I finally did it!

[MEDIC151]

The other day the wife and I decide to go to the lake. One of my sons called and said he and his friends were at a swimming area on the other side of the lake and wanted us to pick them up for some surfing, and wakeboarding. In the driveway, after loading up all the toys and stuff, I looked at the transom and thought I saw the plug in. I don't normally take it out if there is very little water in the bilge and we are gonna go to the lake the next day. We go gas up and drive to the ramp. I usually stop just before the waterline and check the plug but since I "looked at the house" I didn't. Backed the boat in, wife gets in and says the bilge is running. I didn't think anything about it since I thought that water had make it's way to the back while we were on the ramp. She starts up, backs out and I go park the trailer. She comes to the courtesy dock and pics me up and the bilge is still pumping.

We get out away from the dock and I lift the engine cover and see alot of water bubbling up right at the rudder. I ran through my head several things like, did we hit the rudder backing off, etc. Thats when it dawned on me, I didn't put the plug in. I checked the cup holder that I normally keep the plug and wrench in and yup, there they are. Panic mode at this point since we are 100 yards from the dock and I notice the transom is sitting low in the water. I tell her to get back to the dock and right before we get there I tell her to kill the motor. I grab the plug, jump in and stick my finger in the drain (or fill hole at this point, LOL) and wait for the pump to catch up. I was worried I would drop the plug and be stuck there with my finger in the drain with no way of fixing it. The wife said the bilge was looking good and so I went under and started trying to the plug in. Not too easy when you can't see too well and out of breath from the excitement. I got it started and got the wrench on it and all was good.

I have had a moomba since 02 and this is the first time I have done that. I thing I will paint the end of the plug some neon color so I can see it better. Even then, I am going to go back to my habit of making sure I get my hands on the plug to make sure it is in there.

We had a good laugh afterwards and continued a good day on the lake teaching 4 kids to wakeboard. Just thought I would share my stupidity. On a better note, upgraded the stereo to the KDC-HD545 and man the stereo sounds good.

[sandm]

sounds like a fun day. little excitement and then some great times in the afternoon..

on a related note, the floaty things that they give you around the keys are designed to compress and fill that hole so you can get the boat back onto a trailer and get the plug fixed..

glad I haven't had to use mine yet :)

[viking]

on a related note, the floaty things that they give you around the keys are designed to compress and fill that hole so you can get the boat back onto a trailer and get the plug fixed..


Good idea! Never knew that :)

Man, I can relate as it happened to me once a year or so ago too! In the boat with the kids about 50 yards out and my wife driving away with the trailer when I realized the bilge was on (for some reason :).
My plug is in the engine compartment and I had to reach in and try and get the plug in from the inside while a geyser was coming in from the bottom. Took me a awhile but got it and man was the adrenaline pumping. :) Something has to keep us on our toes!!

[T_M]

I'm laughing with you man. That happened to me a few years back with my Stingray. I took an old friend out for a ride and was feeling like a stud as my friend was admiring my trailering and launching skills. When we launched the boat and my bilge starting working overtime, I realized my oversight and started screaming like a little girl for my brother to back the trailer into the water again. No harm no foul, but I did lose a few "cool" points from my buddy. Now I follow my standard operating procedures before I even hook the trailer up to the truck.

[MEDIC151]

I had no idea you could use that for such an instance. I will always have one from now on. I felt like a total DA for a little while, then we laughed about it. Lesson soon not forgotten.

[phospher]

I think it happens to the best of us :)

I did it a few years ago on my American Skier. Haven't done it since. I always put the plug back in before I pull out of the garage and I always take it out before I start the drive home from the lake.

[sandm]

I had no idea you could use that for such an instance. I will always have one from now on. I felt like a total DA for a little while, then we laughed about it. Lesson soon not forgotten.

roll them up like an earplug and stick in the hole. it will expand on either side. just a temp. fix to get ya back home. it also works real well to keep the boat keys from sinking :) :)

[tlatoani]

I zip tie mine to the steering wheel in a bag or whatever. Of course, that would be a pain if I pulled it out every trip.

Do you guys really take the plug out every time?

[phospher]

Do you guys really take the plug out every time?

I do, every single time. Probably don't really need to since I don't hardly get any water in my bilge unless I use the cooler.

[lancesaville]

Been there. Best to forget it once so you never forget it again.

[newty]

roll them up like an earplug and stick in the hole. it will expand on either side. just a temp. fix to get ya back home. it also works real well to keep the boat keys from sinking :) :)

But how do you start the boat with the key in the water?;)

You know I never even take my plug out except to clean.