Six Takes On Never Having To Ask, "Where’s The Plug?"
There are two kinds
of trailer boat
owners: those that
have forgotten to put
the plug in and those
that will forget
to put the plug in.
Here are six great
suggestions from
Trailering Club
members
1. The first boat had a squeeze plug that you
pushed in, then pushed down a tad to tighten
it in place. This plug had a finger hole to grip
to open and remove it. I used to attach the plug
to the key ring when it was removed from the
boat. I always started the boat on the trailer
when I launched it so it was always obvious
when or if the plug wasn’t in. The second boat
had a threaded plug with no hole to attach to,
so I took to keeping the keys in a plastic bag and
stored the plug in the bag as well. I won’t say I
never forgot to put the plug in, but I never took
the boat off the trailer without the plug in it.
Audrey, Stony Point, NY
2. I saw a guy once who’d screwed a plug to
the end of the winch crank handle. Every time
he dunked his boat, he couldn’t help but think
about the plug.
Mike, Miami, FL
3. I like it best in the motor
well. When I trim the motor down
to back her off the trailer, I can see
right away if the plug is missing
from the rack, not to mention
the convenience of the
proximity of the bottle opener,
deck plate key, and shackle key.
Jeff, Spartanburg, SC
4. I keep my boat on a lift, and
over the winter the plug is taped
to the switch to put the boat down.
Dream’Inn, Annapolis, MD
5. My 24-foot Bayliner has a solid brass plug
with a square 9/16-inch head. I drilled a hole
through the solid square head, large enough
for the shaft of a Phillips-head screwdriver. A
small brass keychain fits through the hole, and
I use the chain to keep the plug on the boat’s
key fob for the ignition. This helps reminds me
to remove the plug, after the boat is back on
the trailer. The hole also allows me to tighten
the plug using a screwdriver, rather than a dedicated
9/16-inch wrench. A trailer-boat launch
checklist is always the best safeguard.
Gary, Aston, PA
6. Put it in your pocket or attach it to the
throttle, and best of all, have a spare and know
where it’s kept (lesson learned from a bad experience).
Susan, Phoenix, AZ
