Hunter 420 Passage Raw Water intake

[Stephen M]

I upgraded the raw water strainer to a 1" perko strainer as I didn't like the screw off bowl Sherwood model that was there.
I lso noticed that there is no strainer on the outside of the hull, just a 1" through hull fitting.
Are there any issues with adding an external strainer over the through hull opening?

 

[Tally Ho]

A few things I would consider:

- can you clean out the strainer if something gets inside the “cage” ? Without a strainer, you could blow back through the thru-hull (compressed air or a rod) to clear it. Would you be able to do that with the external strainer in place?

- don’t forget to install it in the right orientation...don’t want to force water into the engine.

I do have an external strainer on my boat, I wish I could open the “cage” when the boat was hauled to clean out the little shells in there. In my sailing grounds, I don’t have a lot of stuff to get sucked into the intake...your mileage may vary...

Greg

 

[Stu Jackson]

Why External Strainers are a Bad Idea 101 (Maine Sail) Why I Dislike Like External Strainers

 

[Don Lucas]

I have only 1 inlet with an external strainer on my boat and that's the AC seawater

that's the one that always gets clogged up with barnacles

that others I can clear from inside with a long screwdriver

 

[Rick486]

I upgraded the raw water strainer to a 1" perko strainer as I didn't like the screw off bowl Sherwood model that was there.
I lso noticed that there is no strainer on the outside of the hull, just a 1" through hull fitting.
Are there any issues with adding an external strainer over the through hull opening?

An external strainer is a bad idea ONLY if it is not maintained and cleaned out annually and painted with anti fouling paint on the inside each spring. I have been following this procedure for over 30 years and never had any issues. Not once. My reasoning is that when I need the engine I don't want to risk a chance of having the raw water inlet blocked by ingested material. There are arguments that suggest that a "properly designed" inboard arrangement allows the blockage to be cleared from inside the boat. However, on a dark and stormy night when I need the engine to make safe harbor I may not have time to clear the inboard blockage. With an outboard strainer properly maintained I don't need to worry.