Raw water strainer disaster waiting to happen

[Hayden Watson]

@Project_Mayhem Here is a photo showing where it is mounted on my boat. As @Hayden Watson mentioned, the water line is a few inches below the seat. As chance would have it, it's just at the in and out ports of the strainer.

That happens to be where I mounted the fuel filter.

Mine is just outboard of the fuel pump.

Originally, my fuel pump was where your strainer is, but I moved the pump closer to the engine and used the screw holes for the pump to mount the strainer. My thinking was that I would need to access the top of the strainer to clean it out and the small hatch is far easier to open than the top of the engine cover. The Racor is inside my sound insulation, the fuel pump is on the other side of it and the strainer is just beyond that.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Where are you putting the strainer that will require 20' of hose?

Behind the seating around the table, up against the port side hull. We measured about 17-18' for the entire length of the hose from the through hull and back to the pump inlet on the engine

It is easy to find the waterline on your boat. Get a short length of clear hose sized to your thru-hull. Install it and run it straight up. Open the thru-hull and the water will go up the tube and stop at the waterline.

The boat is on the hard

it's just at the in and out ports of the strainer.

So most of your strainer is below the waterline while the ports are at the waterline? I'm trying to get mine above to mitigate risk and make it a bit more pleasant to clean

 

[Ward H]

So most of your strainer is below the waterline while the ports are at the waterline? I'm trying to get mine above to mitigate risk and make it a bit more pleasant to clean

Yes, most of it is below the water line. I see little risk with a quality strainer like the Groco. Especially compared to the little cheap all plastic strainers that Catalina and at least one Hunter I know of, installed.

To mitigate risk of a failed hose, I religiously close all of my thru hulls.
We set the dinette are up as our bed and eventually decided to leave it set up. Of course that made it more difficult to get to the engine water intake so I moved it.
I was installing new Marelon Series OEM 93 thru hull valves anyway so I put a new one next to the galley sink drain aft of the water muffler. That solved that problem.
I also changed to 3/4" intake hose to the Groco so little stuff would get to the strainer rather than clogging smaller fittings and hose.

 

[jssailem]

If I wanted to be sure about the height of the water in the boat, I would use a water level.
This is what a professional one looks like.


But you could accomplish the same results using a length of clear hose filled with water. Fille the hose full and cap the end so water does not escape. Position someone outside the boat with the hose end above the level of the water line (or bottom paint line).

Inside with the opening above the level of the water you cna move the hose about. The level of the water in the hose will reflect the level of the water marking the boat's water level from outside.

Old school but effective. Thank you Archimedes.

Water Level Basics: How to make and use one

Water levels are a great way to find a level spot on items like posts ... <p class="read-more-container"><a title="Water Level Basics: How to make and use one" class="read-more button" href="https://www.theengineeringchoice.com/what-is-water-level/#more-8109" aria-label="More on Water Level...

www.theengineeringchoice.com

 

[Tally Ho]

This looks like run of the mill heater hose if I'm not mistaken? No issues with collapsing under vacuum?

It is, and no issues.

Greg

 

[Project_Mayhem]

If I wanted to be sure about the height of the water in the boat, I would use a water level.
This is what a professional one looks like.

View attachment 228878
But you could accomplish the same results using a length of clear hose filled with water. Fille the hose full and cap the end so water does not escape. Position someone outside the boat with the hose end above the level of the water line (or bottom paint line).

Inside with the opening above the level of the water you cna move the hose about. The level of the water in the hose will reflect the level of the water marking the boat's water level from outside.

Old school but effective. Thank you Archimedes.

Water Level Basics: How to make and use one

Water levels are a great way to find a level spot on items like posts ... <p class="read-more-container"><a title="Water Level Basics: How to make and use one" class="read-more button" href="https://www.theengineeringchoice.com/what-is-water-level/#more-8109" aria-label="More on Water Level...

www.theengineeringchoice.com

I bought the boat on the hard