The weeds in Lake Ontario seem to be getting worse every year. Last year we sucked up weeds three times while visiting on the Canadian side. The weeds clogged the thru-hull causing water blockage to the engine which set off the high temp alarm. This happened once while motoring home in six foot waves. *yks We rolled the genny out a bit for control, shut the engine down, and I went below to fix while my wife came about to the best point of sail. I did my usual thing by shutting off the valve, disconnecting the hose at the thru-hull, opening the valve, and jamming a long screwdriver through to clear the weeds. This worked. Put it back together, cleaned the raw water strainer, and back to business. This year I was am think if adding a bronze strainer on the hull intake. I wonder if the weeds will still find their way into the thru-hull, and if so, it may be more difficult clearing using my poking-through screwdriver trick. There must be a reason this isn't a stock item on Hunter sailboats (at least in my yard). Any thoughts on this?
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What about bottom paint...
Ken, I'm in the same lake (Point Breeze), but have never run into this problem with my H31. I am glad you outlined the quick fix though. I wonder if your through hull is painted with bottom paint? Mine is, with VC17, and it gets recoated every year. The reason I bring it up is I read advise from somone who claimed that painting their speed paddle transducer stopped a weed buildup problem that was causing it to malfunction. That HAS happened to me. Just a thought.
Ken, I'm in the same lake (Point Breeze), but have never run into this problem with my H31. I am glad you outlined the quick fix though. I wonder if your through hull is painted with bottom paint? Mine is, with VC17, and it gets recoated every year. The reason I bring it up is I read advise from somone who claimed that painting their speed paddle transducer stopped a weed buildup problem that was causing it to malfunction. That HAS happened to me. Just a thought.
Stick with the screw driver option
I have frequently had the same problem in Ontario and worse in Erie. I have no strainer at the thu hull and like it that way. Very easy to totally clear the weeds from the thru hull with a rod and lift off the cap to clear strainer before the engine.
I have frequently had the same problem in Ontario and worse in Erie. I have no strainer at the thu hull and like it that way. Very easy to totally clear the weeds from the thru hull with a rod and lift off the cap to clear strainer before the engine.
Ken, we have the same problem in Puget Sound.
On my H34, when she was new, the intake plugged up with weeds at least 4 times the first year. One long weed made it past the strainer all the way to the pump. I was not used to an open thru-hull. My previous boat had a mesh grill to protect the engine intake. The reason, it appears, that Hunter didn't install this important protective device is,,,, THEY ARE TOO CHEAP! It would mean stepping up one size to make room for a screen. I found one of those colander basket style screens that fit over the opening and are held with screws. They're great. Use one on the watermaker inlet too. Haven't had a problem in 17 years.
On my H34, when she was new, the intake plugged up with weeds at least 4 times the first year. One long weed made it past the strainer all the way to the pump. I was not used to an open thru-hull. My previous boat had a mesh grill to protect the engine intake. The reason, it appears, that Hunter didn't install this important protective device is,,,, THEY ARE TOO CHEAP! It would mean stepping up one size to make room for a screen. I found one of those colander basket style screens that fit over the opening and are held with screws. They're great. Use one on the watermaker inlet too. Haven't had a problem in 17 years.
Aft facing screen
There have been many posts on this subject so check the HOW archives. Facing the scoop strainer aft is a common and successful strategy to reduce weed fouling to the engine raw water intake.
There have been many posts on this subject so check the HOW archives. Facing the scoop strainer aft is a common and successful strategy to reduce weed fouling to the engine raw water intake.
On our h37.5, the intake thru-hull opening is tiny
and once it comes in thru the hull, it makes a 90 degree turn towards the engine, then there is a seacock valve. When something gets stuck in there, like a small chunk of wood bark, (we are in lumber country here), there is almost no way to get it out. I have a long TV cable coax wiring, which is sort of flexible, and it can not make it past the 90 degree elbow. I took the center wire out of the coax, and just use the outer rubber coating, and it still had a tough time making it past the 90 degree elbow. If I really work at it, I can eventually get it through. What I do now is to use a can of compressed air. I remove the intake cooling hose from the seacock, put the can of compressed air up to the seacock, open the seacock, then let the air go. The force of the air will blow out whatever is in the intake thru-hull. You can buy cans of compressed air at Costco. They sell it to blow out PC inners. It is a lot easier than me bending over and putting my mouth over the seacock opening, and blow.
