recommendations on thru hulls, sea strainers?

[JeremyD]

I broke one of the seacocks on the starboard thru hull going to the sea strainer.

It was fun changing out the raw water pump with no cut off. Thank goodness for new bilge pumps.

So I guess that will be on my list of things to replace (the list is getting larger not smaller)

Any recommendations? I know a few have recommended the external strainers - is there any loss in performance with these extending into the water flow? Would you recommend totally replacing the thru hulls/strainers and seacocks on both? I guess they are 24 years old.

[CaptPatrick]

http://bertram31.com/proj/tips/strainers.htm

[Tommy]

Jeremy,

Patrick installed the external strainers on Island Girl and we ran her for nine years (Yanmar 315 HP Diesels) with zero problems.

[JeremyD]

Thanks Tommy - good to know. I have to admit - I like the idea of the external ones.

[Mikey]

What Tommy said. External strainers are the stuff.

[Rawleigh]

I had internal strainers so I left them and added external ones. I have not had anything in the internal ones since. The only thing to watch for with the externals is that barnacles will get in the stainless screen after the electrolysis kills the bottom paint. If you see engine temps rise later in the season you may need to scrape them, at least on the Chesapeake Bay or other area of heavy fouling. Of course if I used the boat as much as i should that wouldn't be a problem, right?