www.iFourWinns.com

So I was just wondering how many of you out there have forgotten to put the good old drain plug in? I had my first and LAST experience with this , this weekend up at lake erie.. I have been cleaning up the boat, waxing , seat protectant, ect, ect. Well I normally keep the plug in the back cup holder and for some stupid reason I put it in the glove box. We got up to the lake and seen a storm brewing up so I rushed the wife in the boat and dropped her in and parked the truck and walked down and got on the boat, no problems so far. we drove 10 miles across the lake to Middle bass island and hit our dock and started unloading the cooler and bags. wife noticed some water starting to come in the back area.. Thats when it hit me... Oh #$@%.. I hit the bilge , grabbed the plug and jumped in the lake and put her in.. Thank God I didnt walk away from the boat.. lol I was surprised the water didnt come in faster then it did.. It drained out pretty fast. Just curious if anyone has ever had the same experience..

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

Holy smokes! I have not done that yet, but I have heard that it usually fills up REAL fast! Its amazing that you made it 10 miles on Erie without your plug in or the bilge kicking on!!

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2006 Vista 278
First Boat:
2005 Sundowner 205
Columbus, OH

Your tellin me, I hear that once you take of and get on place it will usually drain out , or get sucked out. I am just glad it didnt get worse... Sheww... Well I realize my float is in need of replacement.. another project to work on.

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

I did it last year after having a bunch of engine troubles. My lake has no wake after 7PM so after finishing the engine work it was about 6:45. Rushing to the launch to test it out I forgot to put the plug in. I parked the truck and as I was walking to the dock I noticed water coming out of the bilge drain. I told my brother in law to haul ass around the lake while I ran back to get the truck.

Someone on here said to hang the plug from the steering wheel. After that experience I started doing that so I don't think it'll happen again.

Excellent Idea... Glad to hear your event ended good as well.. Thanks for sharing..

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4

The old saying is there are 2 kinds of boaters. Those who have forgotten to put the plug and and those who will forget to put the plug in.

I did it once and had to walk waist deep in very cold water. Not pleasant when its so cold you have trouble breathing.. Never forgot it since... After that I started my routine at home and put the plug in when I connect the trailer lights because I needed an adapter on the truck. I kept the plug and adapter together.
Now at a slip so I only have 1 chance a year to forget.

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--2002 3880 Regal Flybridge | Twin Merc 8.1HO **Seven**
--2003 AB 13 VST Console Inflatable | Tohatsu 40hp TLDI **Phish'n ski**
--310 Mercury Inflatable | 1982 9.9 Johnson

It happens to me about once every 20 years. Last time was 3 months ago.

Did not launch the boat, but just backed into the fresh water lake to run the engine and flush out the salt water. My friend had pulled the plug at the salt water ramp and I didn't realize it. The starter got wet, and started acting up a few weeks later (occasional solenoid click without turning), so I replaced it.

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"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

I have not had that happen so far. I put the plug in when I hook up the trailer to the truck. The girlfriend always does a double check around the boat before we leave.

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2014 Four Winns H180 RS
14' 70's Lund

I forgot to put the plug in the dinghy last weekend...not the same, but still had some water to pump out!

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1969 Chris Craft Commander 47
1999 Four Winns 328 Vista - SOLD

Interesting...I put the plug in once when I launch it and pull it out when I pull it in Oct. Sits on the mooring all season. I have other things I have to ask myself did I forget..
Did I turn off the GPS, VHF and radio?
Did I test the auto bilge?
Did I tilt the drive up 1/2 way (used to have to do that because my mooring spot was very shallow at low tide before they dredged our harbor)
Did I take the boat keys
Etc.
Its always something lol....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I forgot the plug on my Century once, the bilge filled up with water very quickly and the pump wasn't keeping up. Luckily my wife hadn't pulled away from the ramp yet so I ran it back on the trailer and put the plug in. When I first bought my H260, I wasn't aware the fuel system had it's own blue plug and I launched without it. I idled out into lake and then I noticed my bilge pump pumping water into the lake. My heart stopped as I opened the engine compartment and saw water coming out of fuel/water separator at a high rate! Luckily, FW put a big bilge pump on my boat and it was keeping up just fine. I stopped the engine (water continued to siphon at this point), grabbed the blue plug, and installed it.

Good times! ha ha

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Current Boats:
2012 FW H260, 8.2 B3X (DTS) "Ctrl-Alt-Delete"
Previous Boats:
1984 Century 5000, Merc 260 Alpha 1
2012 Yamaha VXR

Kansas City, MO

Only once, the boat was in the launching slings and halfway down the slipway. Put my hand in my pocket to get the keys out, found the plug and and a panic stop shout !

Ha ha. Another guilty one here.
Took my old Sabre Speedboat off the trailer into the sea and then drove the trailer up the beach and parked. Only when i got back did i realise my error. Swifly following were several choice words and the quickest i've ever reversed a trailer before, or since
First, only and hopefully last time i'll do that!

Oh yeah, I'm in the club as well. Backed the boat into the water and as I was pulling forward noticed water being pumped out the side. Quickly backed up and pulled the boat out where it proceeded to drain for a minute. Fortunately, not enough water came in to do any harm!

Like others, I've since employed a "system" which includes placing the plug on the trailer tongue. Have not had a repeat going on seven years.

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2006 H190 4.3L
2009 GMC Acadia
Michigan

Ok, well i am glad to see that everyone who has had this happen to them, had a good ending to the forgotten drain plug. Thanks for sharing fellas, please feel free to continue to let us know if you have made this mistake.. We are all human.. lol

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1997 Horizon RS 180
5.7 GL Volvo Penta /SX drive. (1.60)
2018 Ford F-150 super crew 4x4