FORGOT THE PLUG!!!

[lightning59]

don't feel bad, nephew took delivery of new Moomba and I asked dealer if plug was in. Asked nephew if he checked, he said yes. My bad b/c I didn't check! 2 minutes after launch nephew asks me to drive(kinda sluggish he says) I see water at back of boat on floor, open cover and holy sheep chit. Scramble to find plug in bilge and screw in. Get this...nephews wife says during this cluster----, "could someone turn the stereo down, it's a little loud up front" Classic!

[gman]

Did this about 35 years ago. The dealer told me that I would do it and I did. Now the plug goes in first when getting ready to launch and double checked! I'm sure you will do the same. Glad nothing bad happened!!

[lohe]

Ya I keep my plug and wrench in the drivers cup holder have not left it out.






Yet.

[laserfish]

Keep ours in the drivers cupholder with the keys. Keeps us reminded! I think everyone who has owned a boat has done this once. Once is usually all it takes!

[jrobertson]

A couple of years ago my buddy did it. It was May though in Maine. Water was only like 45 deg. He put his boat in the water, parked the truck and trailer and proceeded to drive almost 15 miles across the lake. He is a new boat owner so when he got over to us I asked him "did you put the plug in?" AHHHHH no. So we all tried getting in the freezing cold water.....not a chance. He had to drive 15 miles back to the dock pull the boat and put the plug in. That was a couple years ago and we all still laugh about it.

[talltigeguy]

A couple of years ago my buddy did it. It was May though in Maine. Water was only like 45 deg. He put his boat in the water, parked the truck and trailer and proceeded to drive almost 15 miles across the lake. He is a new boat owner so when he got over to us I asked him "did you put the plug in?" AHHHHH no. So we all tried getting in the freezing cold water.....not a chance. He had to drive 15 miles back to the dock pull the boat and put the plug in. That was a couple years ago and we all still laugh about it.

That brings up one pearl: If you cannot find the plug, get yourself on plane to stop water from coming into the boat, in fact, you can drain the boat that way in an emergency.

It is kind of like that movie where the bus would explode if they were to slow down...

[jbort]

done that too!!!!

[Dave S]

I have never forgot the plug with our Tige but I have many years ago. I now always lift the back hatch open and check for incoming water at the plug or anywhere else plus give a little sniff to check for gas fumes before I start the boat and back it off of the trailer.

On my old boat, the brass plug hole on the boat developed a leak, I guess from taking the plug in and out a lot and possibly over tightening the plug and loosening it up. We had exceesive water in the bilge one time and it took a while to figure out where the water was coming from since I knew the plug was in.

[ragboy]

Tige must not have told you we were testing the new gravity-feed ballast system

Yeah, right!

So we are at the west coast open, and Majestic is down to help and he does a great job driving demos in the RZ2 and we love having him. I am running some errands in the AM and I was at an ATT store working out an issue with my 3G card. RJ is with me.

So I get this call while in the ATT store. Its Majestic. Very calm and nonchalant.

"Hey Robert, hows it going?"

me: Good, you?

Fine, just taking the RZ2 out for some demos. Just wondering, where do you keep the plug?

me: I think RJ keeps it in the cup holder, but we rarely pull it, so I don't remember, since we keep it in and the boat on the lift 95% of the time.

Yeah, I checked there, didn't see it. You guys on your way back?

me: No, still stuff to do, but back soon. <-- You see I think they are ABOUT to put the boat in the water, and looking for the plug, no rush.

OK, hey, you know, is RJ around? Can I speak to him?

me: Hmm, he is waiting for me in the car, probably better for you to call his cell.

OK, sounds good, can I get that number?

me: OK, hold on. ( I tell the guy at the counter to hold a minute. I go outside and ask RJ for his number, very calm like. He gives it to me, then tell him that Majestic and Dennis (BigKahuna) are looking for the plug. Another minute of chat about where it might be and then I go back in store)

me: Here is RJ's number, xxx-xxx-xxxx. Give him a call.

OK, thanks Robert, talk to you when you get back,

me: Cool <-- still NO urgency.

5 minutes later RJ comes running in. "DAD, the boat might be sinking They got to the shore but dennis had to jump out of the boat and is sticking his finger in the whole at the ramp!"

me: WHAT? I just talked to Chris, he sounded like all was fine, they just wanted to put the boat in the water.

rj: no, they were in the water, when Chris called you, dennis was sticking his finger in the hole. But don't worry, I told them where the plug is and they got it in, and now they are putting it on the trailer.


Now you would THINK I am exaggerating, but I swear that is how it went. Chris talked to me like he was kicking back in a chair, eating a donut, thinking of launching the boat at some time in the near future. Going back through that conversation and imagining my friend dennis up to his tits in water with his finger in the boat just makes me laugh hysterically.

The boat barely took on water, and all was well. But man, those guys cracked me up. Pretending like they didn't have a care in the world.

Pretty funny.

[jake's02-22i]

hahaha. Now that is pretty funny Ragboy.

I too have left the plug out. Sad thing about that is, I have always kept the plug in the in the drivers cup holder. and I still forgot it once or twice. I just lift the DD hatch and while the engine was running I put the plug in, no problem. My favorite ramp story was went I couldn't get the boat off the trailer. (transom straps) lol

[Duncan]

Have not left plug out (yet). But this season we are trailering versus being on a lift so it is bound to happen.

I have my wife yell "plug?" everytime to help recall. This works great. Last week included when she yelled plug prompting me to put it in.

But I forgot the straps -- it was a new ramp to us and I thought, boy it must be shallow to not float a bit yet.

Now my wife yells "plug and straps"?

As an aside, anyone know about how many gph comes through the plug hole? I have three 1200 gph bilge pumps and I think they could keep up?

[jmitchell]

LOL, Great story Ragboy!

To add to jake's transom straps story, have you ever seen someone back down a ramp without transom straps, already unhooked at the nose, and with crisco on the trailer bunks???!!!

It wasn't us, but I have seen this and it was disasterous. Boat slid right off the trailer at the ramp. Kind of like a fish out of water!

[ragboy]

Now my wife yells "plug and straps"?

Ooh, if my wife yelled that, we wouldn't spend much time on the water.

[Duncan]

Ooh, if my wife yelled that, we wouldn't spend much time on the water.

( )

[bamabonners]

LOL, now that is funny!