We recently had a problem with the engine cooling water thru hull becoming clogged with very fine plant life. The stuff looked like hair. This happened four times just as we were leaving several different places in Puget Sound. This clog always occurred in the thru hull and the elbow which attaches to it and before the shutoff valve. None of this stuff even got to the strainer. It was necessary to remove the hose which was attached to a plastic barb which attached to the valve. By the way, I object to the use of a plastic part in this location and have replaced it with a brass one. I also had to remove the valve and the elbow ( street ell ) to get to the clog. This is time consuming, awkward, and difficult and leaves the thru hull without any immediate shutoff valve except the wooden emergency cone. My present solution is to use a brass T fitting attached to the thru hull with one remaining outlet up and one to the side. I put the valve into the side and put a plug in the top. My thinking is that I can quickly remove the plug and have a straight shot at the thru hull for future cleaning. Has anyone else had a similar problem? Is there a better solution such as a different seacock or some other better fitting for this purpose. Should I think about installing a larger thru hull at the next haulout? Thanks in advance for your assistance. Patrick
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Paul Akers
Same problem
Patrick, I've had the same problem twice within the last year, only with eel grass. I'm from New England. There is no hull strainer on my 1988 Legend 37 (a possible solution that I'm investigating), so things get sucked up into the in-line strainer. I've had clogs in two places - the thru hull, and the 90 degree elbow going into the strainer. Both necessitate removing one end of the water hose. The strainer elbow is easy enough to clean out, but the thru hull requires either poking with a stiff wire while it's open (and hope it snakes its way out) or use a high pressure nozzle on a hose to back flush the thru hull (only available at the dock). I've also used my inflatable foot pump to blow out the elbow backwards. I'll watch for suggestions, also.
Patrick, I've had the same problem twice within the last year, only with eel grass. I'm from New England. There is no hull strainer on my 1988 Legend 37 (a possible solution that I'm investigating), so things get sucked up into the in-line strainer. I've had clogs in two places - the thru hull, and the 90 degree elbow going into the strainer. Both necessitate removing one end of the water hose. The strainer elbow is easy enough to clean out, but the thru hull requires either poking with a stiff wire while it's open (and hope it snakes its way out) or use a high pressure nozzle on a hose to back flush the thru hull (only available at the dock). I've also used my inflatable foot pump to blow out the elbow backwards. I'll watch for suggestions, also.
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Jim Ewing
External strainer
Patrick, You might want to try a strainer equipped through-hull to replace the open one you currently have. That might prevent the stuff from getting inside. West sells them. Also, you said you used a brass fitting to replace the plastic tail piece? Make sure it's bronze and not brass. Brass won't last long in constant contact with salt water. Regards, Jim "Prospect"
Patrick, You might want to try a strainer equipped through-hull to replace the open one you currently have. That might prevent the stuff from getting inside. West sells them. Also, you said you used a brass fitting to replace the plastic tail piece? Make sure it's bronze and not brass. Brass won't last long in constant contact with salt water. Regards, Jim "Prospect"
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Chris Van Lauwe
Yup, same here
We have had our boat on a River that drains into Lake Michigan. After a storm debris would come down the river, catch on the rudder and also plug the intake. As part of a checklist everytime we take the boat out we check the strainer. Boat is not parked on the river anymore and is slipped at a Lake Marina which eliminated the problem. We still check the strainer and remove the hose from the strainerand open the valve to check the flow. Once burn't, twice shy. Chris Festina Tarde 340
We have had our boat on a River that drains into Lake Michigan. After a storm debris would come down the river, catch on the rudder and also plug the intake. As part of a checklist everytime we take the boat out we check the strainer. Boat is not parked on the river anymore and is slipped at a Lake Marina which eliminated the problem. We still check the strainer and remove the hose from the strainerand open the valve to check the flow. Once burn't, twice shy. Chris Festina Tarde 340
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Ron
Plugged Thru hull.
I had a similar problem when I first purchased my 1983 - 34. The thru hull kept getting plugged. This was also in Puget Sound. I thought I'd tried everything including going to a larger thru hull and hose to the strainer and the stuff still wasn't getting as far as the strainer. As a last resort, I checked the heat exchanger. It looked fine. I couldn't see anything plugged. But after I flushed it out and put it back together everything was fine. And has been for the last 7 years. My only explanation is that something was restricting the flow through the heat exchanger which in turn limited the suction from the pump which wasn't enough to suck the debri into the Strainer and it got caught in the elbow at the thru hull. When I flushed it, whatever it was, was flushed out. Since a restriction past the pump could be the problem, you might also wan't to check for a partial blockage in the mixer elbow in the exhaust.
I had a similar problem when I first purchased my 1983 - 34. The thru hull kept getting plugged. This was also in Puget Sound. I thought I'd tried everything including going to a larger thru hull and hose to the strainer and the stuff still wasn't getting as far as the strainer. As a last resort, I checked the heat exchanger. It looked fine. I couldn't see anything plugged. But after I flushed it out and put it back together everything was fine. And has been for the last 7 years. My only explanation is that something was restricting the flow through the heat exchanger which in turn limited the suction from the pump which wasn't enough to suck the debri into the Strainer and it got caught in the elbow at the thru hull. When I flushed it, whatever it was, was flushed out. Since a restriction past the pump could be the problem, you might also wan't to check for a partial blockage in the mixer elbow in the exhaust.
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Robert Gillan
Eel Grass!
Patrick: I sail out of Vancouver, BC and have suffered the same problem several times. Most often eel grass or other marine plants/seaweed picked up in anchorages. I use my dinghy foot pump successfully to blow the stuff back out the through hull. If you were to go to a larger through hull you would merely succeed in sucking up larger junk I think. It is a pain to clear it that's for sure. I have also discussed the problem with some of my blue-water friends who discourage hull strainers as they get plugged also and then you're going to have to go into the water to clear it. Georgia Strait is cold!!
Patrick: I sail out of Vancouver, BC and have suffered the same problem several times. Most often eel grass or other marine plants/seaweed picked up in anchorages. I use my dinghy foot pump successfully to blow the stuff back out the through hull. If you were to go to a larger through hull you would merely succeed in sucking up larger junk I think. It is a pain to clear it that's for sure. I have also discussed the problem with some of my blue-water friends who discourage hull strainers as they get plugged also and then you're going to have to go into the water to clear it. Georgia Strait is cold!!
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Tim
TRY THIS
Patrick: First, I agree with the external strainer idea. I had clogging problems on my 31' for a while until I installed a slightly larger thru-hull (5/8" vs. 1/2") and put a strainer on the outside of the hull. I also had an elbow on the thru-hull until I figured out that the sharp turn in the water flow was partly to blame for the accumulation of sea grass (Chesapeake Bay) prior to the strainer. Sea grass is fairly long and won't always make that sharp 90 degree turn smoothly. I highly recommend you figure out how to keep a real seacock on the thru-hull (absolutely required) and still "fair" the water flow from there to the strainer. Good luck! Tim
Patrick: First, I agree with the external strainer idea. I had clogging problems on my 31' for a while until I installed a slightly larger thru-hull (5/8" vs. 1/2") and put a strainer on the outside of the hull. I also had an elbow on the thru-hull until I figured out that the sharp turn in the water flow was partly to blame for the accumulation of sea grass (Chesapeake Bay) prior to the strainer. Sea grass is fairly long and won't always make that sharp 90 degree turn smoothly. I highly recommend you figure out how to keep a real seacock on the thru-hull (absolutely required) and still "fair" the water flow from there to the strainer. Good luck! Tim
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