Glen-L.com

How important are drain plugs for the power row skiff (power version) ? I've seen one boat with two plugs, one with one and another with none.

One is better than none. Normally when you see two plugs in a boat, they are located on both sides of a transom knee. You can actually get by with one if in your building stage you create a nice "bridge" at the bottom corner of the knee or knees. Make sure you leave enough space that any foriegn matter floating in any water does not block that "bridge". Seal the limited access portion of the knee thoroughly in the building stage so that you do not have any problems with any moisture working into the end grains whether it be plywood or solid woods.

I put them in mine so if rain gets in it while trailering, it'll run out instead of filling up and making it too heavy on the trailer.

I didn't bother with limbers cause it's a flat bottom,so it wouldn't flow towards the center anyway.

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

I will explain my reasoning for the two and even a crossover. If you keep a boat on a trailer and do not live in an area where it is flat, water can lay on the one side without a drain plug too, depending on the particular location that the boat is stored on. My little 12 even with a cover does not always keep the water out if I get sloppy with installing it. Winds plays havoc on the shorter ones too.
So while water will not always completely drain out, the advantage of the crossover minimizes the total amount of water.

True enough Mike, but this boat in question does not have a knee, and the bottom of my drains are are close to the top of the battens and keel,so any water will only drain down to that level.

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

This is one reason I normally instal two drains also

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

Noted, but you know that rarely does my brain operate on all cylinders and suffer in many cases of ADHD. I rarely reply with simplicity either.

How about...installing two drain plugs to keep the visual balance on your transom...hehehehehe.

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Bill

I told my wife we needed a three-car garage for my projects...she told me to ask her for permission next time before I buy a house.
http://www.unitybuild.net

You also reply for a broader spectrum of build designs for other readers of other builds so they may glean knowledge too!!!

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

Also, on a small, simple boat that you can reach the drain plug while running, I have pulled it to drain any water that got in the boat.

You just have to be going fast enough so the water will run OUT, and be sure to not lose the plug!

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

Sorry in advance for the hyjack!

Reminds me of a funny story...growing up, I would visit my grandfather's place just outside of Warwick, OK. He had a little flat bottom john boat and three good size ponds that helped me develop my love for fly fishing and everything outdoors. In the early evenings I would place jug lines with trebble hooks laced with hot dogs along the cattails hoping a catfish would be on in the morning. I would wake early in the morning and sneak down to the boat, slide out into the water, and quitely fish for a couple of hours in the calm still of dawn before going back to check on the jug lines. One morning in my quite haste I neglected to check the drain plug. I had been out fishing for a good 20 minutes before I noticed my feet were ankle deep in water...you see, those old aluminum john boats always leaked a little so any water in the bottom usually went ignored. I felt down into the murky water and the drain plug was gone. With my weight moved back toward the transom it was sinking faster. I quickly looked in the tackle box hoping to find something usefull to use as a stopper and found two hotdogs left...I stuffed one in then went back to my fishing.

_________________
Bill

I told my wife we needed a three-car garage for my projects...she told me to ask her for permission next time before I buy a house.
http://www.unitybuild.net

Thats too funny Bill. But the standard fare for plugging the hole or at least slowing up a storm surge is simply a fishing rag. Of course we also know that there are some that do not catch any fish and so rarely carries one either. Cutting a shirt tail off too or even using an article of clothing renders you a drain plug too as long as you pack it tightly enough.

I have two drain plugs on the tug, one on either side of the transom, divided by a knee. Mostly for aesthetic reasons and because I am a perfectionest ( )....But I have done something a bit different. No plugs are required. Being a plumber, I installed two gate valves with remote operators and solanoid controls. Each on are on a switch that is normally open. I have computer white room moisture sensors build into the hull which, when activated, close the switch, open the valve and drain the boat. The switch is disabled when parked, and I can leave it either open or closed.....

alright, enough of this...I just hate Oyster getting one up on me and since this thread was already hijacked I figured I could do no harm!!

But I REALLY should put holes in the boat. It is covered with snow and last I checked there was a block of ice about a foot thick covering the bottom, If I time it right I can get it all out without bailing!!!

Steve

Steve, you shouldn't use gate valves,use ball valves or sea cocks so you can see the position of the handle.

A gate valve can close on some "stuff", feel closed, but still not seal properly!!!

(PS,I know your post was "Yankee" humor, but my reply was accurate in case someone thought yours was a good idea!!! )

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

Warren, your point is well taken, and correct. In over thirty years of plumbing I have never used a gate valve. Ball valves exclusively. Sure Gate valves have their place, but I have never had to use them. They make enough specialty ball valves for nearly any application that there is no reason to step back in time.

I used the gate valve for illustration purposes only because I thought more people here would be able to identify with the "application" (Hidden in the hull etc..no handle) I fully misunderestimated the intelligence of my listening audience!

Steve

PS..UPS better bring me my Rockler order tomorrow or I am calling you at home!