[rooperdan]

After many of years boating it happen, What no plug? As i am backing out of the ramp and my wife is pulling away with the truck and trailer my bilge pumps come on. I never thought that a 50 year youmg man could move as fast as i did. Thank god for the spare.

[SEMIJim]

I was thinking, last time we were out, that a spare would probably be a good idea

(Or a much more powerful bilge pump...)

Jim

[darkcalling]

Been there done that glad to hear you had a spare and are still fast enough.

[Dredd]

Good thinking on the spare. I know that situation can damn near cause a heart attack.

[theeasynine]

Bet you moved like a bolt of lightning. One of the last times I was out a guy was trying to trailer his boat (dead in the water) not knowing he left his plug out. It was all his Durango could do to pull it out with all that water weight.

[darkcalling]

All this talk checked my garage last night must have left the spare in old boat have to pick one up today.

[Oregondunes]

that's why I drain and replace the plug in my driveway after every trip. that way I know when it's time to sail, I wont sink.

though I did do the all time amateur mishap a couple of years ago...........

My son (at the time was 6 yrs old) and I were at the ramp, waiting in line to launch one semi warm (air temp, not water temp) spring day. I got out of the truck to untie everything and put out the bumpers and secure the dock lines. About half way thru the process, my phone rings. Of course it's the wife telling me I should be home doing something around the house instead and it distracted me from my ritual pre-float.

I hang up and jump back in the truck with boy in the boat.

I back down the ramp, ever watching my clearance lights on the trailer to know when it's deep enough to stop. I keep backing down and I see the boat start to float, but the trailer lights are still only a few inches under water. So I back a lil further, then all of sudden, the boat and trailer float to the side of the dock, when I realize I hadnt unhooked the back of the boat (plug was in though).

So now Ive got my boat and trailer floating with the current, laying tight against the dock. The problem is the dock narrows as it gets near the water, so now the trailer fender is caught behind the gang plank of the dock and the fairly firm current is holding it tight.

Fortunately it was early in the year and there wasnt much action on the ramp that day. I tied my longest rope to the "up river" side of the boat and had a couple of strapping young guys (football players) who were standing on the opposite dock pull the boat away from the dock as I hit the gas.

Thank gawd it wasnt the middle of summer, in the middle of the day on a weekend. The cussing and swearing that you would have heard, laughs and photo opportunities would have made head lines for sure.

Moral my story is..............take your time. Dont let anyone hurry you. Check and recheck everything before you leave the house and then again at the ramp long before you start to back up.

My daughter gets miffed at me for doing so, but my boy (now 8) remembers that day and doesnt mind a bit. He thought the boat was gonna sink with a 1000 lb trailer hanging from the bottom of the boat kinda pulled the sides very close to the waters surface.

[Dredd]

Originally Posted by Oregondunes

that's why I drain and replace the plug in my driveway after every trip. that way I know when it's time to sail, I wont sink.

I stopped doing that when I found my last boat with a big accumulation of rain water in it. Yes, the cover was on but there was a low place where water apparently was able to eventually soak through.

[darkcalling]

Me too its part of my ritual put in plug un do the straps then turn on battery and hang lines. But the wife is in for a test now she will have to drive the truck and park the trailer

[Slash9point5]

Good advice Oregondunes, but just a warning for those in Minnesota and probably a few other states:

It is now illegal to trailer your boat with the plug in (new this year). If you are caught it is a $500 fine.

One other thing to note is that it is possible for a plug to fall out during trailering if you put it in before you get to the landing. This happened to my Father-In-Law, although his boat uses a rubber/metal lever plug which is probably more prone to this than our screw-in type. But either way, a very good idea to double check.

Kris