Grass fouls Propshaft

JamesG161 · Aug 25, 2016

toliver said:
Any advice, info or tips is appreciated.

My neighbor Morgan ketch, never uses his electric engine except in an emergency.
This may seem a simple answer...
Use wind power.
Jim...

PS: I am learning to sail through a canal, as practice myself. Your engine is auxiliary power.

odaydokay · Aug 25, 2016

Never seen this on LI Sound at least, also not in my river where I dock. Some floating reeds occasionally, but they will not foul props generally.

Scott T-Bird · Aug 25, 2016

I think it must be common in shallow-water areas. That includes all of Barnegat. I've cleaned my strainer on 3 occasions and the foul smell of the sea grass and sea water in the strainer isn't something I've been used to. It is also pretty tenacious inside the intake thru-hull as it took me almost 2 hours to clear mine working above and below the hull last weekend (the elbow fitting I have doesn't help). I don't have a cover on the exterior side of the thru-hull, so that may be a reason why the stuff has been plaguing our boat.
When we were motoring in smooth water early in the morning a few weeks ago, there were bands of it floating on the surface, evidently where current causes it to accumulate. It was impossible to avoid since the bands were continuous. My dock neighbor says it has been worsening over the years, but I don't know about that. I used weed fins on my windsurfer (everybody else did, too) in the 90's to deal with it. It was common on Barnegat Bay then. Also common on Pamlico Sound where we were also windsurfing all the time.
Danforth anchor doesn't want to penetrate it, either.

Bob S · Aug 25, 2016

I'm not sure the difference but the only 2 times we have dragged anchor was in eel grass. Happened this past month in Lake Tashmoo where we have anchored the most. Had a 10 minute squall come through around 1:30 am. What a mess. There had to be 8 boats going in different directions. Some crossed anchors and all you could hear is dinghy motors and conversations for the next hour. I was lucky but the wad of eel grass and mud I tried to retrieve was the size of 55 gal drum. I could not lift it to the deck. I had 60' of 5/16 chain and a 25# Mason Supreme in 6-8 feet of water. The only other time we dragged was Cutty Hunk and again in a squall. That one we managed to come out OK but it was much longer in duration with driving rain. Not a fan of grass and we have a lot of it in NE.

Scott T-Bird · Aug 25, 2016

Eel grass ... yes that is what I was thinking about when I read "sea grass". "Sea Grass" is the name of the fishing boat in Sue's favorite movie "The Fog". She wants me to rename Thunderbird to Sea Grass, but I refuse

. Anyway, I'm not sure if there is a difference or not. I do know that any stringy weeds that float at prop level will accumulate on the prop shaft and make forward progress really difficult until you dive under to remove it. Lake Hopatcong had that problem in some areas (like right behind my slip) when the water level drops. I've not had eel grass accumulate on the prop shaft yet.

jssailem · Aug 25, 2016

Here in the Puget Sound they chart the Eel Grass. Well mostly. On my 80 mile sail this weekend there were several times we dodged large patches floating in the sound. Learned of a section of beach with reclamation of Eel Grass project to enhance the potential of salmon, only after an emergency anchor drop to resolve an engine not starting problem and not drift into the Washington State ferry system. They are very touchy about their ferry space. Local marina had a warning/advice poster. Another one of those not yet charted local marine projects. Glad I was not challenged about my choice of emergency anchor deployment. The dead engine was enough of a head ache.

SailormanDan · Aug 25, 2016

Welcome to the Potomac River watershed! It's hydrilla, a non-native species that got here when people flushed their dead goldfish bowls down the toilet. Occasionally an osprey will fly overhead with an orange-gold fish in its claws. The water snakes love sneaking through it.
I end up walking my boat out as far as I can and either sneaking a little sail out depending on the wind (not much leeway getting out) or gunning the engine in a bare spot and then coasting. Absolutely miserable to get the stuff off your prop.

SFS · Aug 25, 2016

Wow, what a pain. It looks like you could walk across it.

Scott T-Bird · Aug 25, 2016

Hydrilla ... yes, I think that is the stuff they fret about in Lake Hopatcong as well. That did cause prop problems. Those snakes will bite!

Gunni · Aug 25, 2016

We have been seeing mats and clumps of what I believe is Widgeon grass. Doubt you could be seeing Eel grass up the bay to fresh for eel grass. I avoid the stuff, it can also foul your raw water intake.

Gunni · Aug 25, 2016

You should definitely check your engine exhaust to make sure you are spitting water. A run-dry raw water impeller shredded up into your heat exchanger will make that prop-shaft wad look like a nice cool swim in the bay.

SailormanDan · Aug 25, 2016

toliver said:
I feel my boat/slip is almost unusable now here in late August...

Absolutely that's how I feel, wait for high tide/high water can work sometimes, possibly "raking" with a boat hook. Or not going.

odaydokay · Aug 26, 2016

Gunni said:
We have been seeing mats and clumps of what I believe is Widgeon grass. Doubt you could be seeing Eel grass up the bay to fresh for eel grass. I avoid the stuff, it can also foul your raw water intake.

Well that is an excellent point. I got my boat from an owner on the Great South Bay of Long Island and it came with a "South Bay Strainer" because they have intake fouling issues down there. My sense is that all boats should have them, but for sure the OP if he does not.

Gunni · Aug 26, 2016

Through-hull strainers are the subject of much debate, the concern being that once clogged, you need to clean them from below. Many people like an open throat through-hull because you clear a fouled opening from above. My boat came with the Groco standard-flow strainer and I find that it works well. I do however have to clean the strainer openings every year. A build-up of bio-growth decreases flow.

Scott T-Bird · Aug 26, 2016

My thru-hull has an elbow fitting for the intake hose. The difficulty I had was that I could use a wire flexible enough to navigate the elbow, but it wasn't rigid enough to push eel grass out the bottom. When I attempted to clear it by swimming underwater, I had trouble finding an implement that was long enough and thin enough to clean out the opening. Finally, I found a drill bit that was long enough to macerate the eel grass until water pressure unplugged the opening. I may try that Groco on the outside, and replace the fitting for a straight run. This is my first experience with these problems.

Gunni · Aug 26, 2016

Hydrilla. That is a bad infestation!

All U Get · Aug 26, 2016

Do you think there will come a time when every raw water strainer has a macerator?

All U Get

Grass fouls Propshaft

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SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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