Laying up Volvo with Saildrive

[EdEssery]

My boat has a Volvo 2001 with a Saildrive. I'm laying her up in a couple of weeks and want to flush and protect the cooling circuit which is raw sea water.

The problem I have is I'm not sure how to do this. There's only a very short length of flexible hose on the inlet side of the water pump and it's in a position down the side of the engine which is nigh on impossible to get to - therefore I can't easily disconnect the pipework in the engine bay and put a hose in a bucket inside the boat.

As I recall the seawater inlet is actually a grill type affair on the saildrive leg - so it's not like a normal skin fitting you can insert a hose in externally.

How do others with this configuration flush the cooling system?

Any suggestions much appreciated.

Ed

Skybird
MG C27
K8452Y

 

[stretch33]

On my previous boat l had same set up - l used to disconnect the hose at the seacock on the leg and join a length of hose on there with a bit of pipe, think it was 15mm copper but can't be sure. Then stood bucket in saloon with hose filling it up. It was a bit awkward to get at but then its only once or twice a year. After a good flush out, run through some anti freeze solution.

 

[Guest]

I'm not sure what the leg looks like but would an outboard flushing clamp work over the grill?

 

[Miker]

Mine's a 2010 so probably completely different. I undo the sea water filter and stuff a hose into the outlet pipe (the one into the engine). I've wound a few lengths of plastic tape around the hose to get a tight fit. Then it's water into a bucket which is sucked by the hose into the engine.