OK. So this is more of a “don’t be stupid like me” post. :oops:
It took like 2 minutes for me to remember the plug and thank God the trailer was still in the water!
10 minutes after getting it out of the water the last of the water was dripping out!
The 7.3L diesel didn’t notice the extra water however 
I have never done that before and hopefully for my nerves I won’t ever again.
My first time alone with a boat happened when I took my girl friend to a local reservoir for some fishing.
What could go wrong? I backed the boat down the ramp, pushed and pushed and the boat wouldn’t get off the trailer!!!
Some guy was walking by and he said “YOU STILL HAVE THE TIE DOWN STRAPS ON!”
So boats and murphy’s law are pretty much the same.
Doug 
Doug…today …this is the one that will have me going to sleep smiling …actually … :lol:
My dad actually almost lost a boat when the the plug came out while cruising around. Luckily it must have come out in the dock area on the way back in and onto the trailer. His buddy sitting in the back had never been on a boat before (they were skiing not fishing) but asked my dad, “Hey is the boat supposed to be filling up with water?!” It was an inboard/outboard, so had a regular engine that was half under water. :lol: Had to do some major work, but got the boat running again and made sure he had the right size plug and that it was always tightened down.
Little known fact.
If you are away from the shore and realize that the you forgot the plug. Do not panic. Get the boat to move at hegh speed on the plane. As long as you can do that water will actually drain out. Of cours if you are on a small boat without planing capability then please by all means PANIC!!!
we have a pump to get water out of the boat. ussually me and my dad are together, so if we would start to notice some water, i could pump as he is motoring us back to the dock
Being a relativly newcomer to boats, I have witnessed the missing plug at least 4 different times while launching or taking out. I have to say however that the funniest thing i have seen at the dock is a guy mixing oil in his fuel tank for his brand new Honda 4-stroke 200HP motor! I was as nice as i could be trying to let the guy know that 4-strokes do not require oil in the fuel like 2-strokes, but all i got from him was the standard “Iv’e been doin it this way for years”. I guess he didnt notice the two Honda 4-strokes on the back of my boat. Needless to say he did not get the motor started while we were on the dock despite him trying, and trying, and trying, and…
Upon returning from our day, the dock keeper came over to us while we were waiting to pull out, and said that the gentleman never got his motor started, read his owners manual to the motor, got real mad and left.
So to all, read the owners manual before you get to the dock, dont forget to put your plugs in, and by all means, take off the tie down straps!
Have fun, Jeff
Unless he put tons of oil in the tank that 4-stroke should run perfectly well on premix. I have a newer 4-stroke dirt bike and on occassion have had to put premix in it and it runs perfect on it.
I don’t know if there are sensors on those Honda outboard engines that get thrown off by the presence of the oil.
But one this to think about is this. The air/fuel mixture is higher with premix than with regular gas.
Less gas means more air in the mixture. It is a way to make the mixture more lean. Remember I am talking fuel/AIR mixture and not fuel/oil mixture here.
I’ve got a canoe and a Kayak, so i don’t really have to worry about… i love fishing out of the kayak :twisted:
This might make you feel a little better!
www.katu.com/news/6994412.html
Glad to see I’m not the only dumb person out there
Glad all turned out well for them also.
We have a good Sheriff Boat presence on the Columbia. It is a dangerous river.
Doug
HAPPY ENDING!!!
www.katu.com/news/7126756.html
I just found this thread. I am a new boat owner. (I am new to boats with motors. My boat is not new and the motor is well used.)
I took the boat out for the first time last Saturday and went through the checklist to put boat in water. Unpluged lights, loaded boat before going to ramp, removed tie downs, I backed the boat up beautifully. I slid the boat off trailer and remembered–oh, my god, I didn’t put the plug in!
There was a little water in the boat and I would have tried to remove using the motor to suck the water out while moving. Yes this really works. You just have to get the plug back in the hole before you take on more water. But the motor was not working. 
I removed water with a drinking cup and used the trolling motor to fish.
I’m taking boat out today after working on motor. I hope it works, so I can go fishing this weekend.
ladyflyfisher,
BEE CARE FULLLL!!!
Owning a boat isn’t like learning to drive a car. You could find yourself stranded in the middle of no where (lake/river)
You positively need to have emergency stuff on your boat. Fire extinguisher, First Aid Kit.
It may sound strange but I had a bright orange plastic paddle that I used to alert someone to come and tow me back to the dock. You need to think about a flare gun, horn or anything to get a rescuers attention.
Don’t let your guard down when it comes to your boat checklist. Before your boat goes in the water, check everything! Your safety and your passengers safety is #1 priority.
Doug
Doug,
Thanks for your concern. I am a very careful person. Just forgot the plug the first time out. I have been a school bus driver and I know about safety. I also have all of the safety equipment needed for my boat.
I have taken a coast guard boating class and I have over 30 years in canoes-- fished the waters around New Orleans for 13 or so years.
I have a 14’ long jon boat. It is the wide kind. I boat in lakes that most people call small. (two-three hundred acres)
Today the boat ran better, but not good enough. I’m going to rebuild the carb and see if that will cure it.
I have a small trolling motor that pushes the boat pretty good. I went down small inlet today and stood in boat while I casted my 7’8" 4 wt. No fish biting but it was great fun. Casting in a canoe is a lot harder, and as I’m growing older, my knees don’t like to be folded all day.
I should have married you 35 yrs ago!!! :lol: :lol:
I’m sorry! I should have said ‘Courted!’ first, then the altar. :lol:
I hope you have a great time fishing and look forward to hearing your reports.
Doug
Doug,
Who could say? Though, when I was young there was all of that free love and wild stuff going on.
(Not me though.)
I’m going fishing tomorrow. Trolling motor only. The lake is in a state park and has huge bluegill.
I went to another lake(shore fishing) one night this week and was catching white crappie on an orange bead head.
Great fun.
Mary
Mary,
It would be a strict ‘friendship’ after I got my heart broken by my first love, but I would be a great fishing partner and some of my best friends are bluegill!
I would like to say I’ll stop by soon but I don’t know where you live!
Anyway good luck fishing!
Doug