sea strainers, yep more questions

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

Yep another question... another 26ZX owner was telling me he is putting them on his new 26. I have been reading and have a few questions.
- How often have they really been applicable if you have them?
- Cost justifiable?
- There are several types, U's and straight thru etc. Which is better?
- The strainer in my eyes will not stop sand, so again, should I have one? I have the low water Bravo I drives and suck crap often, we beach up allot, okay, almost every time out. The first time I say we can't beach because of the low water pick up will be that outdrives last day in my life and Nancy would likely make me sleep in the boat... Kinda pissed I didn't get the dual pick up drive like DONZIMAN2's on the 496.

Snowed in for the last two days, only benifit was our new matching Merc Life vests are enroute, hard to beat online shopping....
Bryan

[BigGrizzly]

Bryan Its not the sand, itd the other stuff-Seaweed, fising line,rocks shells ets I have used them on every boat that I have owned. I will never put a closed cooling systen on without one!
The low pickup has that problem, they also stuff with mud but have less tendancy to clogg with a New York jelly fish AKA baggie. I like the upright type. I have the olf Peco king, My Dad got a case from a guy he cured of TB back in the 1960. I used the last one on the Criterion. If I were to buy one to day I would co th the one Stainless Marine has, they are large and can be used to flush too. Look in the cataloge. When I got back fron Sarasots Mine had seagrass in it.

The strainer is worth the money. One overheat could cost big time. If the low water pickup bothers you, get a stern pickup. This sits on the stern by the lowerunit and sits only 1/4 inches below the bottom. My lower unit on the Criterion doesn't have a lowerunit pickup at all.

Randy

[Shanghied Again]

Bryan
My wife bought me one for Christmas, Left angle with the easy remove top from Livorsi Marine, With the 22 I used to go on a lot of Poker runs and there were many times I looked like Loyld Bridges (Sea Hunt) less scupa tank, jumping in the water and diving under the boat then coming up to clear the lines, With the 26 I figure I am going to go on many more runs Including the worst sea grass area of all Canada, I am not missing the biggest poker run of the year this year with out my boat, So I want to be ready. Hey Big Griz how you doing? See you at the AOTH in May.

[HP 600SC]

By design some of them do stop sand......
not by filtering but by dumping water in on one
side low and drawing it out on the other side
high.....I have had to beach boats for photo
shoots and bury the drive in the sand.....
cleaned out hand fulls of sand from the strainer
that never got near the engine.

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

Great info, I just love this board...

HP500-22, what brand was the one you are refering too?

Thank you. Bryan

[BillR]

Brian,
The sand is really not your enemy. It is the stuff in the sand. Small racks, chips of shells and slightly larger debris. The new boat only was out for about 11 hours and I had crap in both stainers and only beached once.
You WILL have the thermostat get stuck open this summer. I guarantee it. frown.gif The sea strainer will stop the majority of crap that sticks in the thermostat.
Mac never put one on his Baja and was cleaning his thermostat about 70% more than I was.
I installed the Gil sea strainer on the 280. On the new boat, I have Gaffrig (Livorsi).
The sand will still get through. What you want to stop is the bigger chunks. With 20/20 hindsight, I would opt for the biggest container size sea strainer. I think Marine Machine makes one, and I think Stainless Marine makes one.

Remember you have freinds in the HRPA that have already gone through what you & Jon are about to go through. Plus you know I can get you a special price on a strainer. Maybe get Jon to buy one at the same time and split the shipping.

Also there is a trick beaching a boat with your type of pick up. I'll be glad to show you what I know.

How much snow was on your boat? I'll bet you went and cleaned it off. Heck, I know I would have.
biggrin.gif

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

Hi BILLR, great post. I am still researching, not sold yet, and it may turnout to be a next winter project.. I know your a pro with this stuff and appreciate your input.

It does appear that the pictures of all the ones for sale have a much smaller diameter in/out line? What do you do Tee it in?

Snow: The boat has the donzi full cover on it that belongs to Bob and snow did accumulate on the bow, but the heater I have onboard kept the entire boat toasty and the snow melted and just run off from the cockpit area. I run it on the lowest heat setting and the cover acts as a liner to keep the heat in. I figure some a few $$ in electric will help the life of many things in the boat, especially the interior.
Bryan

[Digger]

Bryan, what type of heater are you using? I'm doing the same thing you are...the boat is on the trailer outside with a full cover and a heater in the engine compt

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

DIGGER, got it at west marine, you can most likely get the same thing at a Kmart etc...
$39.99... The nice feature of this one is it is controlled by a thermostat, she kicks on and off etc, several settings, from 600W to 1600W, it does not get hot to the touch on sides or back so I don't worry, like I said I use the lowest setting, and since you own a Donzi you'll understand it sits by the block, driver side on the lower step in the engine compartment. It is hooked to a heavy ext cord on a GFI. Works Great! The heat really does go all over the boat after a period of a few hours.
Bryan

[Digger]

thanks!