Sea Strainers......

[Donziweasel]

The Critter has one. I have never had one on a boat before. Any drawbacks? Things to look for?

My lakes are very clear, you can see down 30-50 ft. This was setup for a 6.2L. Will I get enough flow for a 540? Just wondering.

[gcarter]

John, it's one of the best thing any boat can have. The one you have is excellent, and very easy to use. In about 5 seconds, you can have it open and have the basket out. It'll flow as much water as any engine you can fit under the hatch would need.
At some point, you'll be glad you have it.

[Donziweasel]

Thanks George, I will keep it then. I must say I do like the flushing device built into it. Never was a fan of the muffs and who knows, one day I might run in salt water........

[SilverBack]

DW..Thanks for asking the question. I have been wondering about them too. It seems all the big boys that run offshore run them but I have never seen one on a stock setup.

George ...can you explain a little more and give us a few more details on your answer. Is there a bunch of gunk and fish parts getting through engines and intercoolers and the such without one? I have not had anyone recommend that I put one in my boat but I have thought about it several times but it just always gets put on the back burner.

[Donziweasel]

Kieth, here is an expanded view of mine. Very simple and staright foward. I know a lot of people run them..........must be a good reason.......

[SilverBack]

Sweet....Is that pluming galvanized? I would think that copper or PVC or stainless might be better if you are thinking about salt water. Does it matter?

[CHACHI]

John, I noticed a shut off on the flush side of the sea strainer, is there one on the water inlet side?

Ken

[gcarter]

Here's a picture of the strainer in the Minx I built. I had a shut off valve directly on the transom pickup on the stbd side. I also used a check valve, but didn't need it and later removed the flapper. I kept the check valve on the flush side intact.
The plumbing needs to be BRONZE.....SST is ok but not necessary. Most often, 1" or 1 1/4" size are used. You can spend many hundreds of dollars for other brands, but this Perko is the best on the market and can be bought for about $150.00 if you shop carefully.
If there's floating debris (wood in the spring.....AOTH!!!!!!!!!), sandbars, mud, weeds are all caught in the strainer and not in the pump or coolers and can be easily removed.
Notice the Starboard bracket I built is similar to yours.
I wouldn't have an inboard boat w/o one.

http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=7139&d=1098119144

[SilverBack]

Thanks John and George!! This has been very helpful to me...I really appreciate it!! Thanks!! I am adding one to my short term to do list!!

[BigGrizzly]

DW No draw backs in anyway. That is the same strainer I have on mine, in fact it is in exactly the same place as mine, and mounted the same way. I used an Aluminum plate because that is what I had.

[BUIZILLA]

DW, is it 1 1/4" ??

[Donziweasel]

Ken, yes there is a shutoff behind the exhaust bellows.

George, nice system. Thanks for the advice.

Jim, not sure, will measure tommorrow.

I think it is galvanized steel piping. No signs of corrosion and VERY strong.

Simple system, I have decided per George, I like it. Never had one before, BUT, you never know where you might end up boating. Might need it one day.

Kieth, with the cost of your engine and the power, sounds like a 150.00 can save a, well, I have no idea how much your engine cost, but I know it aint cheap.:)

[gcarter]

Everyone note the pencil zink I drilled and tapped into the cap of the strainer. It can save your hardware. Once a year, I would simply lift the cap, unscrew the pencil and replace it. Also I grounded the entire strainer to the engine block.

[Air 22]

DW....I have had one now 3 season's and it works great...its a great way to protect ur investment IMO:)...see attachment.
http://www.livorsi.com/catalog/sea_strainers.htm
I have the first one u c on the list...easy to clean out....no leaks!:kingme:

[fogducker III]

As stated above, strainers are a cheap safety net, and NOT just for salt water. I have been in lakes that have way more "weeds" than I have every seen in the ocean.......:garfield:

Basically it traps anything solid that shouldn't be entering the cooling system, but do not be fooled, if your water pick-up, either through the leg or a seperate low water pick-up unit, gets blocked by sea weed, wood, plastic or what ever, it means bad news for the engine.

[gcarter]

if your water pick-up, either through the leg or a seperate low water pick-up unit, gets blocked by sea weed, wood, plastic or what ever, it means bad news for the engine.

Actually, this is a good argument for a transom pickup.

[Donziweasel]

George, do you periodically check it or leave it alone?

[Donzigo]

I capped the intake from the transom assembly and put a thru hull pick up in front of the engine and below the strainer. I works perfectly and increases the water flow by 100%. The intake pipe is 1 inch. If you get the slightes little thing that turns sideways between the transom assembly pick up, the water will stop. With a thru-hull pickup, the flow is always there. I would not have a boat without a strainer.

