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The art of launching your boat ... without the plug!


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I'll admit I did it once. Launched the boat, parked the truck, and then back to the ramp where the boat was sitting a little funny in the water. This was a Lund Explorer about 8 years ago. Bilge pump worked a long time. blush.gif Haven't done it since, one time was enuogh.

Anyone else????

grin.gif

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oh yeah! done that a couple of times. Did it the first time I had my boat out and the water was 45 degrees. Man my arm was cold reaching down under the motor to screw the plug in grin.gif

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Yep. Usually we never ever take it out. Was driving to Chisago, and it was a downpour. Stopped to wait, and pulled the plug. Of coruse, where I pulled over on gravel road, I got too far... Got stuck. After rain stopped, and a nice farmer helped out, we were back on the way.

After launching, I felt the boat being "heavy" - hehe. Plug still out. Oh well smile.gif That was long time ago, haven't done it since...

...however, with newer bigger boat, and me supposedly more experienced, I did launch with tie downs still attached when I was bringing a client (not guiding, just friendly trip) out on WBL a few years ago. I floated the darned trailer under the boat, hehe. Gawd did I feel stupid smile.gif We got a good laugh.

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more than once, and no bilge... Just made getting to the spot alittle faster, wide open the whole way!

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I did it once when I was learning to launch a boat. Either fortunately or unfortunately there was nobody there to laugh at me except my kids. I just took it in stride, bailed it out, and went fishing. Haven't done it since.

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I had a thru hull aerator pump break off as I was dumping the boat in the lake. I didn't notice until I got going and the boat was really slow, looked back and saw water above the floor in the back shocked.gif

Sped back to the landing, and loaded the boat as fast as I could, before it reached the bottom of the lake.

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Did that, it sucked! 1st time out with the brand new boat. Dealer says "Plug is in, we checked it!" The boat is water ready. Not really paying much attention after that, we dropped it in. New motors I guess you're not supposed to gun right away. Oh well, we did. 17.5' lund sinking fast. Finally got the plug in and all is good. I've never taken the plug out of the boat!

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Did it twice. Once was in early May. I had to wade in and partial submerge to get the plug in. The other time my auto bilge kicked in so I knew what happened. Auto bilge floats are cool.

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I have forgot twice. Looks a little strange with water coming up over the floor.

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We launched the boat and the wife took the truck to the parking lot. When she got back and we were ready to back away from the dock, my son asked if there was supposed to be water on top of the carpet. It is a long stretch to the hole for the plug when your boat is an I/O. A buddy never takes his plug out and on a trip to Canada the boat was squirrly on curves and the fuel economy was bad. When we got to the lodge he asked one of the guys to put the charger on one of his batteries. The guy lifted the curtain where the batteries are and found the boat to be full of water up to the floor. He pulls the plug now. He should have known as his boat cover has some pretty large holes in it and it had been raining.

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that reminds me....If you have a choice keep your boat tilted up when in the garage or parked in the yard. I had it backed up the driveway workign on it for a few days and when I opened my battery compartment water was everywhere form the rain in the bow of the boat.

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archer -

Same boat, same result, same number of times (so far).

Was sitting in it in the middle of the river working on tying on baits and went to the front compartment to get a tray of lures and all the trays were floating......PANIC!

Wasn't sure I could get it onto the trailer so loaded - wanted it up there because the launch was steep so could drain from the back as well as bilge pump and get everything toward the back. Still went on for a LONG time.....grateful no one was there. Beautiful day in late October so the water was COLD

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It's funny how you develope a ramp checklist after a while. I have three extra plugs secured in the splash well also.

Keep em coming ... fun to read.

Nick grin.gif

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I did it one time to. My youngest son, about 8 yoa waited at the dock. When I got back from the parking lot he said "Dad, is there supposed to be water coming into the boat through that little hole in the back". After I declared OH S***! we jumped in started it up and drained it going full throttle. No problem, at least the plug was right there in the boat.

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It's been done. Then there is leaving the backstraps on too, that wouldn't have been so bad except I tried the reverse-brake trick to get it off a few times will all my friends watching. That was a long walk to the rear to take the straps off.

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Haven't done it...yet. My dad did it when I was young, so maybe that is why I developed a ritual launching the boat. I pull into a parking spot, or near the ramp if there's no traffic. I pull the straps off the boat and put them in the truck. I put the motor in the launch position and stick my finger in the drain hole. I double check to make sure everything got put into the boat, then put the other half in the boat. I back into the water, and push the boat off the trailer. While I'm putting the truck away, she's warming up the big motor, and using the trolling motor to bring the boat to the dock to pick me up. I guess I have a lot of faith she will come back and pick me up, and not spend the day fishing by herself. grin.gif

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Yep I,ve done it. Last summer in August, I launched from Garrison. Wife waiting in the boat while I parked the truck,started out to 8 mile for the night bite. Went to throw out the anchor, feet were wet, heart in mouth, right hand shaking,don't drop the plug. bilge ran 40 minutes.

