Sea Strainer.........

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Good idea or not worth the money or hassle? I have no experience with them so Pros and Cons? This would be for an HP500. Thanks!

[Havasu Cig]

Definitely worth it. Teague is installing a pair of their new 10" strainers on our boat while it is up there. I have trashed a couple impellers because of seaweed without them.

[BADBLOWN572]

If you are even considering running the boat in the ocean I would highly recommend installing them. Keeps a lot of the crap out of the impeller which will make it last longer. They will also cut down on the chances of getting sand/other impurities in the water jackets of the motor. I think that it is a no brainer if you are going to run in the ocean. If you are going to be running on the lake only, it is an option that is not required.

[cola]

Do you guys run sea strainers with water pickups in the outdrive or ? Teague told me not to. Didn't see how it would matter.
Thanks, Mike

[burtandnancy]

I've always run sea strainers for insurance. One on each motor, one on each chiller...

[Rexone]

Recent thread on Sea Strainers (http://www.***boat.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35825)
I'm going to move this thread to Gearheads because it's really a tech topic that doesn't fit in HSW well.

[BADBLOWN572]

Originally posted by cola
Do you guys run sea strainers with water pickups in the outdrive or ? Teague told me not to. Didn't see how it would matter.
Thanks, Mike
I've never had a problem running one with the pickup in the drive. I think that it is just a person's preference.

[Bow Tie Omega]

This may be a stupid question, but with all of the crap that a jet boat sucks up(I must have emptied 2 pounds of sand from my blocks cooling jackets) would anyone here consider running a strainer on a jet. I know it would not help the jet drive at all, but maybe keep the engine cooling jackets clean.

[Rexone]

None of the performance strainers will catch sand. Sand is too small.

[Essex502]

Then it sounds like a sea strainer is worthless on a lake - true?

[Havasu Cig]

I had one on the intercooler on our cat which was run only at Havasu. It did not catch much, but it did catch some plant material now and then that would have ended up in the intercooler without it. I would still use one.

[Havasu_Dreamin]

Originally posted by Essex502
Then it sounds like a sea strainer is worthless on a lake - true?
.............what E502 said. If it is not going to stop sand and if the boat is only used in the lake/river, then is a sea strainer even worth the ~$500 expense? It sounds like it would not prevent picking up any sand when you pull up to the channel, a cove, or the sandbar.

[Rexone]

Many lakes have weeds that grow up off the bottom to within a short distance of the surface. I've sucked these weeds up before into the plumbing and fried engines and seen it happen numerous times. Some lakes it isn't an issue. Depends on where you boat I guess. Places like Clear Lake are really bad. The desert lakes and Parker not as bad but they do have these types of weeds in places. Usually it sucks something up at idle then fries the motor a couple miles down the lake if you're not right on top of the gauges and being attentive.
Is it worth it for sand? No, does nothing for sand.
Definately works on weeds, plastic, other trash, wood chips etc... all things that will spell disaster if caught in a inlet fitting for instance. And yes it happens more often than you might think.
And if you run at all in the ocean it's a no brainer with all the kelp and crap out there.
:)

[burtandnancy]

The only thing that will remove sand and silt is a centrifugal seperator mounted ahead of the strainer. It will remove 98/99% of the sand. I've never seen one used on pleasure boats, only heavy duty or industrial applications. When they have the right flow they will remove even diatamacous earth (pool filter media). If you have a jet boat, use your paddle more often...

[LUVNLIFE]

My .02.
If you go through the expense of installing a blower and intercooler, it's not that much more for a strainer. Cheap insurance. Cum On. No junk:D :D

[Three Days Only]

Forget the fact that it keeps foreign materials out of your impellors and motors. Most important is the fact that it allows your motor to have a large capacity of extra water to suck off while your airing out your ride and helps stop the airation problems caused by poor pickups, or aeriated water around your drives. A must have for anyone planning on major time in the salt, or running on super ruff lakes like havasu on most busy weekends.
Just my .02

[Lakeshow]

My .02 - The thru hull pick-up is the most important part of the equation for lake or river running. The reason being, in the event of an inadvertant run in with a sand bar your with your water pick up being in your outdrive that is where the sand is going to be picked up. However, with the thru hull pick up your outdrive can be stuck in the mud and you are still going to pick up relatively debris free water.
I had a low water pick-up and had such an encounter with a "unmarked submerged obstruction" and ended up plugging my oil cooler and frying an HP500.

[Havasu Cig]

3DO,
That is why I went with Teagues new 10" strainers. Lots of water while the drives ar not in the water.:cool:

[Three Days Only]

Originally posted by Havasu Cig
3DO,
That is why I went with Teagues new 10" strainers. Lots of water while the drives ar not in the water.:cool:
Those strainers are real nice !! Very large capacity.
When is your boat going to be back up and running? Im looking at another 5-6 weeks. Maybe we can take a run out to catalina?
3DO

[Havasu Cig]

I just got off the phone with Teague...I am picking it up tomorrow morning.
New strainers, new billet top caps, fixed drive and new impellars. Should be good to go whenever. Let me know.