Plug for emergency hull breach

I have a couple of those on a few different boats. I like it better than wooden bungs - (1) it's one-size fits all, or at least most (2) it would expand on the other side of the hole to help stay put and (3) it would fit odd shaped holes. Thankfully I haven't had to use them, but I feel confident that they'll do the job.

I was talking with my Uncle a year or two ago and we were discussing this issue. I posed the idea of using a toilet wax ring as a hole plug. We both felt it would do the job quite well. We keep meaning to do some informal testing with it, but haven't gotten around to it.
 
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I have one on the way.
 
I have a few tapered wood plugs on board plus a couple of plastic jars of that waxy stuff that looks and smells like a toilet bowl ring. The plugs would work if the leak was in a thru hull, but not if you got a long jagged cut/tear through the hull like you'd get from a grounding. That's where the toilet bowl ring would be nice to have.
 
Yes, good point. I should get some the waxy stuff also. Does Defender sell it? Quite a bit of my hull forward of the engines is not easily accessible, like any sport boat, so it would be a feat actually finding the hole, and plugging it. But, better safe than sorry.
 
Billfletcher said:
Yes, good point. I should get some the waxy stuff also. Does Defender sell it? Quite a bit of my hull forward of the engines is not easily accessible, like any sport boat, so it would be a feat actually finding the hole, and plugging it. But, better safe than sorry.
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How long can you hold your breath? :smt001
 
I have heard of people carrying toilet bowl rings for that purpose.
 
Billfletcher said:
Yes, good point. I should get some the waxy stuff also. Does Defender sell it? Quite a bit of my hull forward of the engines is not easily accessible, like any sport boat, so it would be a feat actually finding the hole, and plugging it. But, better safe than sorry.
Click to expand...
Here's a link to some waxy plug stuff that Sea Gull carries called Stay Afloat, defender sells it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvorHXLZbIQ&app=desktop I'm also still thinking of some way to do exterior patches. Something flexible to follow hull contours, maybe something that could be put up there and screwed on.
 
Billfletcher said:
Anyone buy these? Or better yet, has anyone used them and how did they work?
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Bill, I have the Truplug,( same thing??) has been in the bilges of three boats, and it is working for the first time as I type. Saturday 3 of us were out on the lake and on the way back to the marina we got a call from our friend that he got a series of alarms and shut down one of his engines. we were close so he just came in on one. when he opened his hatch ('07 320 with BIII's) his seawater pump shaft with bearings seals and serp pully still attached lay in the bilge of his boat. He has seacocks with strainers but the out drive exhaust was allowing some (not much) water to run back through the system. I stuffed the truplug in the opening of the pump where all the guts fell out and it works. He ordered a pump and then I will get my plug back....Hope I never have to use it again.
 
Mark, thanks for sharing. If you ever move to Ca, I want you to be my slip neighbor.

Woody, and others, thanks for the link. I will buy some.

Dennis, I spend a lot of time in the pool, and worked up,to it. It is one of the few things I can still do with my hammered back, shoulders, and as of last month, knee.
 
Wow, this video is excellent. This stuff works on just about everything. The harbor patrol guy said he has applied it from in the water. That would be the way to go if you can't locate it the leak from inside, and you get in the water ok without being in danger. Thanks again for sharing.

Woody said:
Here's a link to some waxy plug stuff that Sea Gull carries called Stay Afloat, defender sells it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvorHXLZbIQ&app=desktop I'm also still thinking of some way to do exterior patches. Something flexible to follow hull contours, maybe something that could be put up there and screwed on.
Click to expand...
 
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