TexasKayakFisherman.com

Got some plugs but really dont know when I would use them.

The only time I use mine are when the yak is loaded down enough that water is standing in the foot well.

Anytime your @$$ gets wet I always leave the two in my seat in and that's pretty much the only ones I use. It will depend more on your kayak's weight capacity and how much weight you have in it between you and your gear and where the weight is positioned to determine how many of your other scupper plugs need to be plugged.

I dont need them in my trident 15 because the weight capacity is 550lbs. But I use the plugs on my redfish quite a bit. When its real hot its nice to have water inside the boat though.

I want my scuppers open to do what they are designed to do, let water out!

Maybe its because I am always wet when fishing,

- wading and cast netting before heading out
- launch in the surf, usually pretty wet before getting in the boat
- a few breakers over the bow and then I am certainly wet
- spashing water in clean off the slime after landing a fish
- dragging legs in after sitting side saddle
- plus that really large scupper the mirage drive goes it!

I wear quick dry clothes (full pant, long sleave shirt, quick dry undies , neoprene booties). Wet on the water, dry on the way home.

I normally only use my scuppers in the winter time.

Newbie question, are the plugs designs to cover-up (plug) completely the scupper holes or allow having some water escape/enter the yak? My OK Scrambler scupper holes are oval and the plugs are round... leaving small holes around the plugs.

BigWorm wrote:Newbie question, are the plugs designs to cover-up (plug) completely the scupper holes or allow having some water escape/enter the yak? My OK Scrambler scupper holes are oval and the plugs are round... leaving small holes around the plugs.

Scupper plugs are to "plug" the holes, no water in, no water out.


I like to leave my plugs out all summer but when the air drops below 70 degs they go back in!!Brrrr! Then I use a sponge to get any "drips" out and the sponge is good at getting fish slime off your hands and boat. They are really good at getting gaftop slime off! Then just rinse in the water, squeeze and the slime is gone.

What are scupper plugs?

daveg99 wrote:I dont need them in my trident 15 because the weight capacity is 550lbs. But I use the plugs on my redfish quite a bit. When its real hot its nice to have water inside the boat though.

very good point about the Redfish - they are much happier when the cockpit scupper plugs are in place.

Scuppers are the holes in a SOT (sit on top) kayak's cockpit and tank well and they were designed and put there to drain any water that gets into either or both of those areas.

If your scuppers allow water into your kayak while sitting or paddling, either the kayak is over loaded or the design is wrong. Although there are plenty of kayaks that allow water in, that is not the way paddling should be. The representatives and owners of these "Wet" kayaks usually counter with "Well kayaking is a water sport, what do you expect".

That is poppy cock, there are many, many paddlers who may momentarily get wet, but they do not sit in water, it drains from their kayaks. Find a kayak that keeps you dry and you will enjoy paddling much, much more.

To compensate for an overloaded or poorly designed kayak manufacturers and third party vendors brought on the invention of scupper plugs. They even have them now that will hold water out and when you paddle they open and allow water to drain.

+10 pts for Mythman.

Here's 175 more points for Mythman. I was really wondering why these confounded little boats have holes in the bottom of them!

cliftonio wrote:I want my scuppers open to do what they are designed to do, let water out!

Maybe its because I am always wet when fishing,

- wading and cast netting before heading out
- launch in the surf, usually pretty wet before getting in the boat
- a few breakers over the bow and then I am certainly wet
- spashing water in clean off the slime after landing a fish
- dragging legs in after sitting side saddle
- plus that really large scupper the mirage drive goes it!

I wear quick dry clothes (full pant, long sleave shirt, quick dry undies , neoprene booties). Wet on the water, dry on the way home.

All good reasons to leave the plugs out.

Food for thought: The higher you sit above the water line the wider the boat will have to be to be stable. Anyone that has paddled a SIK for very long will always have a sponge and/or a hand pump even when they are wearing the skirt. Is it because of poor design?