Stories about forgetting the plug

Every fisherman I know has a story about launching their boat without the plug put in. Mine goes like this.

A friend and I went night fishing one summer night. He was neither proficient at backing a trailer or docking a boat. My idea was to get trailer straight on the ramp, right at the water. Then I got in the boat to drive and all he had to do was back down the ramp about 10-15 feet and keep the wheels fairly straight. After launching me, he went and parked the truck. Since it was dark, I didn't see the water in the boat until my feet started getting wet. I instantly knew what the problem was. I had to yell at my buddy who was now walking toward the boat. BACK THE TRAILER IN, BACK THE TRAILER IN!. He could tell by my frantic yelling that this was no time to discuss his lack of trailer backing skills. I thought my boat was going to sink while I watched my buddy jacknife my boat trailer at every angle possible. On about the 10th attempt, he managed to get both wheels barely in the water. I yelled, JUST STOP THAT'LL DO. I managed to get the nose of the boat on the trailer and winched it the rest of the way up. After a quick drain and a good laugh, we were fishing.

and have also tried to back the boat off the trailer, with the winch line still connected :p ... or with the transom straps still on and cinched down :D

but, as for the "plug still out" fiasco :

partner and I were at Watts Bar Lake - we launched on a stretch of bank, where you could drive the vehicle/boat right along the water's edge and back it in, and leave the trailer in the water. Got everything loaded, boat unstrapped, backed in, and got aboard. It was idle speed out to the buoys, about 50yds away from the bank. When we finally idled out to the buoys, I dropped the hammer ... boat started pointing up in the air, but wasn't going anywhere :confused: ... when I let off the gas, and the boat sat back down, we noticed water in the floor :eek: ... realizing we hadn't put the drain plug in, I turned the boat back towards the trailer and throttled down just enough to keep the bow up, but not enough to cause water to come over the transom ;) .... ran the boat up on the trailer, drained boat, put plug in, and headed back out. :)

Funny thing about all of these "incidents" is, they all occurred when there was two or three of us :o ... and not when I was by myself. Well, not that I remember, anyway ;)

... cp :cool:

I was alone. Just before daylight. Backed the boat in already tied off to the dock so it can jst drift while I go on and park the truck. I parked, got my backpack, jacket, bag of trash to drop in the barrel. In no hurry, still dark, kinda foggy no one else at the ramp. As I come around the sign I see a cooler drifting away and thing "Hey some DA's cooler blew out" think I'll go get it when I fire up, might have a head or something in it.. Yuk!
Then I nitice my boat is sitting on the bottom of the ramp, full of water, stuff floating.... Thanks god it was on the ramp and had not drifted farther out. It is an old trihull with little additional floatation so it surely would have sank completely... I ran to the truck, backed trailer and all down to it and tied my pull strap to the back of the trailer and pulled the boat(dragging bottom) partially up the ramp so it could drain some and float. Amazingly got it to start but it coughed and sputtered the whole time but I knew if I got fuel in the cylinders it would help til I got home. Waded out and plugged it when it drained all it would. BY now theres 5 trucks at the ramp of course and everyone had an opinion I was in no mood for. I got it to float got it trailered and drained. I knew I had water in the fuel from the vent on top so I went home and drained it (12 gal portable) and fresh mixed and fored her up on the flush with some Seafoam in it. Never had any trouble since but I plug it before I even leave home now.. Never did get that cooler back..LOL!!! Managed to save everything else but my lunch....
I now have a bildge pump on a float switch. It would have at least bought me some time...LOL!!
My Dad did something similar when I was a teen and he had me jump in the boat with him quick and sped across the lake letting it pull the water out while I crawled under the gunnel and put the plug in from the inside...

Had the family with me and launched the boat. We were all in the boat when I noticed the boat was sitting a little low in the water and my feet were getting wet. Still at the dock. Figured that by the time that I got the trailer back in the water it would be real bad. Suprising how fast the water can be sucked out of the boat when going forward. Had the wife drive the boat while I leaned over the back to put it in.

Don't think I could do it today with the boat I have. The drain plug is sort of under the boat. Now it is one of those things I try and remember to do while still at the house.

I always leave the plug in my boat

But if i do pull it for some reason i tie the plug to the steering wheel or to my gear shift on the boat so i will see it when i get in to back it off the trailer

~sticko~

We didn't forget the plug, we knocked a hole in it on the trailer! Fishing Big Sandy on KY Lake. Mid February right at the power lines. Buddy says turn the bilge on its a little wet back here. I say "Bilge is on and has been!" Then notice the drain in the floor looks like a fountain, I ain't kidding, looked like on the cartoons! She was going down! Reeled up and fired the big motor only so it wouldn't plane! We wallered and wallered, trying to get to the bank, big motor died! Everyone went for the life jackets only to leave me with a kids size! I got one click on her right under my chin. Water came over the bow and we thought it was time to swim and she just settled down, right at the windshields! That was all that was sticking out of the water besides us! Luckily we flagged another boat down and he pretty much freaked out! Said he would mark it with his GPS and letter go! We convinced him to try and pull us to the ramp and he said he would, only if we didn't tie the rope to his boat , someone would have to hold it! Good enough, he got us to within a boats length of the ramp when it hit bottom. Got the trailer under it and flattened all the trailer tires it had so much water in it!

We were at crappie tournament on Shelbyville, waiting for takeoff, when we heard a bunch of yelling and this guy driving like crazy. The truck tears down the ramp and he puts in part ways on the trailer. they jump out and hook on the winch strap. When he pulls forward, the motor goes under. I heard he got it started and fished part of the day.

If you have never seen the video of Bill Dance launching his jon boat and the pin comes out of the hitch, it is hilarious. You can find it on YouTube. I tried to insert a link but did not have any success.

I bought a new Triton aluminum boat about 3 years ago. The second time out we went across the lake and started fishing. The wife asked me if there ought to be water bubbling up through the drain by the console. I jumped up and tried to start the new motor which I flooded. I finally got it started and took off. I knew from running my jon for years it would drain if I could go fast enough. I hit the bilge pump, which,I was told was auto. but wasn't', and headed back to the access. I stopped at the dock and discovered you couldn't reach the plug from the top or bottom without going under water. I managed to get it on the trailer and get the boat loaded. My wife said she almost started laughing in the panic, I'm afraid I might have been divorced if she had. The boat has a back like a bassboat which is impossible to get the plug in from the top. Now I try to leave it in all the time.

I am embarrassed to tell this one, but I will. I didn't have a drivers license yet and my buddy wanted me to fish a night BASS tournament with him. I never launched a real boat. All my boats (oar powered) were carried to the water at this time. He asked if "I could back him down and bump him off'? No problem, I thought this can't be too hard, Daddy didn't raise no fool. I backed the boat down and bumped it right off into the water. As I drove up to park I saw my buddy waving his hand for me to come back. I thought he meant hurry the tournament was about to start. So I parked the truck and trailer and ran back to my buddy only to see him sinking. He yelled "get the trailer!" So I ran back to the truck. I then jack-knived the trailer in the middle of some fancy cars and boats and didn't have a drivers license! I was worried I was going to hit one of these other boats so I ran back to aid my buddy and explain. By the time I got there the back-end of the boat was out of sight in the water. By buddy had to run the boat onto the ramp tearing up his undercoat and was pissed. He raised all sorts of hell with me for not coming back sooner, but I explained "he left the plug out". Needless to say, once I owned my own real boat, I never forgot the plug.

