Open engine intake….

NYSail

NYSail

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Jan 6, 2006
3,145
Beneteau 423 Mt. Sinai, NY
Hello all.
How many people close the engine water intake when sailing? I have never even considered this, however it came to mind as I just installed a genset and I close its intake prior to sailing with the fear it will flood engine..
Am I overthinking? Btw regular mushroom.
fitting with no scoop.vented loops before mixing elbow. Engines both above waterline.

Greg
 
JamesG161

JamesG161

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Feb 14, 2014
7,795
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
I open all water valves when I go sailing and close when leaving the boat.

Two things on engine water input prevent "Flooding" the engine by hydraulic level.

1) Engine water pump
2) Vented high point loop. [siphon break for back flow from exhaust riser]

My Water Pump is a Flex Vane Positive Displacement type. This means no water can pass through it when not rotating by engine power.

The first symptom that water is bypassing is Engine overheating from pump impeller failure.
This is same for my Genset Engine too.

Jim...

PS: Forgetting to open that valve and starting your engine is main cause of premature impeller failure.
 
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R

Rick486

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Oct 1, 2007
1,865
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
I have my intake strainers facing aft. I shut down the generator water intake, but leave the engine intake open.
 
NYSail

NYSail

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Jan 6, 2006
3,145
Beneteau 423 Mt. Sinai, NY
Yes agree with the water pump/ impeller. as said I have always opened before leaving and keep open till leave the boat after sailing. But just panicked the other day after starting genset for first time……, went to go sailing and remembered the through hull was open and scrambled to close it. After I closed it I questioned myself.,,,,, better safe than sorry or paranoid and can’t happen as with main engine.

greg
 
RoyS

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,742
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Never close any of mine. Inspect and operate all my thru-hulls every Spring and leave them open.
 
jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
RoyS said:
Never close any of mine. Inspect and operate all my thru-hulls every Spring and leave them open.
Click to expand
I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I did that! Hoses and hose clamps can spontaneously fail. Don't ask me how I know! How old are your hoses? Any of those automotive-style, worm-gear clamps involved? I've had worm gear clamps just give up from corrosion and fall off, and also old hoses just crack wide open. On my list for my boat is all new hoses, as soon as I can get to it!
 
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sailcapt340

sailcapt340

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Sep 26, 2008
715
Hunter 340 0 Wickford, RI
Close ours ever time. I agree, I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I thought a seacock was open.
Just last week we went through what a failing “automotive“ style clamp can do on the raw water pump. I thought the water leak, under the pump I was seeing, was the clamp from the inlet hose. Some of it was, the hose cracked under the clamp. Then I found it was the pump itself.
Expecting my new pump this week and already replaced the hose up to the heat exchanger.
Next is to replace all perforated hose clamps throughout the boat.
So yes, close the sea cocks! You get a twofold benefit…you head off potential problems and exercise the handles of the valves so you can close them in an emergency.
 
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dmax

dmax

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Jul 29, 2018
1,219
Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
The first boat I bought with through hulls almost sank a week after I bought it because the raw water hose departed from the pump (whoever winterized the engine didn't tighten the clamp back up) - having learned that lesson, I open all on arrival and close all when leaving.
 
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Ralph Johnstone

Ralph Johnstone

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Jan 4, 2006
7,295
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Even if you leave every other thru-hull on the boat open, CLOSE THE ENGINE THRU-HULL when you leave the boat. All of the hose connections downstream of the engine thru-hull are subject to shaking, rattling, and rolling from the engine :yikes: .
 
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Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,302
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I can sleep just fine when I leave them open ... but I do feel guilty about it. ;) That said, most of the handles are so difficult to operate due to 20 years of never being opened and closed regularly. I think when I change all the valves, I'll close them regularly. I have changed out clamps and some hoses in the past year and all are double clamped.
 
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NYSail

NYSail

.
Jan 6, 2006
3,145
Beneteau 423 Mt. Sinai, NY
I would never leave my boat with open valves. When sailing I have always left engine and others open……. Replaced all hoses and clamps when purchased 5 years ago and check annually . Just the new genset got me paranoid about water back feeding and flooding engine.

thanks all
Greg
 
RoyS

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,742
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
For those of you with trouble sleeping...Think about your prop stern tube, your rudder shaft tube, your exhaust hose outlet (if below waterline). Best to sleep onboard with one bare foot in the bilge at all times.
 
jviss

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
RoyS said:
For those of you with trouble sleeping...Think about your prop stern tube, your rudder shaft tube, your exhaust hose outlet (if below waterline). Best to sleep onboard with one bare foot in the bilge at all times.
Click to expand
There are, indeed, things to worry about, but - without doing the rigorous research - I think it's fair to assert that a fair amount of the very few boats that go to the bottom at the dock or mooring do so because of a failed hose or clamp on an open seacock; a prop tube, rudder, exhaust - not so much. (I have never seen a sailboat with a submerged exhaust outlet, maybe I am just not paying attention.). :)
 
Tally Ho

Tally Ho

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Jan 7, 2011
5,675
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I never use to close my thru hulls…engine intake, head intake, sink drain. Despite lots of advice to do.

Then I got in the habit of closing them whenever I left the boat, and opening the ones I needed when at the boat.

Last year, I brushed against the galley sink drain, and the hose cracked . Totally rotten from the inside.
I replaced that hose and the engine intake hose.


Greg
 
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Ward H

Ward H

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Nov 7, 2011
3,790
Catalina 30 Mk II Cedar Creek, Bayville NJ
RoyS said:
For those of you with trouble sleeping...Think about your prop stern tube, your rudder shaft tube, your exhaust hose outlet (if below waterline). Best to sleep onboard with one bare foot in the bilge at all times.
Click to expand
Those items I can only maintain and hope for the best. Seacocks I can do something about and close them.

If possible I'd keep my boat on a lift but then I'd probably worry about it getting knocked over by the wind.:biggrin:
 
Dalliance

Dalliance

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Oct 6, 2007
1,144
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
I don’t close the engine raw water intake seacock while sailing, but I do always close it when I get back to the dock. The key is stored on the seacock lever, so that helps me remember.
All the others are closed when I leave the boat as part of my regular close up checklist.
 
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capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,947
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
If your genset is properly installed, you should be able to leave the seacocks open even in the worst weather. You should also be able to operate it underway, no matter which tack you are on or how much you are heeling.
 
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