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Garboard Plug

Started by CaptCG, October 13, 2018, 10:15:08 PM

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CaptCG

Hi All,
What is a garboard plug and how should I (or the yard) install it on my 365 sloop?
Thanks,
Carl
SV Sea Hiker
1980 365 Sloop # 302

Dale Tanski

A near and dear subject...
A garboard plug is a threaded screw in plug, that is located in the lowest part of the boat to drain any water from inside of the boat, out.
In a power boat it would be located on the transom and know as a drain plug.  In a sailboat the transom is typically not the lowest part of the hull, the bilge is.
Where I live, Buffalo NY, every sailboat should have a garboard plug, not so much to drain out any water that could accumulate in the bilge during winter lay up but to mitigate the damage when that water freezes.  I have seen plenty of boats with water up to the "seats" but that damage is typically only cosmetic.  I have also seen boats that have had their bilge sumps split from freezing water or floors buckled up from the relentless push of ice upward.
I installed a garboard plug on my P365 immediately and at that time it was located in Have DeGrace Maryland.  Actually on the second work weekend I was down there, I at least drilled the hole for one to keep water out of the bilge.  I latter went back and made the hole bigger and epoxied the plug housing into place.  The hardest part of any garboard plug install is finding the bottom of the bilge. The idea of course is to drain as much water out as possible so the plug must be located as close to the bottom of the bilge sump as possible.  In short it is a guessing game, drill and hope. 
The biggest feature of a complete installation is that the plug or plug housing must not protrude above the surface of the hull.  A grounding or a brush with a submerged log could become a problem if the plug were hit if it sits proud of the hull.
In shallow bilge boats such as a Sabre or a Catalina, often the plug is installed facing the inside of the bilge. This allows the plug to be installed or removed from the inside the boat which is a handy feature.  There are even plugs with "T" shaped handles on them to promote easier tightening and removal.  Some even have a lanyard so they can't become lost.
There will those that will say, another hole in the bottom of the boat is never a good thing.  If you think about it, is is never the hole, its the equipment or the lack of maintenance of that equipment that is the problem. A garboard plug has no valve, hose of additional fittings. In short nothing to break or fail. 
If you leave your boat on the hard for extended periods of time outside unattended, installing a garboard plug could be the best thing you ever installed.

Dale
Obersheimer Sailor Supply
Maruska
Hull 40
Ketch
"Maruska"
Pearson 365 Cutter Ketch
1976 Hull #40
Buffalo, N.Y.