Raw Water Routing Westerbeke 44A

[BostonFlicka]

Time to change my screen name I suppose, Ive upgraded from a Flicka to an estate sale Crealock 37. As I have been unable to talk to the PO there has been lots of head scratching.

This week I discovered that my auto helm 3000 was labeled at the breaker panel as "Bilge Pump Aft." Go Figure.

Anyways, the boat is equipped with a westerbeke 44A and a JS transmission. On this model Westerbeke, the raw pump may either be mounted facing forwards or backwards. For some reason, probably came from factory, the water pump was mounted facing rear. On the crealock there is no access for even a simple impeller change. I had to remove the alternator to simply gain access to it. I am going to front mount it now, it only makes sense. The plumbing is a bit counterintuitive as it stands now and I was hoping someone with the same set up might chime in.

Currently, water goes from the sea water strainer three feet to the JS transmission oil cooler then another three feet back to the water pump on the front of the engine, from the water pump it is another three feet back to the heat exchanger mounted on the rear of the engine.

Is there any reason why I couldn't plumb the JS oil cooler directly to the heat exchanger. It seems to me that it would save six feet of expensive tubing and make less work for the raw water pump.

Thanks for your thoughts