Richard

[gcarter]

George, do you periodically check it or leave it alone?
I periodically checked the zink. The strainer will hold a lot of stuff before you'll notice an increase in coolant temp, so I didn't check it very often. You will be surprised at what it picks up though......even in your lake probably.

[BigGrizzly]

I have the transom pickup and at one time had water pressure above 35PSI not a good thing I modified the pickup to reduce the pressure. Donzi John It DW put it farther forward it would run dry intermittent.At WFO I have very little in the water. Your boat planes differently. BTW I do not have a lower unit pickup.

[DonziJon]

I have always had a Sea Strainer on my salt water "Strait Inboards"... SAILBOATS. Can't remember the brand but it was THE thing in the day.....It might have been bronze. Does Icore sound right? Memory failing. :bonk: Can't go wrong with Bronze.

The problem I have here..with Out Drives is..what protects the OD?? That's where the water comes from. The sea water filter is inside the boat.......no protection for the OD. Where is the pump? Alpha I it's in the Drive. Bravo..? Whatever the case.........UNLESS you have a .....what is that?....a Transom Pickup?....STILL..only half the system is protected by a seawater filter.:bonk: My feeling is the OD is the Most important because it has the closely fitting...moving.. parts. The engine is only a bunch of sand cast gallery's with water flowing through.

Then again, I think too much and am less impressed with .....extra gadjets. John

[BigGrizzly]

John, The water pump in a alpha is in the lower unit the bravo is a raw water pump and is set up like a inboard. Regardless the sea strainer is the best insurance there is. As for bronze, you prabably had peco strainer or Crowell in the old days and it was bronze, but I can remember them being called by another name but age is getting to me.

[DonziJon]

John, The water pump in a alpha is in the lower unit the bravo is a raw water pump and is set up like a inboard. Regardless the sea strainer is the best insurance there is. As for bronze, you prabably had peco strainer or Crowell in the old days and it was bronze, but I can remember them being called by another name but age is getting to me.

Grizz: I just remembered the filter brand name at about 2:00 AM this morning. :yes: It woke me up. It was a Raycor. NOW.. I need to remember whether it was it for the fuel (diesel).....or was it for the raw water. ..or both. I can't remember. The diesel was a closed FW/Glycol system. Getting old can be SO confusing. :bonk: John

[BigGrizzly]

John, I hear you on getting old. I still keep my hand in it and work as a contractor doing stuff for companies and people. I we are not on the shelf yet but I may be getting there. At this point we older guys can still out think the new mouthy kids.

[zelatore]

Grizz: I just remembered the filter brand name at about 2:00 AM this morning. :yes: It woke me up. It was a Raycor. NOW.. I need to remember whether it was it for the fuel (diesel).....or was it for the raw water. ..or both. I can't remember. The diesel was a closed FW/Glycol system. Getting old can be SO confusing. :bonk: John

Hey, I'm not even 40 yet and I forget stuff all the time...you guys are scaring me!

Racor is the name you're thinking of, and it's a diesel filter/water separator. There are others, but Racor dominates the market. We use them on all our diesel stuff. Nobody argues about having one, only about what size filter element to run (2, 10, and 30 mic are common) in relation to the on-engine filter. That argument goes on among long distance cruisers about as long as 'what oil?' or 'what prop?' does around here. Passagemaker Mag. must have run 20+ pages of discussion about fuel filtering and polishing last year.

As for sea water strainers, Perko and Groco are the two big players. Again, they're standard on most inboard gas or diesel motors these days. Most are bronze, with either plastic or s/s lift-out mesh debris baskets.

[Air 22]

http://www.speedwake.com/newclassifieds/showproduct.php?product=1327&limit=recent :pimp:

[gcarter]

Sorry Dwight, but while your strainer is real pretty, it takes WAAAAAAY too long to open and get the basket out.
If you're in a busy waterway, your temp. gauge just pegged, there's a 3 knot current, your not gonna wanna have simethin' that'll take five minutes to open.
The Perko, on the other hand, will open in about 3-5 seconds (it has only two wing nuts with swing bolts....you don't even have to remove them). Stuff like this is important.

[Air 22]

Sorry Dwight, but while your strainer is real pretty, it takes WAAAAAAY too long to open and get the basket out.
If you're in a busy waterway, your temp. gauge just pegged, there's a 3 knot current, your not gonna wanna have simethin' that'll take five minutes to open.
The Perko, on the other hand, will open in about 3-5 seconds (it has only two wing nuts with swing bolts....you don't even have to remove them). Stuff like this is important.
We agree to disagree there ...GC :wink: doesn't take 5 min to open and the basket is just sitt'n there waiting to be pulled out:) I'm not the only one running one of this type there are many folks using them...just a matter of opinion:wink:
btw..anchor's work well in a 3 knot current.. "Stuff like that is important"...i'm just say'n:kingme: