What Is an Emergency Leak Kit (Plug Kit)?
A small grab-bag of conical plugs, emergency sealant and hose clamps - the kit that buys you the first 60 seconds when the boat starts taking water.
An emergency leak kit is a set of materials for stopping water ingress quickly: conical plugs in different sizes, underwater-bonding emergency sealant, spare hose clamps, a torch and cloths. When water gets in, time is the enemy; even a small valve failure can let in hundreds of litres a minute, and bilge pumps are not designed for that sort of flow - they are there for drips, not deluges.
The difference between finding the source and blocking it within the first 60 seconds, and standing there hoping the pumps will keep up, can decide the boat’s fate.
Preparation and procedure
A plug for every seacock: best practice is to keep a cone plug of the right size tied next to each seacock.
Valve map: mark all water ingress points on a sketch and stick it to the lid of the kit.
One known, accessible place: keep the kit in a fixed, well-known locker close to the cockpit entrance.
The water-ingress drill is just as simple: find the source, plug it or shut the valve, get the pumps running, and have the VHF ready. That order should hold even under pressure. An hour spent preparing is a lifetime of benefit.