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Old 17-10-2020, 00:08   #1
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Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

What are people's thoughts on these exterior raw water scoop strainers?

My boat has one and Im thinking of having it removed when I have my seacocks and through holes redone. Seems like they would just prevent you from plugging it from the exterior in an emergency, and from the interior, same thing. You can use a SEABUNG to plug from the outside in an emergency, but not with that strainer. Also barnacles grown in there and you cant really clean them off with the filter.

But..... also it might be good to keep out Sargassum seaweed, large trash and baby octopus type objects out.

Thoughts?
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Old 17-10-2020, 01:11   #2
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Re: Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

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Originally Posted by Rockinar View Post
My boat has one and Im thinking of having it removed when I have my seacocks and through holes redone. Seems like they would just prevent you from plugging it from the exterior in an emergency, and from the interior, same thing. You can use a SEABUNG to plug from the outside in an emergency, but not with that strainer. Also barnacles grown in there and you cant really clean them off with the filter.
Your boat is an SV or an MV?

The 'experts' argue that that style of exterior strainer was really designed for motor vessels, not sailers. The 'appropriate' exterior strainer for a sailer is a strainer that lies flat to the surface of the hull.

But the reality is that not a few boatbuilders fit such strainers to sailers.

Plugging from the exterior is beyond my grasp on a sailing cruiser. I've never contemplated doing that.

As for bio-fouling inside the strainer, when I haul out for bottom work I remove the strainers (I have two, on a sailer). Then I antifoul the hull, including the hull that will be covered by the strainer. In the one or two instances when I've been voyaging to a jurisdiction such as Australia, which can and will inspect the hull for fouling, I've even swabbed a little antifouling into the thru-hull fitting. Then I re-attach the exterior strainers.
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Old 17-10-2020, 01:38   #3
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Re: Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

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Originally Posted by Alan Mighty View Post
Your boat is an SV or an MV?

The 'experts' argue that that style of exterior strainer was really designed for motor vessels, not sailers. The 'appropriate' exterior strainer for a sailer is a strainer that lies flat to the surface of the hull.

But the reality is that not a few boatbuilders fit such strainers to sailers.

Plugging from the exterior is beyond my grasp on a sailing cruiser. I've never contemplated doing that.

As for bio-fouling inside the strainer, when I haul out for bottom work I remove the strainers (I have two, on a sailer). Then I antifoul the hull, including the hull that will be covered by the strainer. In the one or two instances when I've been voyaging to a jurisdiction such as Australia, which can and will inspect the hull for fouling, I've even swabbed a little antifouling into the thru-hull fitting. Then I re-attach the exterior strainers.


My boat is a SV. I think mine might look more like this from what I remember at last haulout.
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Old 17-10-2020, 03:33   #4
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Re: Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

We had one, I removed it, haven’t missed it....in fact life without it is grand. I’m sure there is a rare instance where it would have prevented me from sucking a jellyfish into a 3/4” hose.....but that hasn’t happened in the last 10 years either. It also hasn’t harbored colonies of barnacles in the last 10 years either.
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Old 17-10-2020, 03:48   #5
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Re: Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

We've been very glad of hours frequently. Last year the sargassum was so dense that it's guaranteed we would have sucked some up otherwise. Similarly the plastic in Indonesia was so ubiquitous that we did actually suck up a bag, twice. Fortunately removal was super easy because of the strainer.

We have one like this. The base stays on the boat and the strainer unscrews easily so it can be properly cleaned and painted at haulout. I've never had problems with barnacles etc. between haulouts (roughly every two years). You can buy spray cans of antifouling designed for aluminium outdrives. Great for spraying up into through-hull fittings.
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Old 17-10-2020, 06:06   #6
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Re: Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

I had a strainer like that one. I had mussels growing inside til I painted the interior. This was in New England.
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Old 17-10-2020, 06:35   #7
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Re: Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

As was mentioned, I think the main benefits are keeping things like grass and jellyfish from clogging intakes and strainers. We've gone through grass and jellyfish swarms so thick, I can't imagine not having an exterior strainer on our sailboat. The downside is they require close attention when cleaning the bottom of the boat.
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Old 17-10-2020, 07:41   #8
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Re: Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

IME, the only thing that really needs them is AC. Engine intakes seem to be flushed by the motion of the boat. Head intakes are too sporadic. But AC flow is continuous, happens while sitting still, and I've sucked up lots of minnows and jellies... but only in the AC.


Cleaning barnacles isn't too bad with a skinny screwdriver. Just a few quick breath-holds.


If the worry is through-hull failure, start by installing a real. flange mounted seacock. Not likely to fail completely.
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Old 17-10-2020, 08:57   #9
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Re: Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

The Groco APHS strainer with a plain fitting has been working well for years on my boat, since I replaced the original scoop through hull fittings.

When I installed the APHS strainer, I used one mounting screw location to be a through hull bolt, to make an electrical connection to the bonding system. I first drilled it slightly oversize, filled w/ West System epoxy w/ filler, allowed to harden, then drilled at the correct size for the fastener.


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Old 17-10-2020, 10:04   #10
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Re: Exterior raw water strainer opinions?

My original fridge manufacturer insisted on one of those strainers (like the one you have pictured) to feed water into the water strainer that then feeds the waterpump used to cool the refrigeration system. They claim it increases the flow of water into the system. I have left it in place, no problems with it. I paint it when I haul out.
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