drain plug ideas?

I'm planning to take my boat out on Wednesday for the first time since last summer. While getting everything ready to go this morning, I realized that my drain plug is missing. I have spent the entire day, tearing my house apart, going through my truck, searching the garage, etc. Still can't find it.

I live in a place where there is nowhere to buy one within 150 miles and I simply can't go up there to get one before Wednesday. Also, there's no way I could order one and have it delivered before Wednesday, so now I'm starting to wonder if I might be able to rig something to work for a day. The idea I've had is to use a combination of o-rings, rubber gasket material, bolt/nut, and washers. I figured that if I get a couple of washers that will cover the hole on each side, and then put rubber gaskets under them, run a bolt through with o-rings around the bolt on both sides, then it should hold.

Wondering what you guys think of this. Is this safe or will I likely end up at the bottom of the lake? Any other ideas for how to plug the hole in a pinch?

if you do that i would add 3m 5200 silicone as well.

So, maybe fill the tube with silicone before I close it up with the bolt and washers? I assume it would be easy enough to remove the silicone later?

You won't be able to easily remove 3M 5200 later...

If I can't remove it later, I really don't want to screw up my boat with it. Any suggestions for how I might rig a safe way to plug the drain hole for a day without gunking up my boat with something that will be hard to remove?

To be safe it would be best to just get another plug rather than try to rig one up. I know this is not what you want to hear but better safe than sorry. And I'd hate for you to lose your boat and gear too. Maybe you could borrow one from a friend???? When you go buy one go ahead and buy 2.

yeah, I hear what you're saying, lswoody. I don't like the idea of rigging something up either, but Wednesday is the only day I will have off of work for quite some time, so it's getting urgent that I find a way to plug this hole before then. I actually have two drain plugs, but I'm afraid they are both misplaced somewhere together! I live in a place with not much water nearby and we have to drive quite a distance to get to the nearest water, so not many people here even have boats. I do know one guy with an aluminum boat, but he's not answering his phone this weekend. I'm getting ready to go out to the garage and start sifting through everything because I know I have drain plugs somewhere. Still open to suggestions for a temporary fix if anyone has any ideas.

Do you have a hockey puck and a sharp knife?

I used srlicon glue washer and nolt and anpther washer and nut safeway to do it . And i didnt had any problems removing it . I used miricale spirits and rubbing alcohol to clean it up

I've had this same problem... What I did was take a wine cork, wrap it in electrical tape, drill 3/8" hole thru it, long bolt, big washers on each side, lock washer and nut on outside. Put RTV or caulk in drilled hole, and when u tighten it, it should pull the cork in tight. Obviously, this is not permanent... It worked like a charm though...

Thanks for all of your responses. I've decided to try to go the safest, although more expensive, route. I just ordered one and am paying a total of $36. for it to be delivered by next day express. I had a hard time paying that much for shipping on a $4 drain plug, but my only other option was to drive for a 5 hour round trip and spend about $60 on gas to go get one. It is guaranteed for delivery on Tuesday, but I will have my back-up rig with nuts, bolts, washers, and silicone ready just in case it doesn't show up on time. Word to the wise: keep your drain plug where you can find it if you don't live near a store that sells them! It's amazing that such a small part could create such a major headache.

Mine is a lever style plug and it is attached o the transom with a short length of lightweight chain. There is no way to lose it. Even at that I still have a spare. Call me paranoid........

sorry I didn't see this sooner... I have used regular old clear caulk before. I basically did it just like you said - Put a bolt with washer on the outside, put the nut on, then filled the whole hole up with silicone... worked like a charm for about 5 years before I finally sold the boat. Last I heard, that is the same setup he's got on the boat.

Only reason it stayed permanent was because we flipped the boat over when we got it home.. it wasn't on a trailer, but in the back of a truck, so if it rained, we just flipped it over when we were done fishing.