3888 Garboard/Bilge Drain Plug

[Laulaja]

Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone out there has added a bilge drain to their 3888? I know I'm going to get a lot of kick back about adding new holes to these big boats, but every year after winter storage, the guys up here that own these boats end up with hundreds of gallons of water stored in the bilge. I'm not looking for comments on why not to do it, I would just like some advice on what to use or how to do it. Thanks in advance!

[Pcpete]

Somewhere, I saw a picture of a 38xx keel with a plug in it. It appeared to be in the side, about 6” ahead of the deepest point of the keel.

[Wandering38]

Our 82/83 year 3870 has one in the keel (on the bottom) about 6-8 inches from the tail of the keel. Short threaded plug is installed now, have a long handled version spare. Appears factory, crimped edges.

[pete6520]

I recently put a garboard plug in the mid bilge area of my 3988... I installed an electric flush freshwater toilet this winter. I removed the port toilet hull intake and replaced it with the garboard plug... not very difficult to do.

[seadrifter]

Instead of going thru all the work & expense of installing a drain plug you might be better off just buying a small wet vac which stores quite easily down below.

[builderdude]

I assumed it was for winter layup when the boats on the hard & nobody’s around🤔

[Laulaja]

@ seadrifter this is for winter layup. From what I've been reading it doesn't seem to difficult to drill into the bottom of the keel and install one with some 5200. The trick is where to drill the hole!!