and once it comes in thru the hull, it makes a 90 degree turn towards the engine, then there is a seacock valve. When something gets stuck in there, like a small chunk of wood bark, (we are in lumber country here), there is almost no way to get it out. I have a long TV cable coax wiring, which is sort of flexible, and it can not make it past the 90 degree elbow. I took the center wire out of the coax, and just use the outer rubber coating, and it still had a tough time making it past the 90 degree elbow. If I really work at it, I can eventually get it through. What I do now is to use a can of compressed air. I remove the intake cooling hose from the seacock, put the can of compressed air up to the seacock, open the seacock, then let the air go. The force of the air will blow out whatever is in the intake thru-hull. You can buy cans of compressed air at Costco. They sell it to blow out PC inners. It is a lot easier than me bending over and putting my mouth over the seacock opening, and blow.
JC, our boat has a grid cover over the ...
raw water intake. In the four years of cruising the NW waters in our current boat and the three years in our H28 (which did not have a grid cover) neither became plugged. The sea water strainer does collect a small amount of eel grass, which I clean about once every six months. Even then it has very little in it. OTOH, a critter (fish I think; what a horrific smell) crawled into the raw water intake of our aft head during last year's cruising season. After I blew out the carcass remains with city water pressure everything worked just fine. That intake does not have a grid cover. Terry P.S. Hey JC I just loved your NW mantra in the earlier post on Gary's thread.
raw water intake. In the four years of cruising the NW waters in our current boat and the three years in our H28 (which did not have a grid cover) neither became plugged. The sea water strainer does collect a small amount of eel grass, which I clean about once every six months. Even then it has very little in it. OTOH, a critter (fish I think; what a horrific smell) crawled into the raw water intake of our aft head during last year's cruising season. After I blew out the carcass remains with city water pressure everything worked just fine. That intake does not have a grid cover. Terry P.S. Hey JC I just loved your NW mantra in the earlier post on Gary's thread.
"Blow-out Tool"...
In the Chesapeake we get weeds and things like jellyfish sucked up in our water intakes. I made up a piece of hose that fit the end of my intake hose barb with a tire valve clamped in the other end. To clear a blockage, close the intake valve, pull the engine hose off, clamp the open end of the "Blow-Out Tool" on the barb. Plug in a tire inflator in the cigarette lighter socket (got one?) and pump up about 50 pounds of pressure in the hose. Flip the ball valve open and it's like firing a torpedo. Immediately close the valve, replumb the engine hose and away you go.
In the Chesapeake we get weeds and things like jellyfish sucked up in our water intakes. I made up a piece of hose that fit the end of my intake hose barb with a tire valve clamped in the other end. To clear a blockage, close the intake valve, pull the engine hose off, clamp the open end of the "Blow-Out Tool" on the barb. Plug in a tire inflator in the cigarette lighter socket (got one?) and pump up about 50 pounds of pressure in the hose. Flip the ball valve open and it's like firing a torpedo. Immediately close the valve, replumb the engine hose and away you go.
Thanks for the comments
I use VC-17 on the outside hull of the thru-hull fitting. I do not paint the paddles for the speed indicator. The paddles usually don't have a problem. If they do, it clears by itself after some sailing or motoring. I have gotten pretty good at disconnecting the hose at the thru-hull and using the screwdriver to clear the blockage. Thank goodness it is a straight-through fitting. My feeling is that the weeds would still be able to make it through the slots on a bronze strainer. If they do, it would be very difficult to clear because the strainer would block the screwdriver pushing the weeds back out. I will try another season as-is with just the raw water basket strainer between the thru-hull and the water pump.
I use VC-17 on the outside hull of the thru-hull fitting. I do not paint the paddles for the speed indicator. The paddles usually don't have a problem. If they do, it clears by itself after some sailing or motoring. I have gotten pretty good at disconnecting the hose at the thru-hull and using the screwdriver to clear the blockage. Thank goodness it is a straight-through fitting. My feeling is that the weeds would still be able to make it through the slots on a bronze strainer. If they do, it would be very difficult to clear because the strainer would block the screwdriver pushing the weeds back out. I will try another season as-is with just the raw water basket strainer between the thru-hull and the water pump.
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