GP-TJ

I launched yesterday and waited to put the plug in until at the ramp so that any water from cleaning would dump out on the hill adjacent to the ramp (didn't block the ramp though). I did like I always do and put a little dab of marine grease on the plug before putting it in. I tightened it by fingers until tight and then used the wrench a little. It never got "tight" with the wrench but I couldn't take it out by fingers. I didn't keep going because I didn't want to strip it. It is not leaking but wondering if this sounds OK. I thought about pulling it again and taking the grease off and reinstalling it to make sure it is OK.

It never got too tight at all. I didn't turn it much past finger tight. The first year the boat was in the water, the plug was in super tight (from dealer). I have used grease each time I put it in because I figured it was just stuck in there. Maybe the plug is worn a little. It hasn't leaked at all in past years and I checked it today and there is no water in the bilge. I'm more worried about it just falling out or something since it seems to be water tight.

I looked around online and mine looks like the perko one which is a bronze fitting with a brass plug. I guess the bronze is harder than the brass so the plug would wear first. Maybe I will pick up a replacement and try a new one next time it is out of the water. The plug is in pretty far into the drain, almost all the way through (few threads on the female part still showing). Never really checked it from the inside before today.

Any ideas?
GP

Scup

Should this plug fail when you are not around, would it be curtains for your ride? If so, fix it. My ride uses one of those inexpensive rubber expanding plug that fit into a one inch brass sleeve. Pretty common arrangement for an inexpensive boat. I replace mine every year because of the poor quality of their manufacturing standards. It can be used as a temporary fix in your case as they come in several different sizes, but your Perko plug and fitting is of much better quality and are available at West Marine. I do not see what could have been your problem since putting a dab of silicon grease on it would be a good thing. Cannot help wondering if you had some minor metal mismatch somewhere and the demons called electrolysis sneaked in. Usually brass and bronze do not quarrel too much since they are in the same family but it would be somewhat upsetting if the manufacturer used bronze for the fitting and brass for the plug. My guess would be that the original plug became misplaced and a brass substitute was used as a replacement. In any event, go to the West Marine site and see if the one they carry is an exact replacement for yours. If it happens again after only a few years, then I would replace it with a plastic fitting and mating plastic screw in plug since something is eating it up. The plastic plug comes with an O ring seal and does not need much torque to seal. It would be even better to isolate the cause, but if it is electrolysis, it could end up being a very tricky item to find.

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"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go" by William Feather

GP-TJ

I am only guessing that the plug is brass because that is what perko says it is. Perko says they use bronze for the fitting and brass for the plug. I am also just guessing that perko is the manufacturer because it looks the same in the pictures and my boat has tons of perko stuff on it from the factory.

Some other manufacturers use brass for the entire thing (fitting and plug). The boat was new when my father bought it. This is the only plug that has ever been in the boat. There is bottom paint on the fixture and has been since new. The only time it was ever really tight was when the dealer installed it and it didn't appear to have any grease on it. I have put it in 3x's since with grease each time. Maybe it is just that the grease is reducing the friction and it is just going in smooth. I looked at plugs on line and see both brass and stainless. I don't want stainless.

GP

74Formula233

Brass should not be used below the water line. All of your good seacocks are bronze only.

Maybe Perko is wrong in what they say it is, but it should be bronze/bronze.

As far as what to use to help seal it and to keep it from seizing up....if it were bronze/bronze, it wouldn't seize up. Bronze/brass, yes, dissimilar metals.

Either way, even if it is bronze/brass, if it were me, I'd use teflon tape on it rather than grease

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Scup

74 is right as Teflon is a super slippery material and will fill in some the microscopic gaps between the fittings. Normally plumbing fittings have a very slight taper to them so they get tighter the more you advance them. Still, if your ride could sink to the point where it would be a disaster should it fail, fix it! Once again this form got me scratching my head. China has been bringing in a lot of knockoffs lately, and brass is cheaper than bronze. The next time I see one on the shelf I am gong to have a close look at its packaging to see where it came from! I know years ago I had the exact same fitting and plug in a wooden boat and they were both silicon bronze. Over the years it turned somewhat green but always worked, and as 74 said, I do not ever remember having to grease it. Would not be surprised if yours was a knockoff and made with a straight tap and die rather than tapered ones which would explain why it just does not seem to get tight.

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"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go" by William Feather

Scup

I just got back from attempting to check out the plug! There were none in stock so I could not tell where it was manufactured, but after checking the distributer, it was not Perko but Seafit. Seafit is a reputable distributer, and handles a very extensive line of drain plugs, however, most if not all are manufactured in Asia. Most of the line comes from Taiwan. Before you get upset with whomever made your boat, there might have been no other option available to the builder. This is what happens:
A reputable USA manufacturer produces a quality product. An Asian knockoff appears that seems to be just as good as the USA one and hits the market at a fraction of the USA price. Americans buy the cheaper knockoff over the USA made one. Sales on the USA product drop because of price. The USA manufacturer does not really have a chance to compete because his product uses a superior grade of bronze, no brass, better machining, better quality control, and his labor costs are much higher not to mention his high related manufacturing costs such as insurance, energy, taxes, etc. Eventually, he is forced to drop a dead or dying line of products. Now we are stuck with the import! Try to purchase a 5/8" shaft silicon bronze oarlock in USA. I had to order mine from a small foundry in Canada. Getting back to your problem, I do not know if a suitable replacement is available. This could mean you will have to make the best of what you have. After all is said and done, I would go with 74's suggestion of using Teflon tape to tighten things up and you will likely have to replace the tape every time you undo it.

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"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go" by William Feather

Bryan A.

I second the teflon tape...

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2003 Parker 2530 "El Mar".......click the pic
1973 Seacraft 20SF

PG

Not that this is technically correct -- but I use the expandable plug on the inside of the transom in addition to the bronze screw in plug on the outside. For the extra $3.00 for the inside plug I sleep alot better.

JMHO

PG

GP-TJ

Next time I have it out of the water I will probably teflon tape it. I will definitely be hauling for fuel this season, no joke. I will be changing a prop sometime also. I tried my stainless prop again and it is annoying me already with the rattle/chatter from the lower unit on the 4-stroke. They say it is OK for the unit but it sounds terrible sometimes.

GP