Vagabond Drain Plug

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.

You’re probably wondering why there is water in the hull in the first place? Generally, it doesn’t. A wave could crash over the deck while you’re getting goods out of the hatch. Or, if you don’t screw in the hatch lid properly and you’re in rough water, water could get in. Or, if you spill something inside a hatch, you may want to wash out the hull. The drain plug makes sure that you can get the water out effectively.

Our hatches and drain plug seal very, very well. When your kayak is in the sun, or stored and not in use, loosen the drain plug to accommodate for expansion and contraction of air inside the hull due to temperature changes.

This is a complete set of Bung & Plug.