new boat plug

[mrpike1973]

hi i saw a new drain plug for boats that lets you leave it in but you dont need to take it out. how much are they? do they work, are they legal in mn and what are they called. do you need to drill them it looked like it was threaded thanks

[Cicada]

I remember seeing one at our local baitshop here in Detroit Lakes. It looked like a bearing buddy with a ping pong ball inside. The water of the lake would float the ball up into the hole and seal the plug. When the boat is taken from the water, the ball would either lower itself by gravity or water pressure from inside would push it down. Seems to me they were in the $30.00 range and were supposed to be legal in Minnesota. I don't remember what they were called and I don't recall seeing them in the baitshop this summer.

[leechlake]

I recall a thread on this earlier this Spring you may want to try to search and I believe their was another string about the time we were all being told and then untold to have a AIS sticker in the boat.

[Ufatz]

If indeed it fuctions as described, you'd have to be a REAL risk taker to bet your safety and the investment in your boat on what I would rate as a Rube Goldberg device.*

My vote would be NO!

*look up Rube Goldberg.

[TruthWalleyes]

Neat idea, likely legal, but any obstruction can prevent that bearing from seating properly allowing a leak. It's up to you. But the $1.00 twist in, twist out work pretty well for me.

[icefisker]

They are called bail o matic made by digger anchor co from Sauk Centre. I use on in my boat and it is legal, and every AIS inspector that i have come across knows what it is and that it is legal.

It works pretty well, but i do switch it out for a regular plug for piece of mind when i go on larger bodies like Leech.

I did have an issue when i left the boat in the water tied to the dock one night with the stern facing the open water of the lake. Not sure if waves from other boats, etc. caused it to open and close, but there was a bit of water in the boat in the morning. I wouldnt do that again, but otherwise, i think they work pretty good.

[Raider4ever]

It might be legal but do you really want to rely on a ping-pong ball to keep your boat from turning into a Submarine?

[Old Dewjabber]

$30 will buy me 5 of the plugs I use now. Not broken so I'm not fixing it! I have to remove the straps and transom saver so what's 2 more seconds in the back of the boat!

[outdrzman78]

put one in this spring, boat has been in the water every day since without an issue

[i'majigger]

I put one in my boat this spring and twice it has let quite a bit of water in my boat. The rest of the times it has worked perfect. What really ticks me off is that until this dam plug thing my boat had never had any water period inside. I got tired of taking the plug out every time I land my boat. If my boat does not leak why in the hell do I have to take the plug out?????

[amateurfishing]

$30 will buy me 5 of the plugs I use now. Not broken so I'm not fixing it! I have to remove the straps and transom saver so what's 2 more seconds in the back of the boat!

or only 75 cents each on clearance in fall. I always have a couple extra with key rings hanging on the ring with keys

[Hester]

I was not planning on getting one but my wife got me one for fathers day last year. I thought it was a thoughtful gift. I used it about 7 times and it failed terribly twice. I have not used it since. Both times it failed was when I had a lot of weight in the boat. Not sure if that had anything to do with it or not.

[Northlander]

I ran one for the past 3 years with no issues. I do make sure it doesnt get gunked up.