I have owned an old used boat almost as long as I can rember but after years of wanting I finally got my first shiny never had a fish in the live well brand new boat:) and at 21 that 17' lowe represented a major investment. It was late March 1985 and Millers Ferry was hot. We already had a trip planned and was pulling out Friday evening right after work. The dealer already 3 days late on delivery of the boat finally called on Friday morning to say I could pick up the boat. So that evening after swapping gear from the old tug to my dreamboat in the dealers parking lot we headed south to the state park. Saturday morning the trailered boats were lined up as far as we could see waiting to get to the ramp making for a high presured first launch. First time back I left the boat straped to the trailer but that lowe floated it like it was nothing:cool: (kinda made me proud w/ those 20 guys watching). During this whole seen I noticed this old boy floating just a few yards from the ramp w/ the cover off his motor trying to get it to start. My buddy pulled me back up the ramp and I went around and undone the straps. Second verse almost worst, He backs me down again this time I float free and my driver starts toward our camp site on the other side of the campground just as I reach to fire the brand new mercury,,,,,no key. The key was in my truck as it drove off so now I'm drifting in my new boat away from the dock w/o a key and a trolling motor that has never even been plugged up, even if I did know how to get it in the water. Meanwhile that ole boy had killed his battery and was now steady pulling on it w/ the rope. I looked for my paddle and remebered you don't need one in a new boat. HUH. I noticed that fella w/ the motor trouble had a great big semi V boat like my dad had when I was a young'un and just about that time he put all he had into a pull, the motor was turned and obviously in gear when it fired up he fell over in between the seat and the transom kinda like a taco and the throttle was wide open. :eek: He began to make loops closer and closer to my new boat w/ every lap he made, the whole time he's trying to get up out of the hole he's still stuck in and getting closer. I'm now real interested in figureing out how to get that trolling motor in the water or find something to paddle away from the coming tornado, still getting closer. Finally tm down and plugged in I trolled out of reach just about the time his motor went dead. Today this is funny to me but then it wasnt a bit funny.:D I guess a different ending would have been funnier but thats the way it ended.

I was taking my Japanese girlfriend fishing. We tied up and began to fish when she asked: "Why feet is wet?" Managed to get the boat going, water out and get back to fishing. We still laugh about it 10yrs later.

Mine began with a hot summer evening when my friend and I launched my new boat below Pickwick dam for some night fishing for smallmouth. My friend and I have a routine when we launch the boat. He and I have our own checklists and tasks we perform so that we can get off the ramp and in the water as fast as possible. This particular trip everything at the ramp went well and we were off and on our way. We ran downstream to check out a few places before it got dark but when we made the big bend it was like we entered a storm swept ocean. I motored down and told my friend that we weren't going any further and the areas I wanted to fish were back upstream anyway. I began to turn the boat around in the breakers and went to get up on plane but the boat just sat down. Hmmmm...tried again, same result. Ran to the back of the baost and the water is coming up! Holy Crap the PLUG! I'm normally a pretty laid back guy but this had me hoping. I told my friend we didn't put the @#$#@ plug in the boat! This suprised him because I never use that kind of language and I'm sure he had never seen me get that worked up. He told me he checked the plug and it was in the boat when we launched. I gunned er' and finally got her on plane and ran back to the boat ramp which was aprox. 2 miles away with the bilge running...that should do it. Got off plane jumped to the back to check...still water! Nearly jumped in the water to feel for the plug and WHAT!...the plug is in the boat! Now I'm really confused and I'm thinking someone has sabatoged my boat!

Finally it occured to me what had happened. I went home and pulled the boat out and got the boat ready to go to the lake. Got the cover off and it began to rain. Decided to just leave it there as we would be leaving in a couple of hrs. anyway. The plug was in the boat and while I was inside it rained cats and dogs. The boat filled up with water and I pulled the boat to the lake probably a 1,000 lbs heavier than usual.

I ALWAYS put my hand on the plug and make sure it is in before I launch. The first time I stop whenever I'm on the lake I raise the back compartment and make sure verything is dry. Kinda funny now but that day it sure wasn't.

The Hound

I have almost the same story as Crappie Hound. Except I put the plug in while still home in my driveway. I drove over an hour in the rain. I didn't know I was full of water until the day was over. I had just bought the boat at a boat show and told my freind it was running Good. But, didn't have enough power to pull the hat off of my head.

A more recent story had my wife and I exploring islands for our annual camping trip. She tore into me when she discovered her purse was getting wet. Of course I had enough cooth to ask her why in the !@#$ she needed a purse while out in the boat. Then I noticed how much water was back there. I beached it and sure enough I forgot the plug. She got out and told me she was not going to ride in that boat "until I fixed it". She wouldn't beleave it was that simple. I finaly convinced her to get back into it when I told her I would be back shortly with another boat. The idea of sitting on that island alone didn't sound like something she wanted to do.
DP

I forgot my plug one time too. Instead of going back to get the truck and backing the trailer in to pull the boat out I just reached behind the boat and into the water and screwed in the plug. Then I turned on the bilge pump and waited a few minutes.

I dunno, maybe I just do things the easy way? ;)

The wife and I were going to Bull Shoals Lake to fish:). The ramp was a little steep and curvy, but I managed to get the boat backed in ;)and the wife started to back the boat off the trailer:). I noticed a large stream of water coming from the bilge pump:eek: and I asked why there was so much water being pumped out. She turned and saw the water stream and said I have no idea - did you put the plug in:confused:. I told her yes I did:D, but she better drive the boat back up on the trailer and I would pull up so we could see what the problem was.....I had put the plug in the live well drain:eek:. Now every trip she asks "did you put the plug in"

Me and my partner were fishing a CUSA tourn. at Arkabutla in Miss. Had prefished 2 days and not even caught a crappie. 3rd day we launch and decide to fish the only part of the lake we had'nt fished yet. Put the boat in the water, parked the truck, I got in and we took off. We noticed the boat didn't plain like normal so I asked him if he put the plug in(he didn't have to answer, I could tell by the look on his face). "See if you can reach it from the top" he said, by this time we were well away from the dock, I tried but couldn't reach it so when we stopped we got as close to the bank as possible, he stripped down to his drawers and jumped in and plugged it. Now it was April and cool and the water temp was about 60. He got back in the boat and said "I don't know about you but this looks like a good spot atleast till I dry out some. His first cast was a 2.5 pounder. Funny how things work out.

i forgot my plug, but it was to UNPLUG it. I sat it next to the shed the last couple of weeks, and filled it completely with water from the past couple of rains. No problem, though. We are still fine. Just had to do a little bit of carpet work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by daltreypark

I just reached behind the boat and into the water and screwed in the plug. Then I turned on the bilge pump and waited a few minutes.

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What are these new fangled plugs you speak of?My canoe didn't come with one-and a bilge pump:eek:what the heck is that,anything like an empty coffee can?:D

I've never forgotten my plug, however this did happen....

Me and my Dad went fishing one morning with my 14/48 Jonboat. He was backing me in the water, and I noticed water coming in FAST! I started yelling for him to pull me and the boat back up the ramp that I had forgot the plug! Evidently we left the anchor in the back of the boat by the gas tank, and we hit a BIG bump on the way to the river. The anchor had bounced hard and high and busted the bottom of the boat loose from the transom! It was a nightmare. I took her home and bolted on two "L" brackets on the outside of the boat to hold the bottom to the transom, and laid the JB weld to it like no tomorrow. It worked just fine, and we're back enjoying our boat again. Scared the crap out of me I thought our boat was destroyed! Ever happen to anyone else?

I bought my first boat used and knew it had went thru Katrina. It has and 03 115hp four stroke Suzuki on a 17' Glastron. Paid a grand for boat,motor and trailer. Motor cranked the sec you hit the key. Boat needed new deck and trailer needed a new axle, tires and wheels. So I put in new springs,axle,wheels and tires. New trailer jack. New wiring and lights for the trailer. Now it is time for my first launch. A coworker was meeting me and we were going to go out and do some fishing out of Shell Beach,La. I decided I would put the boat in the water so we would be ready to go when he got there. He knew the area. Hookup and back into the water. Had slid it off the trailer when I realized I didn't put the plug in. I jumped in and put the plug in while it is begining ti fill the boat. When My buddy got there we went out I got it on plane and we drained it.. I suppose I need to do what my buddy did to his boat and that was to put a engraved plate on his trailer tongue right by the hookup that says," Put the Plug In"

I don't think I've ever left the plug, but reminds me of the boat I learned to fish in. Was old sears 12 fiberglass boat, pale green by the time I seen it. A couple people picked it up out the truck and carried it water, that kinda boat. Had build in live that you had fill with bucket. It great flotations in it, couldn't sink. which was good because of few time to many that my uncle (momma's brothers) borrowing while dad was at work. seems it you let the nose drag it was easier, till wore down the hull. Last few years we fished it, you put what you wanted dry in the live well and let the fish swim at your feet.

This wasn't about forgetting the plug but of learning about my new boat. 1996, first time to Canada with it. We were anchored in a bay with nasty 3 footers coming in and breaking over the transom (1st mstake). We were just killin the perch, big, fat, jumbos and paying no attention to the waves and water entering the back of the boat. I noticed when we went to leave there was some water coming up through the carpet but I figured no matter, tomorrow we'll put her up on the trailer and drain the "little bit" of water in the bottom (2nd mistake). That night with the boat tied to the dock I left my bait-well running to keep the minnows alive overnight(3rd mistake). Sometime during the night a couple of the minnows got stuck in the overflow tube and completely plugged it up. So now I had running water into the bait-well and no place for it to go except into the floor of the boat. The next morning we got up bright and early for an exciting day of perch and smallmouth fishing but when I saw my not-even-1-year-old-boat I nearly stroked out right there. The back end was nearly underwater and the dock with the trailer was about a half mile away. I had heard stories of pulling the plug while on plane for the water to drain but I coudn't even get it on plane. My butt was super-puckered all the way to the dock where after trailering it and pulling the plug water drained out for a half hour at least. Apparently the combination of the waves breaking over the transom and the plugged up bait well did the trick. Thank goodness we got up early to go fishing that morning. Had we slept in... "honey I've got this HUGE repair bill coming from Canada." Now I always keep an eye on what if any water is coming into the boat and have never used the bait-well since. It makes for a nice dry place to keep the pee can.

One friend of mine always would get in the boat and try to fish while I parked the truck, well this time as I walked to the boat he was yelling GET THE PLUG!

My first boat was a used Sears 14' jon boat with a 8hp Evinrude and tiller steering. My brother Billy and I launched on the St Johns River early one morning for a little Florida largemouth bass fishing. As we drifted out into the river I was trying to pull start that ornery lil Rude and realized we were taking on water! A frantic search for the plug was in vain but luckily I managed to get that Evinrude started and got us up on plane draining the water out.
So we're running up the river without a plug and I hollered at my brother to find something to stick in the hole, after a few minutes he handed me a plug......he had whittled a drain plug out of my favorite Devils Horse Top water lure.
Miss you Billy.

I had an 88 Starcraft Deep V. Buddy and I decided to go fishing on a day off. He is experienced in boats and has probably 6 or 7 himself. I was getting things ready and put him in charge of putting in the plug. Don't know where he found it, but he stuck a gooey old plug in without me knowing. We launch and get to where we will fish. Its cold enough we have one bibs and coats. Get ready to cast and look down to see water covering the floor. The plug had come out as we ran to the spot. Get the anchored pulled up, and by the time we get the motor started there is so much water in the boat we can't get on plane. I come flying up to the dock to drop him off. As he goes to get the truck I happen to see a plug and reach thru the water to plug it in. Bilge pump had blown the breaker. Get the boat out and it takes like 10 minutes to get all the water out. I was scared out of my mind at the time. Now I always make sure I have at least 2 good plugs in the boat at all times.

