Greetings from Heriot Bay on beautiful Quadra Island in British Columbia. We're 5 days in to our six week cicumnavigation of Vancouver Island and having a blast. The only hitch we've run into was sucking some seaweed into the through hull for the cooling water intake. I cleared out the strainer basket which was partially full. But the real problem was earlier than that. When I removed the hose from the through hull only a trickle of water came out. I tried cleaning it out with a wire coat hanger, with seizing wire, with a wire tape. No go. The through hull makes a hard 90 degree turn about three inches into it and none of the above would make the turn. I ended up having to sail back into an anchorage, drop anchor under sail, and dive under the boat with my wet suit to clear the block. After that, all was well. But it's a pain in the rear to go through the wet suit thing (water temps in the high 50's) when this happens. Anybody got a good suggestion for something to use to cleaar a block from the inside? Thanks for your help. Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
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bungee cord
i have used bungee cord to clear fish from mine. it is stiff enough to have a little "push", but flexible enough to make the turn. you will need to experiment with the right size, and whip or seal the end so it doesn't unravel. i have also though about the tool that is made to retrieve things when you drop them in difficult places. it is a spring like bendable syringe type mechanism that has small fingers that extend and retract through the use of a plunger on the upper end. i don't know if that would work, but it might. you can find them at automotive supply stores.
i have used bungee cord to clear fish from mine. it is stiff enough to have a little "push", but flexible enough to make the turn. you will need to experiment with the right size, and whip or seal the end so it doesn't unravel. i have also though about the tool that is made to retrieve things when you drop them in difficult places. it is a spring like bendable syringe type mechanism that has small fingers that extend and retract through the use of a plunger on the upper end. i don't know if that would work, but it might. you can find them at automotive supply stores.
Air pump
Try using a air pump that you plug into a outlet and blow the seaweed back from where it came from. You can pick up a amall pump at any auto supply store, another way is to buy a plumbers drain cleaning pressure hose connection that hooks up to a water hose (get the smallest one they make) and use your water pressure to blow it out.
Try using a air pump that you plug into a outlet and blow the seaweed back from where it came from. You can pick up a amall pump at any auto supply store, another way is to buy a plumbers drain cleaning pressure hose connection that hooks up to a water hose (get the smallest one they make) and use your water pressure to blow it out.
Gary I would have tried the foot pump
for the inflatable dingy. I've got a bunch of nozzel end fittings that came with the pump, one would have made a decent seal on the hose from the raw water intake. Then take out your frustation by jumping on the bellows. Seems like you should have had some dry windy days of late, its only been raining at night down here.
for the inflatable dingy. I've got a bunch of nozzel end fittings that came with the pump, one would have made a decent seal on the hose from the raw water intake. Then take out your frustation by jumping on the bellows. Seems like you should have had some dry windy days of late, its only been raining at night down here.
Gary, I have USED the foot pump...
...many times to clear mine. I have an '88 Legend 37 and had the same problem. I kept sucking seaweed, rockweed, slime - you name it - into my intake. I tried wire probes, but finally realized that back pressure would do the job better. No less that 10 times this has happened to me. What I finally did was to purchase 90 degree elbows and larger nipples and put them on the thru hull and both sides of the filter basket. This made the basket work a bit harder and had to be diligent about inspecting it every day. Then I had the capper. I was running the engine in Newport harbor on a mooring charging my batteries one evening at suppertime. I was sitting in the cockpit reading when I heard this sucking noise and the water stopped flowing. I shut down and found a jelly fish in my strainer bowl. It looked like it had been thru a blender. The slime went right back to the thru hull. I had to manually clean the basket (quite a chore) but then the trusty foot pump from the Avon went back to work clearing the thru hull. Well, the next season (last season) I put an integrated, slotted hull strainer on and so far have been very pleased. You might want to think about doing the same. Have fun on the rest of your trip!
P.S. Like John suggested, dockside you can use a high pressure water nozzle ($1 at the dept store) to blast it out backwards thru the fitting as well. I keep one on the boat and have used that before, also. It fits nicely onto the intake valve.
