Do you need a drain tube?

[jbo_c]

If you’re doing a drill and fill before inserting a plug/drain tube, do you really need the tube? Why not just drill the (second) hole to an inch and use it with no insert?

Jbo

[cape man]

Best question since I started reading here! And your right! Overdrilled, filled with epoxy, and drilled smaller, protected from UV, to the diameter of the insert! Brilliant!

[fallguy1000]

All depends.

If you want to install a plug; the hole needs to be strpng enough.

But. On the other hand, my splashwell plugs were a real pain to do and I have a center thing in the plug hole that catches leaves. A bigger hole with just epoxy would have been okay. I was a bit ascared of the hole fill cracking. Or maybe I was rationalizing buying the damn hole?

[Aripeka Angler]

Cockpit scuppers on my XF20. Above the waterline and too big for a standard drain plug. I over drilled, filled and re-drilled.

[jbo_c]

Yeah. I’ve got some drain holes that will never be plugged. Was just specifically wondering about one that will take a plug. Seems if the hole through the epoxy is sized right for the plug, there shouldn’t be any need for the tube insert.

Unless there’s something obvious I’m missing.

Jbo

[Aripeka Angler]

I see what you are asking, I’m a little slow today.
Yes, the epoxy sealed holes will work just fine with a plug.
I’ve got several done that way on the bulkheads of “bare bones”. I can find a pic if you want?

[jbo_c]

Thanks for the offer, but no need to hunt down a pic. Just wanted confirmation it would work and I wasn’t missing something.

Thanks.

Jbo

[OrangeQuest]

I used a garboard plug so no tube but threaded brass hole and used a hexagon plug that uses a Allen wrench. Limited access to bilge at the center of the transom.

[Buz]

The old Gheenoe I just refloated had an ugly hole where whatever was in there previously had been removed. I filled it with intention of redrilling for a brass drain, then decided to just drill it to the size of a cooler plug I had that works like a smaller boat plug.

Thats a big chunk of drain tube for rubber to overstress.