Stories about forgetting the plug

[RIVERMAN2]

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 (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. 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.

[ShortStorie]

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.

[CrappieHound]

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

[DRPEPPER]

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

[daltreypark]

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?

[Just Jiggin]

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 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. 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. Now every trip she asks "did you put the plug in"

[Uncle BS]

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.

[mrwillis]

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.

[cook]

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.

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

[____fIsHwReCkEr____]

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?