot the plug, bilge pump helps me get to shore.

If you power up your boat the suction will pull the water back out the hole when the plugs out. Just keep your boat moving until you can get it back on the trailer.

Been there, done that!!!

I was so excite about take my first "real" PB (actually my second boat, first one was a tin can) out on the water, that when I launched it at the San Leandro Marina, I forgot to put in the drain plug!

I went drove solo, but was meeting a few of my son's friends at the marina and I wanted to go a little early to get the boat organized. I backed down the launch ramp, dropped it inthe water and tied it up. Got back in to the truck, park the truck and trailer and started to walk back towards the launch ramp when I notice that the boat was kinda tilting to one side. As I got closer, I noticed that it was sitting lower in the water than it should be and then A LIGHT BULB went off in my head; HOLY $h!t, I forgot to put the drain plug in!!!

I jumped in the boat and flipped the bilge pump on (no I didn't have an auto-switch installed yet) and it was barely able to keep up with the flooding.... I frantically searched for the spare drain plug, but he wieght of me in the boat was drawing in water faster...

I jumped out of the boat and into the water and pushed the boat higher on to the launch ramp to keep it from fully submerging... it finally rested  on the ramp 1/3 full of water...

I looked for anything I could shove in the drain hole to keep water from entering the boat; I ended up using a plastic grocery bag wrapped around tha spark plug and jammed it in the hole... it did the job temporarily while I search for the spare plug...

When I went to check the battery compartment for the plug I notice that the water line was a half inch from the top of the battery.... that could have been another mess if it reach the terminals...

I finally found the spare drain plug, jumped back in the water to install it and waited for all the water to finally pump out....

Lucky for me noone else was at the launch ramp or I would have looked like a real jackass; but for those watching from a distance, it must have been a real comedy show!!!

When the boys got there, they asked why was everything so "Wet"? I told them I had just rinsed off the entire boat...

We ended up only catching a bunch a bats and leopards, but had a great time; little to there knowledge of what happened earlier....

When I took the boat out of the water... guess what was dangling by a chain below the drain? My damn drain plug!!!

Oh yeah.... another duffus moment before that: as I crossed over the  railroad tracks going to the marina, the dam trailer came un-hitched....that was REAL fun trying to get that heavy thing back on the ball by myself..... 

Guess someone or something was trying to tell me to say off the water.....

Lucky for me noone else was at the launch ramp or I would have looked like a real jackass; but for those watching from a distance, it must have been a real comedy show!!!

I was cracking up just reading your post.

Lucky for me noone else was at the launch ramp or I would have looked like a real jackass; but for those watching from a distance, it must have been a real comedy show!!!

I was cracking up just reading your post.

+1.

I once forgot the plug for my ski boat and didn't notice it until I got to the fuel dock and was filling the tank.  My filler was located on the bow and my wife was sitting "shotgun" and said "should there be all this water around my feet?"  I immediately realized I had left out the plug.  I threw the gas hose onto the dock, jumped into the boat and hit the throttle in the no-wake harbor zone.  In no time, the water was forced out through the opening that should have held the plug.  I headed to the shore and jumped out and put the plug in and kept the bilge pump running until all the water was gone.  The attendant at the gas pump was eagerly waiting for me to return when I got back to the dock to finish refueling.  I got the impression that I wasn't the first person to do this from the reaction by the guy at the fuel dock.

Me too! It's one of two mistakes you only make once, hopefully. #2- raise the engine BEFORE you pull the vessel out of the water. (my poor skeg)

I have a little aluminum boat with no bilge pump as well. It leaks a couple gallons an hour. Same deal as the others- I pull the plug out and hit the throttle until it all sucks out and then put it back in quick! I guess this guy waited too long or didn't think of that.

Justin

I did it once.  luckily I had a bilge pump and caught it pretty quick.  Didn't even stop me from fishing.

Happened another time while I was out kokanee fishing with a dude on Lake Don Pedro.  We were motoring out in the dark and before we got to the end of the 5mph zone I told him I thought there seemed to be some water in the back.  Took him about 10 minutes to drain it all out with his bilge pump. Same thing, we kept fishing.

Yeah; not one of my brighter moments on life!

That boat had so much bad karma!

The wire for the engine warning sound corroded and i was flying down the river full throttle when my cousin says" your engine is smoking.... I just kept my eye on where i was headed and reaponded, " its a 2-stole engine, its suppose smoke!"  All of a sudden i loose power and look back to see a chimney at the back of the boat! That trip, the salmon i caught was worth about $1200!

Next year, after i rebuilt the engine, im flying down that same river and the same cousin warns me to slow down cause theres probably nets int the water; i turn to him behind me and respond, "its Monday, they are not allowed to have nets on the water". As i turn back around, i see a f-ing net right in front of me and i sliced it in 2!  The owner of the net sues me for $9k for damages to the net and lost wages... Went to court and fought it, judge reduced it down to 5k; filed an appeal. When i was heading up there, the guy at the campground told me that the judge was married to someone from the same tribe and i was screw'd...  Settle it by giving him that jimx boat; only coated me about $1200ish...

Thought that was the end of my bad luck at that river, not!!! Next year got dinged by F$G for a barb'd hook... Said f that river... Havent been there since!

Glen, I'm interested in going to the Klamath this year, can you take me?

Glen, I'm interested in going to the Klamath this year, can you take me?

 

For those who are not aware, the caution applies to kayaks too.

I was a little bummed to see their speakers didn't go under.
I hate those damned things.

I have done that the worst thing you can do is to stop . The boat will drain out while under power. Two ways to fix problem have someone with a plug at the dock waiting for you. Or back the trailer down. that guys weekend or vacation could be ruined. Hope he filled the engine with diesel fuel to protect the bearings.