Ooops!....don't forget the plug!

[shrimpman steve]

Tomatoes was in town, so after Doug's wedding Saturday decided to fluke with Johnny on Sunday.

We got to AHMM early to find a crowd and tried to rush loading and prepping the boat. I get the shrimp in the water and Johnny goes and parks the trailer. I then pulled up to the floating dock and realized my bilge pump working double time! That's when it hit me, in my rush to prep the boat I FORGOT THE PLUG! I pushed away from the floating dock and started doing circles to try and empty the bilge. I grabbed the plug which was in the engine well and enlisted the help of some boaters waiting on the dock. I pulled up to the dock again, they grabbed the ropes and I stripped down and in I went with the plug in my hand:eek:! With the boat now safe from foundering the next problem was getting me OUT of the water! It wasn't easy, john and the two Good Samaritans hauled my fat ass over the transom. Nothing left to do but to go fishing:)

We went offshore and found some very nice fish. Had to work long and hard but put together a nice catch. I dropped a pig two feet under the surface! Gave a great fight then spit the hook at the surface! I swear it gave me the fin as it swam back the depths! Had to be at least eight pounds. Still ended up with four nice keepers to seven pounds. Johnny had three very nice fish as well. A little better than my last couple of trips (with the exception of almost sinking the boat).

I would like to thank the two guys who helped me out! I know I was a heavy load!

[Art Berkman]

Happy to hear it all worked out for you !

[seadog]

I'm sure that must happen a lot more then we hear about. If I trailed my boat I'd most likely have made that mistake at least once. Glad to hear no harm done. If you have to in the water better now then November. Seems like doing good things for others comes easy to boaters.

[bulletbob]

Been there done that... It happens.. A few years ago, I got lazy and put the boat on the trailer with no transom tie downs.. Made a U turn a mile from the lake, and the boat came right of the trailer, ass over teakettle, right in the highway.. Luckily it was a 14 footer, but a HEAVY old super thick wall Grumman with a Merc 20,, big deep wide boat that weighed several hundred pounds.. No way I could get it on the trailer myself.. A good Samaritan pulled over and together we got it back on the trailer.. Tore the crap out a VERY sweet little ride... NEVER again will I make that mistake, but hey I did it once.. It will be a while before you forget the plug.. However we have ALL done it... bob

[Don Jones]

Just curious.....can you put plug in from inside the boat?
I have a 17 Mako with a little one foot hatch to the bilge that allows me to install and remove my plug from inside the boat.

[vinntastic]

WUTTTTTTTTT:p :eek: HANGOVER FROM THE WEDDING;)

[Foul Hook]

That's funny Shrimpy. I took the kids from my neighborhood out not to long ago fluking in the river. I notice she is laying a little low I the water. Just thought it was the SIZE of these boyz I'm carting around. After dropping them off at the dock I head back to the ramp and can't get on plane. When I pop the inspection cover the bilge is full to the top, and the pump isn't working. I break out the handy Manual pump and get it down to an acceptable level thats when it dawns on me, I never took out the plug from the last trip to let her drain. I had a Shyte load of rain water in the bilge. turns out the bilge pump has a piece of plastic caught in it. that sucked, my pumpin arm was huge!!:

[fin_s_guy]

Like I yelled to you yesterday, guilty of doing it too. Excited for the start of the season last year I headed to the marina after work mid April. Was a little dark and no floating dock off the ramp yet. I was by myself and was too busy trying to figure out how to get in the boat once it floated off the trailer. Hip waders on I backed it down, little shove and she's in and I hop on the bow. Hit the battery switch and bilge kicks on. OH NO!!! No one is around and I'm filling my waders! My only option is to pull it with the trailer. Fire up the engine and pull it back up, back over the bow clip up, back in the boat and kill the engine. One more time over the bow and into the truck. 3 minutes of water in took 15 minutes to drain. Wish I had the whole thing on film. Panic mode!!!

Poor judgement to do it solo which I won't make again.

[GetANet]

Been there/Done that!!!!LOL

[shrimpman steve]

Just curious.....can you put plug in from inside the boat?
I have a 17 Mako with a little one foot hatch to the bilge that allows me to install and remove my plug from inside the boat.

The plug screws in from the outside. I do have an access hatch for the bilge and can get to the hole. In hind site I probably could have lifted the hatch and stuck a rag in. Honestly didn't think of it. However I think I will buy one of those adjustable rubber plugs and keep it in the engine well should it ever happen again.

It helps to know I am not the only one this has happened to. It was a little embarrassing. I'm just glad I didn't panic and run her onto the concrete ramp. Zero damage was done except to my ego

[BCinerie]

I think it has happened to almost everyone !!! I hate to say when I was younger and a little more in a hurry it happend 1-2 times per year. Now I am a little older wiser and more patient!! So welcome to the club!!! Better in August then November!!!!

BC

[Gerry Zagorski]

Been there done that too....A friend of mine had a good idea....He put the plug on the same key ring as the boat key.

[PaBeerGuy]

Tomatoes was in town, so after Doug's wedding Saturday decided to fluke with Johnny on Sunday.

We got to AHMM early to find a crowd and tried to rush loading and prepping the boat. I get the shrimp in the water and Johnny goes and parks the trailer. I then pulled up to the floating dock and realized my bilge pump working double time! That's when it hit me, in my rush to prep the boat I FORGOT THE PLUG! I pushed away from the floating dock and started doing circles to try and empty the bilge. I grabbed the plug which was in the engine well and enlisted the help of some boaters waiting on the dock. I pulled up to the dock again, they grabbed the ropes and I stripped down and in I went with the plug in my hand:eek:! With the boat now safe from foundering the next problem was getting me OUT of the water! It wasn't easy, john and the two Good Samaritans hauled my fat ass over the transom. Nothing left to do but to go fishing:)

We went offshore and found some very nice fish. Had to work long and hard but put together a nice catch. I dropped a pig two feet under the surface! Gave a great fight then spit the hook at the surface! I swear it gave me the fin as it swam back the depths! Had to be at least eight pounds. Still ended up with four nice keepers to seven pounds. Johnny had three very nice fish as well. A little better than my last couple of trips (with the exception of almost sinking the boat).

I would like to thank the two guys who helped me out! I know I was a heavy load!well be thankful they didn't stick a gaff in you and pull you through the tuna door. lol:D

[seazu]

im glad you are safe and sound(well maybe not sound);)
but what..............NO PICTURES:eek:

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CONGRADULATIONS DOUG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!