Drain Plug Removal &/or Repair

jmgardner

Member
Hi All:
I just got this 'free' boat and am trying to figure it all out. So far things seem OK to my novice eye but I can not seem to get the drain open. It appears to be brass and well oxidized, located on teh deck near the edge at about the middle of the boat.
I've checked some of the repair websites but haven't seen much on drain plugs.

Any ideas and/or help would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Soak the threads with some penetrating oil (PT Blaster is my favorite) and let sit for a day. Then find a screw driver that fits snugly in the cap slot, attach a pair of Vicegrip pliars at right angle to the shank if the screw driver, push down hard on the screw driver and use the Vicegrips for leverage to loosen the screw-in cap. It usually works. If all else fails, pry out the old metal drain assembly and install a new plastic drain assembly - they don't sieze and drain better owing to their larger size.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia., NY
 
Heating and cooling work to break the corrosion as well. A Soldering iron for heat so you don't burn the boat and ice cubes to cool. Tap the screen head to shock the threads. TAP..gets the penetrating oil to flow in as well. Best of luck.
 
If ya mean T-A-P or Triple Action Penetrant, that's a good product, I used it while wrenching on gas-powered golf carts at the local course and it actually works. I was pleasantly surprised, since I've always been a WD-40 man myself, LOL, but the course had cases of T-A-P in lockers so I broke some out to try it. Not bad results, particularly on hardware frozen by corrosion... a good hammer helps as well. :rolleyes:
 
I would put a good fitting screw driver, spray as stated before and put an adjustable wrench on the screw driver. Put body weight on the driver and use slight back and forth with the wrench to work the sprays in. Most likely some grit in the threads. Don't over twist let the sprays do the work.
 
One of my Sunfish arrived with a 3/16-inch hole drilled through the center of the plug. It still drains, just more slowly.

Some day, :rolleyes: I'll spray penetrent inside and out, and back it out. Failing that, I'll use my set of left-hand drill bits to save the base. Hardware in 1/2-inch size can substitute, in stainless-steel--maybe nylon.

Ask for a "set-screw", install with white Teflon pipe tape.
 

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One of my favorite tools is my big screwdriver- fits right in that slot without any play. That and some PB Blaster soaking should do it!
 
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Got it! It fought me like a bugger, then I got lucky... Turns out (pun) that if you insert a paper towel into the drain screw slot before the screwdriver there is a ton more friction and that kept the screwdriver from twisting out of the brass :) I felt it give and turn about 20 degrees and then happiness set in.

Bonus, no water came out of the hull :) so I'm having a great day. I'm thinking some fine sandpaper in the slot would work great for removal, too. Put some white grease on the threads and now am back in business.
 

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