Your raw-water intake

My boat has these:


Groco Bronze Perforated Hull Strainer With Access Door++#

The screen came off the one that feeds the engine (the diver left it in the cockpit) and I know why and don't think if can be repaired properly so it will have to be replaced.

I'm trying to decide whether to replace it with the same (screen) type or the one with wider slots.

Our intakes are on a seachest. There's a very coarse grate on the outside of the hull which I paid virtually no attention to during our haulout. The inside of the chest is visible from inside the boat and clean. The raw water strainers have never given me a moment of trouble in some 350 hours of use over the last two years. Until I read this thread I had never thought about worrying about them. Now I have something else to add to my worry list.

Great discussion here, Thanks

I have an idea to add about the comments below. The scoop type strainers with the long slots let the buggers drift in and make a home. This is apparent as it happens routinely on main engine scoops which don't run much at the dock. They are more likely to drift by the perforated type. Forget about the air-conditioner strainers because the constant flow of water sucks the buggers in where they just lay with their jaws agape munching whatever is passing by

SteveH said:

Not sure why, but as the diver of my boat I can say I have never seen any hard growth on the inside of the raw water screen plates mounted on the hull exterior. If there's enough light (sunny day) I can see past the screen bars and see directly in the hole. My theory is that there just isn't enough plankton available inside these crevices (except maybe when then engine is running) to allow the mussels and barnacles to grow. Just a thought.

Steve

Click to expand...

I use these on my main engine and genset intakes. The rest are Groco's round strainers with holes in them, that have hinges and can swing opening for cleaning. The ones below have always worked perfectly with no problems.

rwidman said:

My boat has these:

Groco Bronze Perforated Hull Strainer With Access Door++#

The screen came off the one that feeds the engine (the diver left it in the cockpit) and I know why and don't think if can be repaired properly so it will have to be replaced.

I'm trying to decide whether to replace it with the same (screen) type or the one with wider slots.

Click to expand...