What do I do if my boat is taking on water.

[kygorski]

If you can safly reach the drain plug, pullit out and start moving, the water will siphon out, have done it. Check your bige pump as often as you can, if it isn't working, dont launch!My new boat at present does not have a bilge pump, I bought a bailer pump, and it will work, but why are you taking on water?My cousins brand new bass boat had a factory defect, the torque from the motor caused a seam leak at the transom, he needed to sue the company to have it fixed.But if all else fails, beach it!

[Stonewall2002]

If you can safly reach the drain plug, pullit out and start moving, the water will siphon out, have done it. Check your bige pump as often as you can, if it isn't working, dont launch!My new boat at present does not have a bilge pump, I bought a bailer pump, and it will work, but why are you taking on water?My cousins brand new bass boat had a factory defect, the torque from the motor caused a seam leak at the transom, he needed to sue the company to have it fixed.But if all else fails, beach it!

Im not taking on water. I was curious as to what to do if the occasion ever presented itself, or if I needed to help another angler on the water.

[dc chopper]

Call you congressman and ask for a special "bailout" for you.

YES!!!!! 750 billion would be just enough to buy the ranger of my dreams.... 40 ft long, 3 -300 hp Yamaha's ....800 lb thrust trolling motor... enough chicken lights on it to make it glow like a christmas tree..... and a radar to track down jet ski's and shoot them with a radar guided missle or 2. Oh yeah, that new Peterbilt truck to pull it with!

[Mean Morone]

I know from experience that running on plane with the plug out will draw the water right out of the boat. I also know to ask my fishing buddy if he put the plug in before we leave the ramp.

[CTFSHWHISKER]

put on a life vest...head for shallow water..if you have rope and time and a dock nearby tie off the boat with rope to help keep it up..my dads livewell line broke off,the thru hull fitting,he pulled up on a flat bank,transom first,,whittled a plug out of stick with a pocket knife,pumped out the water and headed back.i have a plug for every fitting just in case..

[motalot]

I don't know why you just don't stop the leak. That has worked every time for me...LOL

Another thing you can do is borrow someone elses bilge pump and connect it straight to the battery. Of course you would have your fast friend getting the bilge pump while you beach the boat on a flat. If the leak isn't that fast once you get the water out you might have a chance to get to the ramp.

Be wise Be Insured

[JUSTINHALL]

My boat has a self bailing cock pit and it does just that. The same as pulling the plug and taking off it will drain as you are moving, the only difference is there is a rubber flap and curve to keep water from rushing back in when stopping or sitting still. My boat has bilge pumps as well to remove from the lower cavity but water around your feet will disappear as you drive. So for sure moving with no plug will remove water. Really no need to beach it, drive around until it is all gone and jump back in the water to put plug in you are already wet from when you removed it.

[HURRICANEBOB]

dip bucket in the boat per law.

I had a county mountie at Cumberland tell me I had to carry a bucket on my pontoon boat for that reason. He almost wrote me a ticket when I asked him if it was to take water off the deck, or out of the pontoons. Hey, are all these guys inbred?

[HURRICANEBOB]

My boat has a self bailing cock pit

Oh yeah, well pontoon boats have self bailing everythings.

And another thing, pontoon boats can run equally well deck up, or with the deck down. Deck up your on the main engine prop. Deck down, with the engine down and prop out of the water is just like having an airboat.....ha....hahaha.....top that.

[demodan]

Will it really sink? the level flotation in my old Skeeter was tested a couple of times.
Had a sucker plug the overflow on the live well with the pump running at the dock, it gets low in the water but does not go to the bottom.

yes...all boats will go down...I don't care what they say. All boats will sink when full of water. They said the Titantic wouldn't sink....We all know it did. So don't buy into the thinking your boat won't sink...it will!!!!!