See full version: Drain plug gasket - will an o-ring work ok
I know the *actual* gaskets are cheap enough that nobody should really be looking for replacements, but my local merc dealer gets $1/ea out of them and, like I said, these things were $2 for a 10 or 15 pack.. Plus, my merc dealer is about 45mi from my house..
My question is whether there's any reason *not* to run an o-ring instead of a bona-fide Quicksilver gasket/crush washer?
The other day I was in a Tractor Supply Co. store and happened past their o-rings. A package of o-rings caught my eye that looked to be just about the same size as my drain plug gasket. I was curious and they were only $2, and were spec'd for water, grease, oil, etc., so I bought them on a lark. When I got them home, I'll be daggone if they're not just about *exactly* the same size as the crush gasket. Same outer diameter and same thickness.. I had to pull the drain plug anyway, so I went ahead and stuck one on the drain plug just to see if it would go up in the inset without hanging over and having plug itself pinching it in half of something like that. it fit perfectly. I tightened it down and it got really snug.. I pulled it again right away to inspect it for damage, and it was actually kinda difficult to get back out.. The plug itself seemed tighter in the hole, and I had to hook the o-ring with a smaller screwdriver to get it back out.. And it didn't look like it was marred or anything like that from installing it and tightening the plug on top of it.
Drain plugs exist to let water out of the hollow hull of a kayak, not in. That’s why we love our drain plug.
The grip of the drain plug has been contoured for a solid grasp, even when your fingers are cold and wet. The robust thread has been designed to prevent sand or grit from damaging the thread. A soft-sealing silicone o-ring keeps water out. The t-bar at the bottom of the drain plug keeps the drain plug secure when opened and prevents it from falling into the water.
A critical element is where we’ve positioned the drain plug. Most kayaks on the market have the drain plug at the upper tip of the stern, which seems logical, but when you lift up the kayak and roll it deck-down to empty out water, the drain plug gets pushed into the hole or the hole opening is closed by the ground and water cannot run out. On all our kayaks, we’ve created a recess on the side of the stern so that the drain plug can more efficiently empty water from the hull.
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Just bought a Tandem Island. I put it on the trailer after a shakedown cruise and there was a lot of water in the hull. It was draining out a hole in the stern. I looked there and the hole is threaded, making me believe there should be a plug inserted in that hull. Without a plug, that's probably where the water is coming in. See picture.
I looked in the manual and I don't see anything about a plug. Should one be there? Can anyone share a picture of theirs or a part number so I can talk to my dealer?