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Quite a few years ago we were at Lake Kabetogama with another family. I had a 70's speed boat at the time. It rained one day so my buddy and I decided to take my boat out and drain the water out by pulling the plug. No bilge pump in the boat. After the water drained out we decided to stop and check an area out. Both of us forgot to put the plug back in and in a matter of minutes water started running over the floorboards. shocked.gif I was having problems with the throttle not opening up upon gunning it down and the motor would sputter and quit. This was an existing problem. The motor wasn't cooperating and the water kept coming in while my buddy was searching for the plug. Motor finally kicked in after a few minutes and we sped off and the water drained out. We just looked at each other and laughed.

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Quote:

Haven't done it...yet. My dad did it when I was young, so maybe that is why I developed a ritual launching the boat. I pull into a parking spot, or near the ramp if there's no traffic. I pull the straps off the boat and put them in the truck. I put the motor in the launch position and stick my finger in the drain hole. I double check to make sure everything got put into the boat, then put the other half in the boat. I back into the water, and push the boat off the trailer. While I'm putting the truck away, she's warming up the big motor, and using the trolling motor to bring the boat to the dock to pick me up. I guess I have a lot of faith she will come back and pick me up, and not spend the day fishing by herself.
grin.gif


There are two kinds of boaters, those that have forgot to put in the transon plug and those that are about to forget to put in the transom plug grin.gifgrin.gif

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Yes I have forgot to put my plug in (a couple of times) but my story is about someone else. Up on Winne about 10 years ago,On opening weekend on the plughat launch.There were about 75 to 100 boats in line to launch most people were ready to go when they got their turn. 1 group was in a camper and drinking and not ready to launch when it was their turn. They backed down as if to put their boat in and got out to take the cover off the boat, load tackle boxes, rods and most of all the cooler. after about 15 min. and much yelling they got the boat in. The "crew" left the guy in the boat and went to park the camper.It was about A 3/4 mile walk to park so by the time the crew got back(at least the guy diving the boat moved away from the dock) he noticed the plug was not in the boat and keep turning in circles trying to stop it from sinking.Nobody lanching there boats would let him back in Because of the the way they launched it.It took my driver about 15min to get back from his walk.So we left the landing with him cursing at the people who wouldnt let him back in.When we got back from fishing 5 or 6 hours later the boat was half sunk driven up in the cattails about 1/2 sunk with no one around. shocked.gif

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I was alone with a 14ft Mirrocraft with a 30hp Mariner, put boat in water with all the gear on, go to parking truck+trailer, walk back...the boat was 1/2 full of water and another guy was backing up already, no time to get my truck back.

Somebody told me if you drive the boat "it will suck water out". Well...I guess it was time to find out.

Take off with bow pointing at sky at a 45deg angle, couldn't get it on plane to go faster but water was slowly draining (a whole 1/3 of boat was full), after approx 20minutes driving around pointing at the clouds I rock my body forward to finally get front of boat down and get on plane.

After 10 minutes boat was completely dry, put the plug in and go fishing.

I guess it is true....if you leave the plug out keep going, ti will suck water out....

grin.gif

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Yep...I fall into this group.shocked.gif

Three years ago taking my parents 20' ski/runabout boat (4.3L I/O) out to Chisago. Dropped the boat in and tied to the dock, parked the truck/trailer, and walked back down in no hurry. A few friends waiting to head out on to the lake. Got in the boat and lifted up the sun deck to grab the life jackets and air out the engine compartment before starting. Looked in and I saw water up to the bottom of the block and though...oh S#*T!

I had to jump in the water and swim under the boat to screw the plug in (can't reach it standing behind the boat) and then run the bilge for a while.... Now I always check it! blush.gif

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Ive never forgoten my plug or my straps. Ya right! Sooner or later you get bit.

One of the worst ones was leaving the boat landing in a tourney and hauling rear end out to our spot, get there and Guess what. I forgot the dang minnows in the cooler in the truck. Duh! Wasted 20 minutes running back to get them.

Then theres the time I figured putting leeches loose in the livewell was a good idea. Worked great until I went to chase them all and get them back in the bag. Now I have several leech tamers and minnow tamers.

Ah the joys of fishing. grin.gif

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I painted the plug hot pink. If I don't see pink in the hole then I don't go !

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OK, I'll be the first to admit it....Anybody ever put the plug in the livewell outlet which in my case (1650 Explorer) is in the back of the boat? Stinky river water soaked the bag of sandwiches for the day. Bummer.... tongue.gif

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Dinkadunk thats a great idea. Time to buy a can of spray paint.

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