Colonic irrigation for saildrive

[Spuddy]

I've been tussling with raw water cooling for a while. Exhast elbow needed doing but didn't sort problem. Impeller checked of course. Did the Rydlyme treatment through the block. Better but still no GLOOP GLOOP at tickover. Tthe boat settles into Medway mud at half tide ....could there be clogging in the saildrive leg inlet. Improvised the mains hose to fit the seacock and gave it a good long backflush. SUCCESS. Never come across mention of this before.

 

[Halo]

Nice one. I have heared a few reports of mussels and other critters setting up home and blocking the inlets but not mud. I expect most people dont regularly dry out their sauldrive legs into mud and those that do should flush them out occaisionally as you have done.

 

[Halo]

Nice one. I have heared a few reports of mussels and other critters setting up home and blocking the inlets but not mud. I expect most people dont regularly dry out their sauldrive legs into mud and those that do should flush them out occaisionally as you have done.

 

[Tranona]

If this is an ongoing issue then it might be better to have a separate raw water intake with a seacock. Less likeely to get bunged up in the first place and easier to clear.

 

[Spuddy]

Agreed, tranona. I have the bits and plan to do that when next ashore.

 

[Slowtack]

I use this to clear the saildrive
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Brows...546/c_3/3|cat_33007546|Air+pumps|33014904.htm
Also have a separate skin fitting for Plan B

 

[philwebb]

I use this to clear the saildrive
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Brows...546/c_3/3|cat_33007546|Air+pumps|33014904.htm
Also have a separate skin fitting for Plan B

Hi Slowtack, I couldn't find that part on the Argos website. Could you give the catalogue number please?
I've fitted an inline water filter on my sail drive this summer as I got an overheat due to a bit of seaweed and
a small mussel shell in the heat exchanger. I don't have the space for the bigger type of strainer.

 

[Slowtack]

Philwebb - Its the £9.99 double action stirrup type air pump at the bottom of this page. Careful to keep the inlet valve shut until you have it hooked up securely!
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Brows...546/c_3/3|cat_33007546|Air+pumps|33014904.htm

 

[VicS]

This the one ?

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9152825.htm

 

[Lucky Duck]

I have used the dinghy pump successfuly to clear a blocked saildrive intake (only a dribble coming through the seacock when fully open) and helped clear the heads intake from a similar blockage last week

 

[Slowtack]

Looks like it. Halfords sell a similar model.