170 CC Plugs for bow compartments

[Jim Jenkins]

In the years of owning my 170 CC (New-2002) I have had some water in the bow compartments from seepage around the plugs. Bought different style early on to tighten up the fit. Still some water, typically sea water, soaking lines, L-jackets, etc. Found longer orange plastic "bait well" plug sold one per package at local Wal-Mart that kept the space dry on a lake trip of 7-8 hour in the water. Plugs fight tight and are longer to provide more sealing area and still not sticking out side the hill at all. May be a solution. Update to follow after Harker's Island Cape Lookout trip....

[cagrove]

Mine leaked a lot when I first bought the boat. I just tightened the plugs to make them flare more when locked down...now not a drop gets in.

[Jim Jenkins]

My OEM plugs and those purchased soon after were the type to spin the snap to tighten the fit which was tried. Both sets were short, even stubby. I think the early success with the most recent purchase is due to the length being near double that of the manufacturer supplied and those next purchased. Mis-spelled stroke on the keyboard correction, the longer plugs do not protrude outside the hull.

[Jim Jenkins]

170 CC Plugs for bow compartment

The plugs first mentioned on this post worked well. Heavy pounding when running back to marina and still stayed dry. OEM plugs typically resulted in 3-5 in. of water in fwd. storage compartments, even screwed down so they would be tight. Originals were much shorter than the ones now in use which will also adjust for very tight fit.

[woodNfish]

At least plugs are a cheap fix. I've never had a problem with mine, but I have replaced on of the bilge plugs with the plastic basket attachement that keeps them in their holes, and I bought a spare. They were pretty difficult to find, but now my local marine company is carrying them. Some people in another thread have replaced those original plugs with stainless steel, but it seems to me that is just a worthless expense and, in my opinion, any metal that is in contact with water is a headache waiting to happen; even stainless. Besides, the plastic plugs work like champs.

woodNfish


woodNfish

[suitekids]

Hmmmmm, maybe my dealer was aware of this problem in the storage lockers, when we recieved our boat there were nice brass plugs about 1 inch of rubber to compress in the hole and we have yet to see any water in our lockers, when we spec fish on the St. Johns we use the lockers for live well and keeps the spec alive all day, but when catching 25 lb. Dolphin we share our ice chest and lunch with them, lockers are too small. First I have heard of this issue with leaking lockers in a 170cc, I guess we were fortunate not to encounter this YET