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Repair drain plug, or seal hole completely ??

crankbait

Regular Contributor
i have an 87 18 ft aluminum starcraft with a 115 outboard. boat is in great shape, but the drain plug assembly in the bottom of the transom is leaking bad. it is all aluminum. would i be better off just blocking off the hole entirely than try to install a new drain plug assembly ?? the boat is used only in freswater lakes.
 
I think the answer to that depends on how good of shape your transom is in. I'm assuming that your transom core is wood, correct? If so, you need to first determine if there is any rot around the drain where the leak occurs. If so, the rotted or compromised wood will need to be removed and the whole area patched, which will then allow you to re-drill and re-sleeve the drain. I've not ever done this myself, but have seen others do it. You need to pull the drain sleeve out and inspect the transome material around the leak area. If all is well, or there is minimum damage to the transom, use some "Get Rot" to strengthen the wood if necessary, then fill with a good two-part marine epoxy. Re-drill and re-sleeve and seal the sleeve with marine epoxy or 3M 5200.
 
thxx for the input. where the drain plug is....it is all aluminum. that is why i was considering plugging the hole permantly. i didn't know if it was a mandantory item for boats of that size ?
 
Okay on all aluminum. Not sure about mandatory, but I would certainly have one in order to bail out water while underway. I've had enough time in john boats where I've been damn near swamped and the only thing that saved me from taking an unplanned swim was cranking up the engine, run like hell and pull the drain plug.
 
I don't know if it's required or not...but why wouldn't you want one? Say the boat gets rained in and you don't have a battery handy...


Do it right and keep the drain.
 
I don't know if it's required or not...but why wouldn't you want one? Say the boat gets rained in and you don't have a battery handy...


Do it right and keep the drain.

Ayuh,.... No drain, or leavin' the plug in durin' the off season, Kills thousands of hulls, when they Fill with rainwater,...



Then Freeze,.....
 
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