# Missing plug wrecked my day...recognize it?



## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Try going to Walmart, I was missing a similar plug when I bought my skiff and looked around without much luck. Found the right thread on a plastic one at Walmart in their boating section.


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

http://www.attwoodmarine.com/store/product/Garboard-Drain-Plug--Brass

You can find these plugs at Walmart, Amazon, eBay, and at most outboard dealers.


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## hawkman (May 19, 2018)

I realized where it might have come out - when I pressure-washed the hull last week. I jumped in the car and went to the farm... and found it ... But it had been dragged under a pallet and worn down to half the original plug...so I still need one. Sigh.


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

I had this happen once. Turned out, I was able to fit a standard rubber plug on the inside of the boat facing outward and was still able to go fishing that morning.


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## MooreMiller (Sep 10, 2016)

A baby carrot will save your day off.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

As when camping remember one is none and two is one buy a spare and put in your glove box.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Once I hammered a plastic champagne cork out of a bottle of J Roget into the drain. Then we had mimosas.


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## Guest (Sep 3, 2018)

I would have found somethin to stuff in that hole lol! Even if my buddy had to lose a toe, small price to pay for those precious days on the water!


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## anytide (Jul 30, 2009)

always keep a sponge on board.
tear off a chunk and plug n go.....


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

Plastic drain plug... I would buy a Gemlux or similar stainless steel one and install it. It only takes a few minutes and no more missing/broken drain plug. I don't trust anything plastic responsible for a thru hull.

Gemlux has a nice angled drain plug that allows it to be opened/closed from inside the boat as well.


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## hawkman (May 19, 2018)

Quite a variety of responses here! Didn't expect to hear "sponge", my 10yo soon had a lot of years left to use that toe (!), I'm going to need to start drinking wine, and eating raw carrots. Lol

I did find this online - the picture is exactly what I've got. However, the ad warms the photo may not be accurate and when searched, the party number reveals a different plus.

https://goo.gl/n48eY6
(Boatstore.com link. I shortened the link with Google url shortener)

Might need to replace with new, more common type. Perhaps a gemlux as suggested.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

That's amazing.
Since 11 this morning and nobody offered
the all purpose handyman's tool to plug that hole.
C'mon y'all...repeat after me...those two magic words...

Duct tape!

I've plugged holes, stopped leaks, made emergency repairs
and generally prevented a good time from going pear shaped
all with duct tape.
A wad of duct tape can be jammed into almost any shaped opening
and a few more layers stuck across it.
It'll do the job until you can do the job right.


Whaddya mean you didn't have any duct tape?

Blasphemy!


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

hawkman said:


> I'm going to need to start drinking wine


A cold glass of champagne and a doobie make those tide changes go buy a lot quicker.

I once saw a guide pullout a bottle of red wine, a cast iron skillet and a couple of duck breasts.


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

Go to West Marine. Looks like a Holt Allen. Whatever it is, buy extras or even better, get the Gemlux metal captive ones


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## jlindsley (Nov 24, 2015)

5200 cures underwater!


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Can't believe any boatbuilder would sell someone a hull with a plastic boat plug.... At any rate - always, repeat always have a spare plug on board (it's very handy when your drain plug for the hull is also the same size as the drain plugs for any live wells ...). Always use plugs with brass hardware - stainless will look great but might break on you with a bit of corrosion you can't see... For many years I also rigged a mono lanyard to my boat plugs - and it was attached to the motor bracket so that you would have to work really hard to lose that plug - very handy on smaller skiffs...

The quick repair (emergency type) that I was taught all those years ago was simply a popping cork wrapped in a bit of plastic - small end jammed in the hole from outside (even if you have to go overboard to get it in place) - then broken or cut off flush and just left there until you get back to the ramp... Push it in on the outside and external water pressure should keep it in place. I'm not fond at all of hulls that won't allow you to see down the transom inside the hull to where that drain hole is -from inside the boat. If a plug fails somehow (use them enough and the threads will strip out - even with a brass shafted plug...). With that spare boat plug just reach down and put it in place from the inside of the hull...

Something to think about - the drain hole in most boats will allow more water into your hull than your bilge pump can pump out - if you started it the moment you pulled the plug - but up on plane you'll actually be draining water instead of taking it onboard with the plug out. Yes, I've actually seen someone run their hull right up onto the ramp on plane to keep from sinking - true story... Me, I'm not happy unless I have two bilge pumps on any skiff I rig - that are separately wired, fused, switched and even have separate hoses and through hulls. Each is an 1100gph - and with both turned on (one's a manual switch) I'm at 2200gph for a 17 foot skiff... You might never need them -but the day you do - you'll really, really need them.


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## wrinklestar (May 7, 2015)

I have 1 spare in the boat and another 2 in the truck. It is an inexpensive insurance policy.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

jmrodandgun said:


> A cold glass of champagne and a doobie make those tide changes go buy a lot quicker.
> 
> I once saw a guide pullout a bottle of red wine, a cast iron skillet and a couple of duck breasts.


What’s a doobie?!?


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

hawkman said:


> A standard 1-inch plug does not fit the threaded hole


The brass won't work because it is a different thread pattern. The pvc stuff has a course thread pattern and is also tapered. I would think a pvc threaded plug would work.

On the other hand - if you get your boat on plane the hole will create suction draining the water all by itself - so no plug is needed.


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## Tx_Whipray (Sep 4, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> What’s a doobie?!?


It's like a vape pen without batteries that you have to light yourself...damn kids these days


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Tx_Whipray said:


> It's like a vape pen without batteries that you have to light yourself...damn kids these days


OH! We used to call that the fish whistle...


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Last Thursday I launched my skiff and did my regular open the rear hatch drain plug inspection and it was in but there was water coming in from one side. I tightened the T handle and it was still leaking so I pulled it real quickly and stuck it in and it was still leaking. I thought it was coming from around the drain tube itself so I loaded her up and pulled out then walked to the back and saw a long piece of 30-40# clear mono sticking out of the drain tube...just one of those things...


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> a long piece of 30-40# clear mono sticking out


A long fuse for the fish whistle?


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

hawkman said:


> ..thankfully it only wrecked my chances at fishing today. It's not like my boat sank...
> 
> So, I got up at 4am to hit the sound today and found out I was missing a plastic drain plug on my Pathefinder 17T. It's a threaded plug and has a t-shaped tab that holds it in place, hanging from the boat, when open. Well, either that tab broke or the hanging plugmgot caught on a branch or something bc it was gone.
> 
> ...


The company that produced that particular drain plug stopped making that particular one, though they have one similar, but the threads are courser and don't match up. I'd just order the one in the link you posted and hope it is like the older one. I believe Marpac makes it. If it's the wrong one, they might charge you a return, but would be worth it to give it a try. That will be your easiest fix and just rob the plug out of the new one and continue using the original plug fixture.

Yes the Brass plugs don't work. Not because of Ducknut's suggestion that the threads don't match, but because the brass plug is a bit smaller and you can almost push the brass plug thru the plastic threaded hole without turning it.

Yes a complete brass drain hole fixture replacement is best like the one Vertigo mentioned and posted up, but the flange might hang over your keel. So you have to check the measurements of the flange to see if it fits and will not hang below the bottom of the boat keel.

An alternative is to replace the drain fixture entirely with a brass hull drain tube and then use a brass/rubber drain hole plug. For that plug you have, your hole is 1"ID (or slightly larger). You can get a 1" brass drain tube with the length at least the thickness of your transom. For that boat, it's between 1-2" in thickness, so you'll need that length in a tube. A common size is 4" and you can use a pipe cutter to cut it down, leaving an 1/8" at least out of the interior transom wall. Next, clean the hole real good and wipe it out with some acetone. Next use 3M white 5200 Marine adhesive inside the hole and around the edges of the hole and then push the tube through for a tight seal. Remember the bell flared side of the tube goes on the outside side of the transom. Finally, wipe any excess 5200 off with some paper towels Let the whole thing sit over night and install the rubber plug the next day and you should be set. I like the twist compression plugs for that, rather than the flip up ring plugs.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

When I first looked at that initial photo I didn't realize that it was a threaded fitting (and plastic as well....). Backwater's post is the exact way to go to have a properly installed drain.... I wouldn't have a plastic one in any circumstances.

