Seawater for flushing - filter?

[RobG]

Just finished my wholesale replacement of the sanitary system. The current design draws seawater for flushing, same as the old system. Should I install a filter in the intake path? There is nothing there now. I'm in Eastern Long Island Sound so we're talking salt water, pretty clean though. I going the Odorlos rout.

Thanks!

 

[Chuckbear]

Rob, We have a sea strainer on our intake on our current boat, did not have one on the last boat. The strainer requires cleaning from time to time, with the non strainer system on the last boat, after 17 years we never had a problem. Chuck

 

[seadaddler]

Sure

Sure add one can't hurt unless you don't clean it out regularly but will make things cleaner going into the tiolet and will keep critters and sea weed out just will need to be cleaned out just like the engine intake screen.
I have not sailed LI sound in a few years and do kind of miss it some times but really enjoy sailing so much more in Florida with so much less on the hard time.
Nick

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Strainer maybe...maybe not

If you're in shallow water that has a lot of weeds and sea life, you definitely want a strainer in the intake. But if you're in deep water that's clean, prob'ly not...although Murphy's law (Murphy was actually an optimist!) dictates that's possible to suck up a minnow or jelly fish/sea nettle just about anywhere except a swimming pool, so it can't hurt to install one anywhere...'cuz you can never go too far wrong erring on the side of caution.

So it's up to you.

 

[RobG]

Thanks all.

I purchased one from this site as I always err on the site of caution. I'll be installing it this weekend.
Rob

Raritan In-Line Head Intake Strainer

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I purchased one from this site as I always err on the site of caution. I'll be installing it this weekend.

Put it above waterline in a location that's easily accessible to make cleaning it easy.

 

[catsailor]

I've been pondering this; about once per year I dock in a harbor that has enough floating grass to gum things up and require taking the pump apart. I was resisting, based upon extra cleaning and a potential leak point. Time to put it in, perhaps. On the other hand, once I learned about the deadly harbor, we just closed the sea cock and used a jug for 2 days. No big.

 

[Guest]

Strainers

Our boat came equipped with dual electric heads. Each has a through hull sea cock and raw water strainer below the waterline. Each year when I clean the strainer there is a small amount of marine grass that they catch. I recommend that you equip your boat in the same way.

Terry Cox

 

[SaltyHog]

My deck washdown pump draws from the same thru-hull as the head supply. Should the strainer strain that water as well? I'd think so but I was concerned that the strainer may impede the flow to the pump.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

My deck washdown pump draws from the same thru-hull as the head supply. Should the strainer strain that water as well? I'd think so but I was concerned that the strainer may impede the flow to the pump.

It might...but if you need a strainer to keep weeds and jellyfish etc out of the toilet intake line and pump, I'd think you'd also want to keep 'em out of your washdown pump.