Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I was hoping to hear from anyone who has removed an old weathered plastic drain plug from one of the outer logs on a Premier pontoon. Both my outer toons have a plastic threaded plug with a square head for a drain plug. I think I have a fair amount of water in my port log as it doesn't sit level on my lift. There is a noticeable lean when lifted as well as when underway. Its not too bad just sitting in the water. I've already ordered and received new plugs from Premier. I was just wondering if anyone has taken an old set out. I'd love to do it on the lift at the dock rather than have to trailer the boat to get the plug out. My biggest fear is that the plug will shatter when I put torque on it and break just enough where I now have a hole in the pontoon while sitting on the lift. Obviously, putting the pontoon on the trailer would be ideal, its just a pretty big hassle to get the trailer and then get the pontoon to the launch. My thoughts are to use a breaker bar and just go slow and steady. This is the plug in question.

https://shop.pontoons.com/store/detail/ ... n_plug_12/

I also bought some of the black plugs with the knob so I can drain them periodically on the lift. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

I changed mine out without a problem. I Teflon taped the new one in. Put them in just like a pipe plug. I have my old plastic one's, yet. If you want em, you can have em. Just gotta find them in my boat shop.....

You can get those in metal at your nearest Walmart most likely. There is nothing special about them. I have metal ones. We have bags of the plastic ones at work. It is a standard NPT plug. If it does break you should be able to get it out with a blade on the inside to grip it as you turn. I wouldn't put a plastic one back in it IMO. They make brass ones (mine are steel) that would be much better and last forever. I had to use a lot of teflon tape on mine as the pipe thread they used in my pontoon seems worn bad. But in my opinion it is way to short. Or possibly a straight thread. So I tape it up good so it tightens up and seals.

You shouldn't need a breaker bar. I would use a small wrench. With a breaker bar you kinda loose the amount of force your actually applying. A smaller wrench gives you less force but is easier to know when you are starting to move vs breaking something. And yes go slow. But watch it to see if it moves or cracks.

Mine came out easily with a crescent wrench. If you have water you need to a leak test and weld repair.

Yep. If water is in the toon, replace the plug and get the boat on the trailer. It needs to be properly repaired.

well i guess i'm like a little kid. i bought a plastic plug removal tool. with the boat on the lift i thought i'd just try to turn it a bit. sure enough, with almost no effort, the plug shattered and the top came off and left the whole body in the toon. i just couldn't wait to see what was in the toon. amazingly, no water at all. so i got to pick the rest of the plug out hanging off the dock. i did manage to damage the threads while i was getting it out. next time i go up, i'll bring the tap set and clean up the threads. now i know the problem is with my lift. not sure whats up with it. even with the pontoon off the lift, it doesn't raise symmetrically. as far as i can tell, all the mounting points are identical. fwiw, if anyone reads this thread in the future, the soft aluminum threads of the toon are very easy to damage so be extra careful getting out the old plug.

on a side note, wouldn't metal plugs be a set up for galvanic corrosion and complete freezing of the plug in the toon?

I recommend brass or bronze plugs, or 316 stainless. Also use a non copper anti-seize like Lok-Cease 20/20
http://www.lubeoilcompany.com/files/cer ... 202020.pdf

You can use a pipe tap to chase out the threads but tread lightly due to the fact that the aluminum may be poor quality and strength at the drain hole. I never could figure out why these boat makers use plastic pipe plugs to save a few pennies.

You probably know this but...

Make sure the tap is the same NPT most likely. Straight threads will just make sealing it a problem. NPT is tapered to seal as it tightens. Your new plug should say what thread they are.

Teflon tape is what I use on mine. Lots of it as I don't have much engagement before it threads all the way through. Wish there was more. I applied it heavier toward the back so It was tapered and kind of made my own seal. So far so good.