The only thing I'd add is to remember that although 5200 sets up over night - it doesn't hit full strength until a week later... Water doesn't stop the curing out process for 5200 so you can dunk it if you choose a day after install - just be a bit careful with it until the full week is passed...


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

I'll be damned if I'd let a missing drain plug stop me from fishing. I'd have scraped a piece of drift wood on the boat ramp until it was the right diameter and jammed it in the hole because when it comes to not being able to go fishing I turn into MacGuyver.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

What am I missing? I don't have any holes on my 17T that a standard plug of some kind doesn't fit. There are two at the stern-standard brass screw ins fit those, the two in the self-flooding cockpit, which standard rubber/brass plugs fit and the livewell plug, also standard.


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## CaptDanS (Oct 26, 2017)

Doobie was that not a couple brothers that had a great band ?


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## nautilott (Oct 29, 2017)

It's been over 40 years, but.... Nah, it's the way smaller version of a tippy canoe. It could send 15-20 heads UP the stream of consciousness. Pass the Doritos please.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

I have 3 brass plugs. I put dielectric grease on them and keep them in a plastic case i keep in my sponson storage. When I'm ready to launch i know i have 3 plugs to put in. The main one and 2 for the sponsons. I'm going to add some duct tape to the plastic box


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

DuckNut said:


> The brass won't work because it is a different thread pattern. The pvc stuff has a course thread pattern and is also tapered. I would think a pvc threaded plug would work.
> 
> On the other hand - if you get your boat on plane the hole will create suction draining the water all by itself - so no plug is needed.


Until you come off plane then plug is needed again.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Backcountry 16 said:


> Until you come off plane then plug is needed again.


I think you missed the sarcasm.


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## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

As others have stated, please do yourself a favor and buy two plugs.


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## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

As a note you don't need extra plugs with a Gemlux or similar as the drain plug cannot be separated from the drain. The Gemlux drain plug can be removed, tightened and fitted both inside and outside the boat. Great for that moment when you realize the drain plug isn't in after the boat is in the water, when the boat goes up on a lift, etc.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

DuckNut said:


> I think you missed the sarcasm.


Oh is that what that was?


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## Mike C (Feb 27, 2017)

jimsmicro said:


> I'll be damned if I'd let a missing drain plug stop me from fishing. I'd have scraped a piece of drift wood on the boat ramp until it was the right diameter and jammed it in the hole because when it comes to not being able to go fishing I turn into MacGuyver.


That was my thought. There are mangroves everywhere and a knife, a branch of the correct diameter and voila, you got a screw in plug.


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## hawkman (May 19, 2018)

Relatively new to boating myself. I'm a little cautious.

I replaced the plug with another plastic one just to get out there. I'm glad I did. I limited out on nice flounder and castbnetted a couple quarts of shrimp.

I also took home a brass plug to consider - more on that later. I also picked up a couple of 3/4 baitwell plugs to serve in a pinch. 

I'll consider replacing both with brass or that Gemlux this winter.

Thanks for your help!


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Yet another reason why I love Hell's Bay. The plug for the cooler seat is the same as the plug for the transom. Exactly. That's just smart engineering.


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## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

2 bilge pumps in skiff. 3 in bay boat. Always keep plug installed from inside on aluminum boat. Pull it while on plane to drain , i thought this was a common practice. Maybe not


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

DBStoots said:


> Yet another reason why I love Hell's Bay. The plug for the cooler seat is the same as the plug for the transom. Exactly. That's just smart engineering.


Wait, having a $50-60k Hells Bay is a fix for a spare $3 plug?


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Backwater, that's not why I bought her but it's a nice feature!


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