Question on Forward fish Boxes / lockers?

[2007Triumph]

Hey guys, I have a 08-190 bay and just realized there are threaded plugs in two front fish boxes. Are these plugs supposed to be left in at all times while on the water? The reason I am questioning this is because I had a 2007 190 bay model for a few months with the exact same lockers but there was never any plugs in either box; the drains where wide open. I used to fill the left side up with ice and just rinsed out when finished and it drained on out. I never took on any water with the old boat.
I just figured these holes are designed to only let water out but am now wondering if I need to keep these plastic plugs in. Any one know?

[MolarBoater]

I had used them as fish boxes in the past but the insulating properties are not too good in the 2002 so I went with a 150qt marine ice chest that sits on top of the trolling battery compartment.

Once you get the boat in the water, you will have water in the boxes if you don't plug them first which ends up being dead weight.

[jack7265]

I have a 2003 190 Bay. When it rains or I wash it down, water gets into the bow compartments. So, with the plugs in the bow compartment, water builds up and I was having problems with everything in the compartments getting wet. The problem is that the bow platform sags a little, and the drain troughs around the bow compartment lids are slightly lower than where the trough drains out into the boat. I called Triumph on this, and they said that this was a problem they encountered with their earlier models. Hopefully they've corrected the problem and you don't have these issues.

To overcome this problem I made some platforms to keep everything above the level of the water without the plugs being used, while in the water. I had a friend of mine get in the front of the boat with me to see how much water would get into the compartment. The water came up only 3 to 4 inches in the compartment, which is not much higher that the cavity located at the bottom of the compartment where the drain plug is. This isn't very much water, and therefore not much weight, and when you get on plane, the water drains from the compartment. The platform allows me to better store things in the compartment, and by leaving the plug out, it doesn't collect water anymore.

I've attached some pictures of the platforms that I made. I used OSB, a 2"x4" and 4 screws to make the two platforms. I then used two coats of fiberglass resin to seal the platform. I used a piece of cardboard, and cut it to size to make a template for cutting the OSB. If anyone has the same problem, and would like to make a platform, I can post the dimensions that I used. The dimensions will give you a start on the shape to cut the OSB, but I did notive that I had to modify the second platform slightly, because the other compartment was slightly different in dimensions.

[2007Triumph]

Thank, thats good to know. Yeah I have the exact same platforms that came with the boat from Triumph on the 08 and 07 model. I know I never had plugs on the 07 model but it could be that if water only comes up a few inches with them not installed then I never noticed it since I had these platforms in the lockers?

[MolarBoater]

Mine never leak. Use white rubber gasket material and stainless staples and make a seal on the compartment rim. You may have to adjust the latch slightly.

[AstroDiver]

I had my boat over a year before I found out that the holes were threaded and what plugs were used to screw in the holes. My first anchor chain was from Home Depot, mistake, and it rusted up bad with the water in the compartment. What a mess.
I think I'll make some platforms for my boat. I'll add some little legs on them so that I can just toss them in the compartments and they can just stand there keeping stuff dry.

[suitekids]

I take mine out when bass and speck fishing in the St. Johns river, the water flows in and out and keeps the fish alive all day, but when outside in the deep blue I keep the plugs in. I also made those stands for the lockers and they keep everything up and dry too. I made mine from starboard in the matching gray like my boat accents.