gosh I hate to say anything but I have never forgot the plug but 1 time ..........

took the whole family fishing ooohhhhh was to be a great trip the wife said look at the quality time we will all spend together and have fun well it's about a 45 min ride to the lake we were to fish and by the time we got there the lovely children then ages 7 and 8 boy and girl were about as close as two types of snakes on the same rock could be so my nerve level was elevated to say the least .
and like everyone one else I have a routine I go through to get my boat in the water so as that process started and the daddy whats this how this work and of course hunny wheres the sun block do I need my purse and etc.........

I neglected to put the plug in ( maybe it was gods way of fixing my situation lol) but launched the boat pulled the truck and parked everyone got in and we was cruising twards the no wake bouys
my dear daughter stopped screaming at her brother just long enough to say dad there is water back here my boat is a 17 sea nymph v bottom so sits high in the water most times lol.

so while processing all of this I say baby there is water in the front of the boat also ( he he so much for being a smarty pants) she said no dad this is in the boat and getting deeper

so once again my mind kicks into the processing data side and then my ass kicks in gear thinking go we are gonna sink but it wasen't to bad I tilted the motor stuck in the plug and run the bilge pump all was good with the world ........until we got back to launch and I pulled the plug gosh water run for days, it seemed like people were looking and the water just kept coming ........now I carry spare fuses for the bilge pump and others but mostly the builge pump it seemed to have blowed the fuse and I had been packing that water all day I just figured it was with all the people in the boat as the reason we were so sluggish but alas it wasen't so lol.

but all in all we did fish that day ( and we all lived through it much to my surprise lol) guess he wife was right did have some good memories and hopefully more to come

hope you enjoyed the story as much as I did living it lol,

take care tight lines DID YOU PUT THE PLUG IN ,

Scott

Went duck hunting once with a few guys I just met in my boat. Got to the lake and realized that the plug wasn't in the boat. That's the day I learned that a 10 guage shotgun shell will fit perfectly in the plug hole. So we stuck a shell in the plug hole and went duck hunting.

We were fishing walleye on Lake Erie during the spring jig bite. I caught a nice one and my brother in law netted the fish. After I put it in the live well, we noticed water on the deck. Bail! I shouted. I started the big motor and got her up on plane. It soon drained the water out and I beached the boat so it would not sink. I leaned over the transom and found my drain plug was out of the hole. It was one of those snap type plugs and was on a cord tied to the boat. I put it back in and we went fishing again. Turns out, when he netted the fish, he must have hooked that stupid plug and pulled it out. I no longer use snap type plugs.
Anyone who has had a boat longer than a couple years will have a drain plug or boat ramp story.

I've never left the plug out but when I was in high school my friend, his girlfriend and I went fishing with my Dads boat. My dad is real particular about things and when water started coming in the back I started to panic a little. When we realized that the aerator pump had broke off and the water was coming through it I went back to the ramp. When we got home I showed my dad and he asked, "Why didn't you just stick a rag in it to plug it and keep fishing?". Hmm... Good question, maybe because I wasn't wanting to get a lecture when I got home! I currently have 3 plugs in my boat. I always keep it unplugged when not on the water, that way I have a routine of taking off the transom straps, transom saver, putting the plug in, and opening the gas vent. If I know I take the plug out, I will never second guess if it's in or not. Now my luck I'll sink my boat tomorrow by forgetting the plug.

On a related note, the first time i saw my dad pull the plug while a boat was on plane I thought he had lost his mind. I was about 7 or 8 and I started to panic! Nice trick to keep in mind though.

After 45+ years of Crappie fishing, I have nearly as many uhoh's as Bill Dance. Certainly I have launched the boat without the plug, but once I launched it and didn't have a plug. I got the boat close to the bank and had my buddy keep his finger in the hole until I could whittle a plug. Finally got it done and worked fine. I now carry at least three plugs in my boat. I took off once pulling my cousin on skis with the anchor down. After considerable bouncing, it finally broke off. One other time, I bought a "Flats" boat that was sitting at a repo yard. The boat looked good and had a 90 HP Johnson. I cleaned it up really good and first trip, discovered it was heavy. Went ahead and fished. Didn't know what the problem was until I got into the bilge area and discovered it had a double hull and the bottom half was full of water. Bet I drained 500 lb of water. It ran great then.

WAS GOING TO PUT IN AT "BRYANT'S " ON GRENADA . AFTER WAITING 30 MIN. OR SO IT WAS MY TURN . PUT THE BOAT IN (DARK) . WENT TO PARK . HAD USED MY BOAT PADDLE TO ROPE OFF THE BOAT . WHEN I GOT BACK PADDLE WAS GONE ! WHAT THE HECK , SHOVED OFF AND GOT A COOL SENSATION ON MY FEET . HAD TO WAIT TO LOAD, THEN START OVER . AFTER ANOTHER WAIT IN LINE CAUGHT MY FIRST FISH AT 7:30 . GUYS I KNOW SAID THEY ATE IT UP AT DAYLIGHT . TOOK ME TILL 2 IN THE EVENING TO LIMIT OUT . THE OTHER GUYS LEFT AT 11 . :dono

My buddy launched out of Kissimee river on north end of Lake Okeechobee heading towards Kings Bar in the lake, we were in his new 17' aluminum weld fisher. we had fished for about thirty minutes when I decided to change baits and stepped down into the boat to hear the water sound under foot. He got it cranked turned on the bilge and headed for the boat ramp, we had about two to three feet waves going in and he was wide open. The pounding we took on the way in was hilarious--not to him at the time. We got back to the ramp and a boat came in behind us after a few minutes, pulled up to us and had saw us coming across the lake and commented wow that was neat I hadn't seen that except in the movies

I went duck hunting a few years back at reelfoot lake in my 15/48 jon boat with a 40 hp. mariner on it. There were two boat loads of us going to the same blind,so I pulled into the boatshed first to unload my crew and gear and then my dad would pull his in there to unload his crew and gear. After I got my boat unloaded I headed over to the bank to hide my boat and my dad would come get me and we were gonna use his boat to hunt with(pick up the ducks and chase down cripples).On my way to the trees to hide my boat I showered down on the gas,just playing around and the front of boat was up in the air just before planing out when I hit a stump,that I never knew was there and in just a second water was up to my ankles. This is december and the water was cold. So I hollered at my dad and told him that I had a hole in my boat and was going back to the boatramp. Thank goodness I had that 40hp. on there because it got up on plane and all the water ran out,but when I got to the boat ramp there were duck hunters still putting in so I had to wait,so I ran the boat up on the bank. Before I could get the trailer in the water the top of the transom was level with the water and I had to push the boat back into the water to get it on the trailer.That was pretty scary,I was afraid it was gonna sink when I done that,but it didn't,I guess the flotation done it's job. So I pushed it out and cranked it back up but tore the prop up bad getting to the trailer. When I got it out of the water I saw that the stump tore the transom away from the bottom of the boat about four inches long. But I just left it on the trailer and jumped in the boat with my dad and went hunting,we just had to make two trips at the end of the day.

2 weeks ago I joined the club. It was during the HOI Crappie Club tournament. Prior to launching I struck up a conversation with a couple of Bass guys fishing the launch bay. As I got out to unhook the boat one of them suggested I check the plug. I thanked him.

My Son and I went to G's landing a couple years ago. We arrived about 1 hour before daylight. I suggested we go ahead and launch the boat so we did. After putting the boat in I said let's go sit in the truck until it gets light enough to see. When we returned to the boat it was about a foot deep with water. I turned on the bilge and managed to get it back on the trailer and let it drain. I never pull the plug anymore. I just pump out the water that gets in with the bilge.