TOPIC: 2 drain plugs.

I'm restoring my 1975 Fiberform Bowrider. It had a waterlogged foam, rotted plywood floor. Thankfully it is all removed and I'm at the point of re-pouring the flotation foam. There are 2 drain plugs though - One at deck level and the other at the bottom. Do I need to partition an area off so the flotation foam doesn't clog the bottom drain? Also, the boat had a bilge pump (Had...because it was stripped of all valuables except the outboard). Does the bilge do by the drain hole at the deck level? or below deck. There was a makeshift hole cut in the deck to access the lower plug. I really need help understanding the 2 plug system and what kind of plug I should use.

I've never heard of two drain plugs...at least not for over/under the decking. The foam should be completely sealed-in by the fiberglass laid over the plywood decking. If/when done correctly, there should never be any water below the decking and therefore, there should never be a plug to drain that area. If you are sure that the area beneath the decking is bone dry, I'd seal-up that lower drain hole. It's more likely to let water in, not out.

If your boat has an outboard motor, there is no need for a bilge pump...and there should be no place to put it! The foam should be completely encapsulated with new marine plywood, 3M 5200 and a couple layers of fiberglass cloth that are laid at least 4" up the bulkheads. An inboard or stern drive installation will require a "sump" with a drain hole in the center at the very bottom...totally lined with fiberglass.

Actually, two drain plugs could come in handy if they were installed port and starboard just above the height of the decking. Having two would allow deck surface water to drain no matter which way a boat is leaning...which it always does unless you park it on a tennis court. Now that I think of it, I wonder why I haven't thought of it before. I'll employ the idea with my next outboard restoration.

(Anybody who uses my idea owes me royalties!)

My MFG had tow but they were on each side of the internal wooden keel. I seen one a described before. One was below deck with an access hole.

Like so many subjects here, there are several schools of thought on drain plugs in the bilge area. Sealed "under-floor" areas shouldn't ever need a drain if everything is sealed tight, but that's assuming you never have a problem with water getting in from either a compromised hull (holes happen!), or rain water finding it's way past the floor. In my mind a secure plug in the hole can be pulled out occasionally to check the cavity, and the plug should be left in there the majority of the time! One of the screw tightening rubber "stopper" type plugs would be my choice there.

IMHO a bilge pump is a MUST HAVE in any boat, but that's just my opinion. Some are quite small, around 3" diameter and will fit in even the tightest of bilge holes. Plan for the unexpected and all you have to do is flip a switch to help bail out the craft. It's a safety issue I wouldn't take a chance on personally.

Just my respectful two cents worth.........

Bilge pumps...well, maybe. However, not even a 1000 gallon/hour bilge pump can keep up with a 1" hole punched in the bottom. For that reason, I don't really consider a 12V battery-powered bilge pump to be a safety item, aside from allowing you enough time to put on your life jacket and call the Coast Guard. A Honda 100 gallon/minute pump that runs on gas is a safety item.

But the BEST safety item would be to REQUIRE new and current boat owner's to take, AND PASS, a state-sponsored safety course with a mandatory "driving" proficiency test. Why for cars and not boats? They will sell the fastest and most powerful boat to the stupidest mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging jerk with enough credit for a down payment. I would venture to say, at least on my lake, that less than 50% of boaters know, and follow, the rules of the road. The other 50% don't even know they exist. I frequently have idiots with pontoon boats driving right at me at night with their "headlights" on. They're totally ignorant of the fact that they are docking lights and that boats do not have headlights. Where are all the .50 caliber machine guns when you need them?

Thanks for listening. I feel better now.

My little bilge pump really helped me out a couple of times. once when I forgot to put the plug in and the other time when a wakeboard boat almost swamped me. Don't get me wrong wakeboarding boats are fine but some owners do not pay any attention to other boaters fushing and drive to close with a boat made to make a huge wake. Like you said the rules of the road.

Nautilus,

I could NOT disagree more.

IF we had mandatory "operator training" & licenses, the RESPONSIBLE people would remain RESPONSIBLE and the IRRESPONSIBLE people would remain IRRESPONSIBLE. = This has ever been true with driver's licenses for motor vehicles on the public roads & it remains ever so.
(The PRIMARY reason for "traffic fines" for breaking traffic laws to MAKE MONEY for evermore government programs. - Any truthful peace officer (I was a city/state/federal officer for 3 decades) will tell you that that is why, despite public denials, that EVERY jurisdiction has "quotas" for writing traffic tickets AND why over 95% of "serious traffic violations" have NO required jail sentence. = It's ONLY about MONEY & BILLIONS of DOLLARS for government to waste.)

That TRUTH said, I fully support VOLUNTARY safety/operator classes like those offered by USCGA & USPS.

yours, satx

I run dual plugs. Works for me. I have no idea how water gets under my floor. But after 3 days of being in water I bet I gain 60 gallons. Installing a bilge this year.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I believe that I will partition off the below deck area where the drain plug is before I foam in the area. That is where I'll put the bilge pump, with an access panel from the deck.

I found the two plug set-up,in my Leavens as well.
The usual main drain was in the little well at the transom, but as water and crud ran out, a smaller 2nd plug revealed itself in the port side of the little well.Not really visible in the pic.

Upon removing this 2nd plug, water continued to drian from the cavity between the hull & floor for quite some time. Hmmmmm seems like a good idea to me.

Haven't started to open up the floor yet, but I'm expecting lots water logged foam in there?