Water Plugs

I juat read about CDreamers experience with water coming in in rough seas made me think about this resin football to use. Maybe something to help slow or stop a leak. Advertised for fuel tanks when I saw it but says for marine use as well.

I am not affilated at all something like this made me think could be a nice tool when needed hope never needed.

FlowStop Football - barrel plug - stop leak - leak control - puncture plug - stop and control leaks - stopper plug - Flowstop plug

Foam in general?......good enough to stuff....

Anything that helps slow the flow of water is helpful.

In damage control, the objective is not to completely stop the leak immediately, it is to slow it to the point your pump system wins hands down so you can concentrate on the big picture.

You can go to your favorite marine retailer and buy a set of tapered wooden plugs or a tapered foam plug to stop or reduce leaks in your boat. I have both.

Or go to a craft store and get the same for pennies on the dollar of a marine store.

For that matter, you can just keep a few rags on board to plug holes.

Absolutely, that what we often use when salvaging boats.

Even better if you have a few plastic grocery bags handy for some plugging.

That the difference between experience and reading.

Oh yeah grocery bags? Put on the outside of the hull?

Towels, rags, nerf balls, they can all come in handy. The wooden plugs are for stopping up broken through hulls, not irregular holes. Keep the plugs near the through hull they fit in or an easy to access central location along with a rubber mallet (the latter a very handy boat tool in general).

TowLou said:

Oh yeah grocery bags? Put on the outside of the hull?

Click to expand...

No, they just slow the seepage through rags, towels, some foams or just wrapped around a hard object and crammed into a hole.

Have used all sorts of things for both salvages and damage control training.

This and a set of tapered wooden plugs were on my boat when I bought it.



It costs more than rags or grocery bags but if you ever have to use it you probably won't regret the cost.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/forespar--sta-plug-emergency-plug--11555901?recordNum=17

A couple wax toilet bowl rings can be very handy to plug holes

The trick with damage control is actually having the intuition to get it done within the time you have left before flooding gets away from you, all the tools and gimmicks are just that.

Many of the "manufactured products" are for something simple like a broken fitting or ruptured hose....well, for half of those who says plug A or B will fit or work?

Better to understand the concept of damage control and how to slow the ingress of water than rely on a few overpriced, over advertised pieces of gear.

Heck, many things will work..... if you have to tear your shirt off to plug a hole it is worth ot.

Well, someone always tells me and everyone else that one should leave it with the pros to determine whats best.

Twisting wires on land doesnt sound like the most solid background when dealing with sinking or sunk boats.

Learn damage control, not what cute equipment to buy is my recommendation.

pool noodles, nerf footballs and rags. cheap,piable and can be cut to desired size.

I carry Stay Afloat. Home
Video on their site. Available in most marine stores, Amazon and Ebay. Because I have a wood hull, I also carry a fothering mat.

You can be prepared or you can wait until you have an issue and then look around for garbage bags to stuff in the hole.

I was a Boy Scout.

Should have been a sea scout.....

No "sea" where I was growing up.

I can tell.....

Seriously, having a bag of rags, plastic, bits of wood, foam of any shape, wax rings are what many have and are more than adequate.

Having pieces of bendable plywood in medium squres and strips with a screw gun and drywall screws is a great bag of tricks too.

additionally, be aware the driving a wood DC plug into an FG hull penetration may not be the best bet. Might function as a wood spitting wedge and exacerbate the problem.

As psneeld has said, better to learn the basics of damage control and find the suporting materials before the event happens. Therein is the problem. Does anybody offer a course or seminar in basic DC for plastic boats?

psneeld said:

I can tell.....

Seriously, having a bag of rags, plastic, bits of wood, foam of any shape, wax rings are what many have and are more than adequate.

Having pieces of bendable plywood in medium squres and strips with a screw gun and drywall screws is a great bag of tricks too.

Click to expand...

I like that idea woth plywood as long as the screw gun does not get soaked or still works if it does get wet.