I have installed a drain plug in almost every boat I have owned that did not come with a factory installed plug. There is no boat with decks so watertight that it will not admit some rain during a prolonged thunderstorm. If you live in northern climes and your boat is on blocks, water freezing in the bilge may do some serious damage. Most boats have a natural low spot in the bilge. If properly blocked, the stern is usually a bit lower than the bow so that any entering water runs sternward. The drain plug should be located as low as possible at the point where water gathers. Marine catalogs feature bronze drain plug fittings of various sizes. Mine are usually 1/2". Drill the required size hole to admit the fitting, caulk, and bolt in place just like any thru hull. The plug generally has a tapered thread and a square head. When the plug is removed for winter storage, I usually tape it to the instrument panel over the ignition switch so I won't forget to put it in before launch. For safetys sake, I dab a little bottom paint on the threads of the fitting before installing it. In the 30 years I have been doing this, no plug has ever loosened during the boating season. Larry Z

At 09:17 AM 11/11/02 EST, you wrote: >I have installed a drain plug in almost every boat I have owned that did not >come with a factory installed plug. There is no boat with decks so watertight >that it will not admit some rain during a prolonged thunderstorm. If you live >in northern climes and your boat is on blocks, water freezing in the bilge >may do some serious damage. > >Most boats have a natural low spot in the bilge. If properly blocked, the >stern is usually a bit lower than the bow so that any entering water runs >sternward. The drain plug should be located as low as possible at the point >where water gathers. Marine catalogs feature bronze drain plug fittings of >various sizes. Mine are usually 1/2". Drill the required size hole to admit >the fitting, caulk, and bolt in place just like any thru hull. The plug >generally has a tapered thread and a square head. When the plug is removed >for winter storage, I usually tape it to the instrument panel over the >ignition switch so I won't forget to put it in before launch. For safetys >sake, I dab a little bottom paint on the threads of the fitting before >installing it. In the 30 years I have been doing this, no plug has ever >loosened during the boating season. > >Larry Z ====================================================== The plugs I use usually have a T handle for easy removal, and I like to trim the boat to make the water puddle near the bow where it is more concentrated and easier to get all the water out.............. . Captain Al Pilvinis "M/V Driftwood"--Prairie 47 2630 N.E. 41st Street Lighthouse Point, Fl 33064-8064 Voice 954-941-2556 Fax 954 788-2666 Email yourcaptain@earthlink.net Website http://home.earthlink.net/~yourcaptain