Threaded plug

[tstraub]

I recently picked up a 14 foot Jon boat and trailer really cheap and have been out in it a few times.  My issue is that the plug threads in so I need to always have a wrench and thread sealer with me to install the plug.  Does anybody know of a plug that will seal in a threaded hole without using sealer and a wrench to remove and install it?

Thanks

Tyler

[jbmaine]

A couple of thoughts come to mind. 

Depending on size you might drill out the threads and then use a standard drain plug ( if the size is right ).

Get a short piece of straight pipe sized to a drain plug and weld it over the tapped hole.

Maybe a piece of pipe with external threads to screw into the existing hole sized up to accommodate a drain plug.

[Further North]

...you don't need thread sealer...

[Way2slow]

My Javelin R20 has a threaded plug that has a flat tab that sticks up and I just screw it in and out by hand.  If you are having to use a wrench, sounds like you need to replace the plug or do some work on the threads in the boat/plug.  

With that said, if yours has a metal plug, sounds like somebody has lost the plastic plug that goes in it and stuck a pipe plug in.   A pipe plug would be totally wrong for it.  It's a tapered thread and probably the wrong pitch.

 

DO NOT try to drill the hole.  Drain plugs holes are usually made by drilling a hole after the transom is made and a thin metal, usually brass,  tube is inserted and crimped in.  That tube is only a few thousandth of an inch thick and no where near enough metal to drill.  If you try to use a tap to chase the threads in the hole to clean them up, make sure it's not cutting the hole any larger or you will be replacing the drain hole sleeve. 

Also, it may just be somebody forced a pipe plug into an unthreaded hole because I've never seen a jon boat with a threaded plug.  Plenty of large glass boats but no small jons.

[BigBassLoveSenkos]

2 hours ago, Way2slow said:

My Javelin R20 has a threaded plug that has a flat tab that sticks up and I just screw it in and out by hand.  If you are having to use a wrench, sounds like you need to replace the plug or do some work on the threads in the boat/plug.  

My nitro has the same type plug.  Just screw it in and out.  

[Log Catcher]

My Bass Tracker has a threaded plug. I don't take it out very often but when I do I put a little bit of grease around the threads before putting it back in.

[tstraub]

The plug does look a lot like a 3/4 pipe plug. I haven't tried to screw a pipe plug into the hole but I imagine it would go right in.  It doesn't look like somebody just made it work because the lost the original it looks like it's original to the boat to me.  It will screw in by hand if I put it in without any sealer but it leaks a bit.  If I put thread tape on the threads I need to use a wrench to install and remove it.

The boat sits on a trailer outside without a cover so I just remove the plug and to the nose up to let any rain drain out. Attached are a couple pictures of what it looks like.

 

Top pic is inside of boat bottom is under side of boat