...many times to clear mine. I have an '88 Legend 37 and had the same problem. I kept sucking seaweed, rockweed, slime - you name it - into my intake. I tried wire probes, but finally realized that back pressure would do the job better. No less that 10 times this has happened to me. What I finally did was to purchase 90 degree elbows and larger nipples and put them on the thru hull and both sides of the filter basket. This made the basket work a bit harder and had to be diligent about inspecting it every day. Then I had the capper. I was running the engine in Newport harbor on a mooring charging my batteries one evening at suppertime. I was sitting in the cockpit reading when I heard this sucking noise and the water stopped flowing. I shut down and found a jelly fish in my strainer bowl. It looked like it had been thru a blender. The slime went right back to the thru hull. I had to manually clean the basket (quite a chore) but then the trusty foot pump from the Avon went back to work clearing the thru hull. Well, the next season (last season) I put an integrated, slotted hull strainer on and so far have been very pleased. You might want to think about doing the same. Have fun on the rest of your trip!
P.S. Like John suggested, dockside you can use a high pressure water nozzle ($1 at the dept store) to blast it out backwards thru the fitting as well. I keep one on the boat and have used that before, also. It fits nicely onto the intake valve.
Use Your Air Horn
Hi Gary - good to hear you're moving along okay. Wish I could be out there too! Well, with regard to the stuff in the water intake I know what you mean. It's a real pain and always comes at a time when you least need it. Solution (that I use): disconnect the raw water supply hose at the water strainer. Realize this is right at water level but maybe your boat is loaded down. Anyway, now take that little air horn, you know, the one with the orange plastic horn on the compressed air canister and blow it into the hose. Hold the hose really tight against the horn when you do it. If the hose is really plugged the pressure will push the hose back and the air will escape into the engine room and you'll be able to hear it(!). I have hearing protectors that I use but it's not really all that bad. If the stuff plugging the line gets blown out you'll hear gurggling (sp?), if not you'll hear what I just described. The nice part about this method is it's really quick and easy. The horn will adjust to fit any size hose (just get the hose clamp out of the way so there is a good seal). I suppose the dingy footpump Scott mentioned would work too but I've never done it (because I never thought of it). So.... where are the pictures??? By the way, I was just reading "Local Knowledge" Tacoma to Ketchikan by Kevin Monahan, and it has some interesting info on page 70 to 79 that you might be interested in before going up Seymore Narrows and Johnstone Strait. Maybe there is a Library there where you could make copies? Have a good trip - hopefully you won't pick up too much more grass!
Hi Gary - good to hear you're moving along okay. Wish I could be out there too! Well, with regard to the stuff in the water intake I know what you mean. It's a real pain and always comes at a time when you least need it. Solution (that I use): disconnect the raw water supply hose at the water strainer. Realize this is right at water level but maybe your boat is loaded down. Anyway, now take that little air horn, you know, the one with the orange plastic horn on the compressed air canister and blow it into the hose. Hold the hose really tight against the horn when you do it. If the hose is really plugged the pressure will push the hose back and the air will escape into the engine room and you'll be able to hear it(!). I have hearing protectors that I use but it's not really all that bad. If the stuff plugging the line gets blown out you'll hear gurggling (sp?), if not you'll hear what I just described. The nice part about this method is it's really quick and easy. The horn will adjust to fit any size hose (just get the hose clamp out of the way so there is a good seal). I suppose the dingy footpump Scott mentioned would work too but I've never done it (because I never thought of it). So.... where are the pictures??? By the way, I was just reading "Local Knowledge" Tacoma to Ketchikan by Kevin Monahan, and it has some interesting info on page 70 to 79 that you might be interested in before going up Seymore Narrows and Johnstone Strait. Maybe there is a Library there where you could make copies? Have a good trip - hopefully you won't pick up too much more grass!
Thanks, guys.
Some good ideas here. Our dinghy is a hard shell Gig Harbor sailing dinghy so the foot pump idea doesn't work for us. I can imagine it would work very nicely though based on our old foot pump. I thought of John's idea with the air horn, but couldn't figure out how to get a good seal to the through hull. The hose idea didn't occur to me. Duh. Well I was out of sorts at the time. I like the bungee and grabber (I do have one fo those) ideas too. Lots of good ideas to try without going swimming. I hope I don't get any more chances to use them on this trip! Thanks again for your help. Pix to follow later. Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
Some good ideas here. Our dinghy is a hard shell Gig Harbor sailing dinghy so the foot pump idea doesn't work for us. I can imagine it would work very nicely though based on our old foot pump. I thought of John's idea with the air horn, but couldn't figure out how to get a good seal to the through hull. The hose idea didn't occur to me. Duh. Well I was out of sorts at the time. I like the bungee and grabber (I do have one fo those) ideas too. Lots of good ideas to try without going swimming. I hope I don't get any more chances to use them on this trip! Thanks again for your help. Pix to follow later. Gary Wyngarden S/V Wanderlust h37.5
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