Plugs for alloy boats?

[Gundog]

What kind of bilge drain plugs do use on your alloy boat? I thought it would be a good idea to have threaded aluminum pipe fitting welded into my new boat so I purchased some 6014 alloy weld on bungs and Al plugs for the new boat and they welded them on. They looked great until they tried to pull one and it seized. To make a long story short all 3 plugs seized and the threads got buggered up removing them. It might have been the quality of the bungs I got and maybe the wrong alloy for strength. Standard stopper plugs will work for now but I was just wondering what the rest of you have Wooldridge usually uses the rubber stopper plugs and only installed these per my request.

Thanks Mike

[peterbo3]

Alloy boats down this way have been fitted with UV/hydrocarbon stable nylon/plastic type plugs forever. They have an O ring & very coarse threads. I have them & put some marine grease on them occasionally. Never heard of a failure.

[MacCTD]

My Workskiff has a regular rubber plug, never had a problem with it. My new to me Pacific has a small SS allen plug that is threaded into the transom, I checked it and it comes out but it seems like it could be problematic, I put plenty of Tuff Gel on it when I put it back in.

[Gundog]

Are you sure it is stainless steel? I would think SS threaded into aluminum would cause galvanic corrosion and I know Pacific makes great boats so I would not think they would do that. I am not saying you are wrong but it seems very strange.

Mike

[Gundog]

[quote="peterbo3"]Alloy boats down this way have been fitted with UV/hydrocarbon stable nylon/plastic type plugs forever. They have an O ring & very coarse threads. I have them & put some marine grease on them occasionally. Never heard of a failure.
[/quote

That is a nice looking plug I wonder if they sell them in the US?

I had to wait until i got home to view the picture I posted the thread from work and it had the picture of the plug blocked.

Mike

[amfboats]

Unless it is a copy it is the NZ TENOB brand that is the larger of the two sizes available, we fit them to our boats as well, good bungs.


Here is another bung worth looking at.
http://www.billybung.com/

[peterbo3]

Bevan,
Good call.
http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemd ... search123=

Mike, If you want some , let me know.

[Seefood Man]

Mine had the SS allen in the transom. I did not like the fact it did not bottom out into a seat. I drilled it out to 5/8 and replaced it with a rubber plug. Really, the only water I ever got in there is from condensation.

[jimw]

Are the Tenob drain plugs available anyplace in the U.S. ?
I have a Quintrex with the same plugs and would like to get a spare or two.
Thanks, Jim

[rhoderunner]

marineeast.com.I have a Quintrex and bought two of the larger drain plugs off them.They are an exact match.

[Chaps]

Rubber & plastic plugs are OK for a trailered boat that you'll want to drain frequently. I keep mine in the water year round so when I redid my transom I welded on a thick round slug of aluminum then drilled it out and threaded it with a 3/4" pipe tap. Installed a 3/4" SS pipe plug, all is well. Corrosion is not an issue. Doing it this way eliminates thread distortion from welding because the threaded hole is created after welding.

[Shark Bait]

Mike: The Dream Catcher has a 3/4" pipe thread bung welded into the engine pod. I use a regular white PVC pipe plug you can get at any hardware /plumbing store. Have had not problems with it.

SB

[Gundog]

Update on the plug issue. I bought a 3/4" pipe tap and fixed the bilge welded bung and installed a new Al plug I put never seize on the thread tighted it and then was able to easily remove it no galding. I did pick up a couple plastic threaded plugs to keep in the boat just in case.

The other 2 drain plugs were for my floor fish boxes and after talking it over with Wooldridge I had them cut off. What I found out was the fish box drains work better to plug from the inside of the box rather than out on the transom. You can pull the plug from inside and flood the fish boxes but because the fish boxes are well above water level they will not flood the boat and water won't reach the bilge. The floors are about 8-9" above water line. By plugging the tanks from inside the boxes can be flooded and if you want to drain them pull the plug and drive the boat about 5 MPH and the ventouri affect drains the tanks. If I had them plugged from outside this would not be possible.

I am happy with this design I originally wanted macerator pumps on the fish boxes and Grant kept telling me I did not need them and I did not understand until it was built now the light came on and I really like not needing the pumps. If I want extra water in the floor boxes I can fill them with the wash down hose. The floor fish boxes are huge about 100 gallons each.

Mike

[jimw]

Rhoderunner
Thanks for the link to the web site for the plugs.
I ordered a couple for spares.
Jim

[JETTYWOLF]

I just like saying......BUNG.

Seems nastier than saying...plug.

Okay I'll stick a cork in it.

Jay told me (BlackLab Marine) not to mess with it, (The bung, yes looks like a SS threaded bung) So in almost 4 years I haven't, messed with her down there.

But because of "you guys", I just went out stuck my allen wrench in it and it came right out. Hasn't been touched since it was put in there, with loving hands at the factory.

Through a little waterproof greezy on it and "screwed the ole bung" back on in. Felt soild and as good as gold!

C'C'mon.....

[Jay Perrotta]

I just like saying......BUNG.

No joke....

There is an old liquor store on the waterfront in Salem, MA who's name (in faded neon) is "Bung Hole Liquors"...

bunghole.jpg (142.88 KiB) Viewed 9192 times

[JETTYWOLF]

GOOD ONE JAY!

I guess the word is kinda like "arse"....those northeren europeans use it all the time. And I still don't get it.
Are ya talking BU-TTocks or a Donkey/horse combo?
(a fishing buddy of mine is from Ireland and it's arse this and arse that....)

First time I've ever touched my threaded plug and it's just fine. I figured if ya said, don't mess with it. I wouldn't mess with it.
C'C'mon.