Intake strainer on cockpit drain thru-hull?

[ArmyDaveNY]

Is it possible that at one time it was an intake and later was repurposed?

[a64pilot]

You should never have a scoop strainer on an engine.
I have even become to question the viability of a strainer at all.
Think about it, without a strainer it’s easy to clean out from inside of the boat just flush backwards, push a plumbers snake through etc.

With an external strainer, your not pushing anything through.
I installed the ones that you can open by removing a pin from the outside, because I’m never in cold water, but if it was really ugly weather, I’m not so sure I could dive and clean one out, but it there was no strainer I’m sure I could clean it out from the inside, and if you Sail in cold weather, then that becomes a whole nuther problem.

So what does a strainer do? If you say keep out stuff I don’t want in my cooling system, well isn’t that what the removable basket on the inside strainer is for?

[Cheechako]

I thought maybe it was to stop cockpit drain gurgling or water entry, but it's backwards for that!

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

You should never have a scoop strainer on an engine.
I have even become to question the viability of a strainer at all.
Think about it, without a strainer it’s easy to clean out from inside of the boat just flush backwards, push a plumbers snake through etc.

With an external strainer, your not pushing anything through.
I installed the ones that you can open by removing a pin from the outside, because I’m never in cold water, but if it was really ugly weather, I’m not so sure I could dive and clean one out, but it there was no strainer I’m sure I could clean it out from the inside, and if you Sail in cold weather, then that becomes a whole nuther problem.

So what does a strainer do? If you say keep out stuff I don’t want in my cooling system, well isn’t that what the removable basket on the inside strainer is for?

A strainer on water engine intake keeps plastic bags from being sucked in. On powerboats sometimes it's needed to keep water flowing at speed.

[Bill O]

Here is a good article discussing "Strainers Inside and Out" to help make an informed decision by knowing the merits and limitations of each.


Bill O.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

A strainer on water engine intake keeps plastic bags from being sucked in. On powerboats sometimes it's needed to keep water flowing at speed.

A64 Pilot said, in an earlier post, that you could use an interior strainer which gives you access from inside.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

A strainer on water engine intake keeps plastic bags from being sucked in. On powerboats sometimes it's needed to keep water flowing at speed.

Yes but they get sucked to the outside and your impeller is toast by the time you figure it out.
If sucked in with no strainer, it’s real easy to clean out, but your impeller is likely toast still.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Yes but they get sucked to the outside and your impeller is toast by the time you figure it out.
If sucked in with no strainer, it’s real easy to clean out.

I agree to some extent. But on an exterior strainer, stop the boat and engine and it floats away. Not every interior strainer (which everyone should have also of course!) is super easy to access, especially on boats with just an engine enclosure at the companionway. Often it will be behind the engine, or in a tough spot. Not to mention a bag can be in the hose between the strainer and the seacock etc. But yeah, none of it is foolproof.

[Tday01]

I just purchased a 2005 Hylas 54. It doesn't have scoop strainers, but both scuppers drain (separately) below the waterline via a seacock. Still not sure about the rationale for this arrangement.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Tday01

I just purchased a 2005 Hylas 54. It doesn't have scoop strainers, but both scuppers drain (separately) below the waterline via a seacock. Still not sure about the rationale for this arrangement.

You're not sure about the seacocks, or the drains being separate or...? Sounds good to me.

[Tday01]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

You're not sure about the seacocks, or the drains being separate or...? Sounds good to me.

Not sure about the seacocks, and why the drain wouldn't be closer to the waterline.

[Bruce K]

It's Marine AntiMurphy device. If something important falls into the cockpit drain, and your strainer is on the outlet, it won't be lost, therefore nothing important will ever fall into the cockpit drain!!!!!!!!!