Clean out plugs in or out??

[Jim Robeson]

I am using a dry storage facility for the first time and was wondering if I should leave the clean out plugs in or out?? The reason I ask this is that when I want to use my boat the take it down and put it in the water until we get there. And when you return after being on the lake you leave it in a wet slip then they come and get it then load it back inside out of the water. So, I am a little confused on what to do here. I can have them put my boat on a service rack and I can pull them there then let them have it to put away. Then do the reverse before I put it in the water.

What would all do?? Thanks!!

 

[Scottintexas]

I think I would leave them in since it's going on the rack and just make sure you pull them every trip just to make sure they're still working properly. If they started to get hard to work then I might start having them put it on the service rack to pull them,

 

[Scuba_ref]

You can pull those with the boat in the water with no ill effect. I would pull them and leave them in the clean out tray. Just remember to put them back in before you attempt to jet away from the dock the next time out!

 

[Matt Phillips]

When I leave mine on the lake all summer, I pull my plugs and leave them laying across the top of the access holes. It seems that leaving them in while the boat it on the water, seems to make them stick more.

 

[Scottintexas]

I agree if you leave the boat overnight or for days on the water to pull the plugs, I never have problems and last summer left the boat in the water at the cabin for 6 days and when I was done they were already much harder to remove,

I think what Jim is asking though is only leaving it at the wet slip for a few hours until the marina comes and puts it in the dry stack, if he took them out at the wet slip when he was done for the day the marina probably wouldn't be smart enough to either put them in so they would have thrust to drive it to the loading area or to take them out again when they pull it from the water,

 

[spaz1868]

The question is does the marina need to drive your boat to the lift or do they tow it there? Around here, they tow the boats to the lifts with a little john boat. If that's the case at your marina, then I would remove them and lay them across the hole and re-insert them as part of your pre-departure steps.

 

[Jim Robeson]

They don't drive the boat to be taken out, they move it manually. I was worried about flooding the engine compartment. But if that is not an issue then I will pull them when I'm done and put them back in when I go out.

 

[Gym]

You will not flood anything with the plugs out in a static boat. Remove the plugs and lay them across the holes. That way they will dry out and not swell in place.

 

[BlacklimitedS]

While the boat is not running the plugs are fine being out. That being said with the boat running and the plugs are not locked you will jet water in the boat. Big thanks to @farrelltravis for answering his phone as I am diagnosing what happened on our first outing this year. Also I never felt I needed a checklist but now I have one!

 

[farrelltravis]

No problem at all @BlacklimitedS Glad I could help in some way.

 

[Jim Robeson]

Thanks for all the advice, I really didn't want to leave them all summer. I have done the "forgot to put the plugs in" before. Usually good for this at least once a summer!!

 

[MrWizard]

Usually good for this at least once a summer!!

Got mine out of the way yesterday!

 

[Johmas50]

I have the exact same storage situation and I pull my plugs each time with no issues at all. Once without my knowing it the boat was left in the water for a week and not stored inside, plugs out, to no ill effect. I would pull them so they don't get messed up and stuck, just remember to put them back in before you head out! @Jim Robeson

 

[tdonoughue]

I used to pull them and leave them at an angle in the port. Until I forgot to put them in on my 2nd run owning the boat.

Now I take them out and set them on the wet storage and leave the deck open. Then I cannot start the engine without going back to put them in.

Not sure that would work if you were leaving it for someone to come and get later, but works well for me. Never forgot them since.

 

[SCSTWG]

I have the exact same storage situation and I pull my plugs each time with no issues at all. Once without my knowing it the boat was left in the water for a week and not stored inside, plugs out, to no ill effect. I would pull them so they don't get messed up and stuck, just remember to put them back in before you head out! @Jim Robeson

I don't use a checklist (I probably should), but I have a yellow piece of string that once I remove the plugs, I pull the string out so it hangs outside the clean-out tray cover. When I get on the boat, it is my reminder to make sure I put the plugs in. Guess why I started doing this?

 

[Jim Robeson]

I don't use a checklist (I probably should), but I have a yellow piece of string that once I remove the plugs, I pull the string out so it hangs outside the clean-out tray cover. When I get on the boat, it is my reminder to make sure I put the plugs in. Guess why I started doing this?

I usually leave the hatch handles turned reversed so that I can see the screw that holds the handle on facing up. But I kind of like the idea that @tdonoughue does. Leave that deck open enough that you can't start the engines.

Definitely good to know that I can leave the clean-out plugs out while in the water. I truly appreciate the feedback!! Gotta love this site with all the info and knowledge base!!

 

[Trevor Shipman]

My plugs are hard to get out, never blown one either. Should I rebuild them? Or don't fix what's not broken?

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Do the bottom kits to make them easy to remove

 

[mattschepker]

My plugs are hard to get out, never blown one either. Should I rebuild them? Or don't fix what's not broken?

At times my plugs are hard to get out. I need to use a rope to get them unstuck. When that happens all I do is when I clean the boat wash them down with Dawn soap really good and that usually solves the problem. If I don't wash them eventually they will get stuck again and I'll have to use the rope

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Part number FOR-67690-03 should be for the bottom half of the plug including the gasket usually this solves the issue with the stuck plugs, however to be clear it does NOT solve the blow out issue.