Rebuilding A Raw Water Sea Strainer

[Maine Sail]

Due to my cracked Westerbeke bell housing I am doing a bunch of other small projects.

I just finished rebuilding my sea strainer and posted it on my site for those interested. I'm sure not many do this but the gaskets do get old and eventually begin to leak. Most strainers are below the waterline so the occasional rebuild is a safe practice.

Clean & ready for re-assembly:

All done:

Rebuilding a Sea Strainer (LINK)

 

[Tim R.]

Re: New Project - Sea Strainer

On my list. I bought my rebuild kit from Groco last month and will tackle this soon. The handle broke off my basket while winterizing my system so I bought a new monel basket and a rebuild kit. I try to do mine every few years but I do not think this one has been rebuilt since new. The gaskets look really bad.

 

[Maine Sail]

I try to do mine every few years but I do not think this one has been rebuilt since new. The gaskets look really bad.

Sometimes they can be the cause of losing the prime of the pump. I forget what was causing your loss of prime this summer??

 

[Hermit Scott]

Re: New Project - Sea Strainer

I kept reading different things about marine engines and they kept refering to a strainer. I thought that was the strainer on the outside of the hull, because on my boat there is no strainer that does the function of what you are showing in the pictures.
There is a strainer that goes to the marine AC sea water pump, which had a plastic bag clogging it.
What kind of bad things happen when you don't have a strainer like you have in the picture?
What are you using to clean the bronze? It almost looks sandblasted.

 

[Tim R.]

It was a consideration but it turned out to be a bad hose between the thru hull and strainer. But that is another reason why I wanted to rbuild it and not just replace the basket.

I would bet that many DIY boat owners overlook this maint. item.

Heck, I know some who don't evern bother to drain them for the winter.

 

[Dan Johnson]

MaineSail...

Gotta check your website for those Perko pics. Picked up a gasket set for the same strainer last Thanksgiving weekend after the cap gasket leaked after winterization. At 25 years it's overdue!

Thanks for the timely post!

 

[Bill Roosa]

Strainer functions

Hi Hermit
the strainer does exactly what you would think it would. Keeps smallish items out of the cooling (or other) systems. Either type, external or internal, work but the internal can be checked without going overboard.
The primary thing that you are protecting in the cooling system is the seal in the vane pump so it keeps pumping and keeping the holes open in the heat exchanger/mixing elbow.

 

[Randy Burns]

Re: New Project - Sea Strainer

My H27 never had one. I put in a used Perko, but I dont remember a stainer handle. Maybe thats why it was "used".

 

[Paul F]

Watch the mesh

I installed a Perko sea stainer a few years ago. It had a small mesh which I thought would be good in staining out foreign matter. We had an algae bloom and the small mesh clogged up and over heated the engine. After installing a larger mesh screen the problem has not reoccurred. In this case straining out all material was not the best solution.

 

[kloudie1]

Re: New Project - Sea Strainer

That is great, MainSail.. I was fiddling with mine last week and it fell off the wall.. wet plywood.. Got the wood changed to treated wood and brought the Perko home.. Rebuilt last Friday , now going back in the boat on Wednesday.. I suspect the cover washer was leaking some air.. gaskets were at least 18 years old since I'd not changed them! I know they sell rubber but the parts sheet said that the older ones should use the cork. Seems like the rubber would be more durable .?? and the size should be about the same?