THE BUNGS

[Nathalie]

Well, lesson for all, but I am sure that we are not the only ones that have done this.
The boat is only 2 weeks old. We put our new 2 week old Formosa in at Donnybrook, it went in with no problems, my husband went and parked the car, which took a while, and we then went to our first spot, which luckily was not too far away. My husband was doing something at the back of the boat and noticed that the transom was about a foot under water and comment that it was a bit low, and then sprung into action as he yelled THE BUNGS :o, looked for them but they were gone, up came the anchor, and we started to head in, it must have had a lot of water in it already as the boat was coming in with the nose in the air. Got to the ramp water still coming in, bilge pump running, lots of water spitting out. While he went to get the car, I was at the back of the boat with hand over the holes, found some rags to block the holes to slow the intake of water down, all the time thinking how are we going to get this boat on the trailer it was already low in the water. Luckily there was another couple at the ramp who had a spare bung and lent it to us, (if you happen to be reading this THANK YOU again :)), luckily my husband got 2 bungs from the fish and chip shop (luckily they stocked some) and put them in, bilge pump emptied the rest of the water and Bobs your uncle, went fishing, and caught 5 flat head. In all a very very good day. We were so glad that we didn’t go to Scarborough in stead or else we would have never got the boat in. So don’t trust that those bungs will still be there if you forget to put them in, keep spares on the boat.

Nat. :)

[stevedemon]

Hi nat
don't worry a lot of people have been in the same embarrassing place as you guy's.
for the next time i always carry spares of plugs, props, bungs and spanners, with all safety gear.

you can run the boat empty out the water, an place the bungs in while the boat is in motion stops ruining a good day out prop is far enough away not to hit you and the only thing to worry about is the who ever is driving does not want to see you over the side ;D ::) 8-)

at least you had a good day and caught some some ;D ;) ;D ::)

always have a check list to make sure you have not forgotten any thing bungs is the first thing i place in before leaveing home and the first thing removed before leaving the ramp to home

Cheers ;D ;D
Steve 8-) 8-)

[JasonT]

Hi Nat!
Not sure where you keep the bungs ( you don't just loosen them off and leave them in the hole do you? Not anymore :-) )
I have managed to launch (or should I say submarine) my tinnie a couple of times with no bung... Gotta love a good bilge pump :-)
I have a lanyard to kill the motor if I fall out etc, It has a neat little clip at the end to enable me to clip it to my belt . I clip my bung to this lanyard when I stow everything for travel. it stops if from rattling about and getting lost. I also keep a spare in the toolbox!

I doubt there'd be too many boaties who have never forgotten the bung!

JT

[finding_time]

Nat

The best thing to do if you realize the bungs are missing is keep the boat moving, it will eventually get on the plane as the water will be sucked out the bung holes. Then drop off the person at the ramp and then keep motoring until the trailers in the water or you have located the bungs.


I'm guessing it will be a long time before you do it again anyway ;)

ian

[Nathalie]

Thank you Ian. Good advise, I will keep that in mind if it ever happens again. But your right I don't think it will for a while (I hope). ;) ;D

[a]

guilty and everyone I have spoken to about it has done it.
nearly sank her at the mooloolaba boat ramp, backed off and waited for deckie and saw a heap of water in the boat, realised the bungs and luckily it was low tide so beached the old girl and started bailing water.

Cost me a new bilge pump and some wiring but never left them out again.

lesson learn't was never let any new passangers assist with set up/launch or attaching to trailer, just in case

[RayB]

Benn there and done that except I didn't realise that I had left the bungs out for a couple of days. I have a Trailcraft with a sealed section under the floor which filled up water and all I noticed was that the boat was marginally sluggish. On the 3rd day I realised I didn't put the bungs in so I let the water out and carried on.

cheers
Raymond

[Duyz72]

3 days - now that's a top effort!

[Cruiser]

There's only two types of boaties...

Those that have at some time forgotten to put the bungs in,

and those that are damn stinking liers!!!!

[flatstrap]

Consider yourself very very fortunate in that this was a lesson in real time as to what is important when going into 'launch mode'. I say fortunate because you had your pulse rate elevated, and will never ever forget the lesson and no damage was done except a little embarassment.

Well done...flatstrap

[timbacutta]

Nathalie,
Been there done that, but no one got photos to prove it. ;D ;D ;D

Glad everything worked out ok in the long run.

Jeff.

[PinHead]

i have done it also..you have now joined one half of the boaties brigade..one half are those that have left bungs out and the other half are those will, at some time, leave the bungs out. Hell..I forgot mine and even made it worse..went to a fuel wharf and added 90 litres of fuel whihout any bungs in..a quick trip back to the ramp..laugh about it now.

[StevenM]

There's only two types of boaties...

Those that have at some time forgotten to put the bungs in,

and those that are damn stinking liers!!!!




Got that right,

your not a real boaty till you do it

[manchild]

Just done it last weekend .Its all a good laugh once you got it back on the trailer.
George

[Poodroo]

I know a story of a recent event involving a certain fellow Ausfisher who I shall remain nameless :D :-X. He didn't forget to put the bungs in but he managed to cross thread one so it didn't seal. They went fishing for whiting and same thing. Realized the boat sitting lower in the water etc. Started the bilge and kicked the motor into life but this caused a problem. The motor because it was in shallow was sitting in the sand so she sucked sand up and blocked the cooling stream. Was a hair raising experience for him but he kept his head on straight and managed to not sink the boat and didn't cook the engine. Bung stories happen on a daily basis and I am sure almost everyone out there has made the mistake at least once. ;)

Poodroo

[newchum]

only been at a short while but after the first time it happened i made up a sign to hang off the key it has
1:bungs in
2:fuel
3:oil
4:bait & rods
been safe since (fingers crossed) gee aint bilge pumps great

[daz35]

I havnt forgoten the main bungs as that is always the first thing i do before boat is hooked on to car but not long after i bought this boat the 3rd or 4th trip i took the kids out whiting fishing and thought she is sitting a bit low check under floor heaps of water ,bilge pump on and i can hear water flowing in and thinkin she hasnt leaked b4 then wake up the bungs to the kill tank are out so water flooding in 1 hole and into bilge out other screw them back in all good and make the kids swear not to tell anyone especially their mother.

[eugah]

Whilst I haven't forgot to put the bungs in I have left the tap to my kill tank open. I put the boat in the water with my wife & dauhter in the boat , went & parked the car. When I come back the wife is screaming out that it was filling up with water & that I was a idiot for leaving the bungs out. I told her it would drain out as soon as we got going.
The good thing is she now checks the bungs before we launch.



Adrian

[Kendall249]

Well said Cruiser.

[mickstar001]

Have done it twice now, well kind of twice. Second time (last Thursday) middle bung wasnt threaded properly, did the biggest trip ever in my boat (1/3 way up moreton) and she was slowly sinking. Not too much water in the back and i was keeping a good eye on it. To cut a long story short took off and nose of the boat pointed skyward until the boat planed, and all the water rushed to the back of the boat ruining my new (3mths old) Canon ixus 65 camera and a week old mobile phone. The water rose above the false floor at the back where my jacket was sitting. Wasnt in the good books at all!!!

So long as we can see the funny side afterwards is the main thing huh ;)