Siosarnoir
Active Member
Some time ago I saw an article in YM about a silicone or rubber alternative to soft wood bungs but i cannot find it now . Does anyone know about these??
alternative to wooden bungs
- Thread starter Siosarnoir
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Norman_E
Well-Known Member
Wooden bungs are a tried and tested means of plugging a broken seacock. They are cheap and effective, partly because the wood swells when soaked, forming a tight fit unlikely to be shaken loose. I have to wonder whether a rubber or silicone bung would be as effective, and you certainly could not whittle one to a perfect fit with your boat knife.
prv
Well-Known Member
Actually I think ease of cutting to fit was one of the touted benefits of the synthetic plugs I believe the OP is talking about. I agree they probably don't swell like softwood does.
Pete
Pete
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
salami
A couple we met last year had a funny story to tell , they had a leak and stuff a salami sausage in the hold , that seen to done the job
A couple we met last year had a funny story to tell , they had a leak and stuff a salami sausage in the hold , that seen to done the job
PetiteFleur
Well-Known Member
Looked at one in Fox's recently while browsing and they looked OK but a bit large. I thought they would do the job and they were quite soft so you could easily ram them in a hole. Perhaps a selection of sizes, like the wooden plug sets, would be better?
The trouble I can see with any type of 'plug' is that I suspect you rarely get a nice round hole that you could bang a plug in - surely you would more likely get a splintered area with water pouring in over a larger area, when a 'pad/blanket' from the outside would stop the flow?
The trouble I can see with any type of 'plug' is that I suspect you rarely get a nice round hole that you could bang a plug in - surely you would more likely get a splintered area with water pouring in over a larger area, when a 'pad/blanket' from the outside would stop the flow?
prv
Well-Known Member
Plugs are for when a seacock or transducer fails. You might be able to use them to help block a collision hole in the hull, but it's not really what they're for.
Pete
Siosarnoir
Active Member
TruPlug
I have now found these, they are called TruPlugs made in the USA but sold here by force4 Fox's and Yacht parts of Plymouth. They look useful to carry in addition to the wooden plugs.
I have now found these, they are called TruPlugs made in the USA but sold here by force4 Fox's and Yacht parts of Plymouth. They look useful to carry in addition to the wooden plugs.
BruceDanforth
Well-Known Member
One alternative is sinking.
andygc
Well-Known Member
As Norman_E wrote, wooden bungs are tried and tested etc. The only thing he has slightly wrong is that there is no need to whittle a softwood wedge to make it a perfect fit.
Many years ago I had the pleasure of having a go in a RN battle damage simulator. We were in a compartment in the dark with water pouring in in all directions. Softwood wedges are incredibly effective at blocking holes - they do not have to be the same shape as the hole, if there's still a leak you just knock in another.
They do not work to fill holes in glassfibre hulls because the hole just gets bigger as you knock the wedge in, but they do work for a broken seacock because that's a metal hole. A rubber or plastic bung cannot be as effective as a softwood bung because it does not swell up - the pressure of the water is pushing the bung inwards, ie against the taper, so the bung is inherently insecure.
Many years ago I had the pleasure of having a go in a RN battle damage simulator. We were in a compartment in the dark with water pouring in in all directions. Softwood wedges are incredibly effective at blocking holes - they do not have to be the same shape as the hole, if there's still a leak you just knock in another.
They do not work to fill holes in glassfibre hulls because the hole just gets bigger as you knock the wedge in, but they do work for a broken seacock because that's a metal hole. A rubber or plastic bung cannot be as effective as a softwood bung because it does not swell up - the pressure of the water is pushing the bung inwards, ie against the taper, so the bung is inherently insecure.