Skin fittings and strainers

MikeBz

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I would like to replace the raw water strainers (engine and fridge cooling) on our new-to-us craft with modern basket-style easily-cleanable strainers (Vetus/Seaflo etc as are pretty standard these days). On the Essex & Suffolk rivers in mid to late summer I sometimes had to clean/empty the basket daily on our previous boat.

This is the engine strainer (with lid removed for inspection):

IMG_2024-01-28-105006.jpeg

The compartment where they are located is under one of the settees, below the waterline, no realistic place to locate them above the waterline either here or in the engine box. Vetus say their standard type 330 strainers should be above the waterline, I guess this would apply to the identical-looking Seaflo strainers as well. Vetus do make a strainer which they say is suitable for use below the waterline (heavy duty type 330 with Navidurin housing and metal lid) but it’s expensive (> 200 Euros) and doesn’t appear to be generally available in the UK.

I nearly had a heart attack when I got home and closely examined the pics I took at arms length down in the ‘cave’ above the keel well. Here is the engine intake skin fitting:


IMG_2024-01-28-104849.jpeg

That long black vertical line looks for all the world like a crack, although is could just be a strand of black gloop as there are other black bits around the interface between the skin fitting and the strainer housing. But then again, zoomed in:

IMG_2024-01-28-111146.jpeg

Next time I’m at the yard I will try to scrape away at it and see what changes. It isn’t possible to get your head down there to have a proper look. Maybe it’s looking ripe for replacement anyway? If I do replace it when I will probably go with Forespar or Trudesign, and do the same with the fridge intake. I suspect that both fittings are original 1993 and likely to be bronze. The turn of bilge is quite tight at this point on the outside, I guess they are bedded in with will fill the gaps fore/aft under the dome:

IMG_2024-01-28-103117.jpeg

I think it’s just a trick of the brain which makes the dome look curved to fit the hull.

Any comments/suggestions/feedback welcome.
 

Tranona

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I would look to locating them somewhere else. While it is useful to have the strainer immediately above the inlet it does not have to be. For example you could leave just a new intake there and run the hose into the engine compartment if there is room for the strainer there. No real need for non metal valves and fittings. DZR will be fine. I don't like the type you currently have as it puts far too much strain on the skin fitting and a simple ball valve, perhaps with an angled hose tail is all that is needed. Difficult to give specific suggestions without seeing the layout of the boat and where one might locate inlets and above water strainers.

That does look like a crack in the skin fitting but if it went right through one would expect to see water seeping through. Definitely needs replacing though.
 

PCUK

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Presumably there is a valve below the strainer. I would agree that changing the location of the strainer would be a good idea, but I would go further and also move the fittings to a place where they are easily accessible for inspection and service and easy to access to turn the valves off.
 

MikeBz

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Unfortunately there isn’t room in the engine compartment. The engine is boxed in extremely tightly under part of the galley worktop with removable access panels on all sides but no access and very little clearance) from above. I don’t like the leverage on the skin fitting of this arrangement either.

DZR vs composite, a complete 1.5” Trudesign seacock kit is £80, I think it would be difficult to get the whole caboodle in DZR for that.

The valve is on the black part in the first photo, you can just see the top of the handle behind. There really isn’t scope to move the skin fittings other than within the same compartment.
 

rogerthebodger

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f the seacock and strainer are in a difficult place to access quickly consider moving both to a place easier to get to in case you need emergency access. I did that to one of my head outlets after launch between tides
 

Tranona

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Unfortunately there isn’t room in the engine compartment. The engine is boxed in extremely tightly under part of the galley worktop with removable access panels on all sides but no access and very little clearance) from above. I don’t like the leverage on the skin fitting of this arrangement either.

DZR vs composite, a complete 1.5” Trudesign seacock kit is £80, I think it would be difficult to get the whole caboodle in DZR for that.

The valve is on the black part in the first photo, you can just see the top of the handle behind. There really isn’t scope to move the skin fittings other than within the same compartment.
Engine looks like it is 3/4" to the water pump. or maybe 1". 1.1/2" is for toilet outlets.

The strainer does not have to be in the engine compartment. Is there anywhere else above the waterline you can mount it?
 

MikeBz

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Yes my mistake on sizing, I’ve now clued myself up on BSP! That was just an example of pricing, I haven’t measured anything yet. I can’t see that there is anywhere else to put it without it being a long way from the engine, and then routing the hose might be difficult. I have now found a seller of the heavy duty Vetus strainer at a somewhat better price than in Europe. Not that I’m about to rush into anything. The boat is ashore and will be for a couple of months yet.

I do appreciate all the comments.
 

Halo

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I would say the boat is currently unseaworthy with the crack on the fitting. Glad you have time to sort it.
If you are getting regular weed / muck ingress then I suggest you need a larger capacity strainer with easy access and ideally a different intake point.
 

Refueler

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Strainers ..... my engine cooling intake is of course down at hull bottom .. the strainer is screwed to the seacock ... its a typical 1970 - 1980's affair.

Close seacock ... open the strainer top and lift out the metal gauze .. clean it - put back - screw top back on - open seacock. Its so easy - I can actually do it while engine still running !!

seacock-water-strainer-34-bsp-1423478844-l.jpg


seacock-water-strainer-34-bsp-1423478853-l.jpg
 

Refueler

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That is what the OP has, but it needs replacing and he was looking for alternatives.

Actually he may be looking for alternatives - but the fault is not the strainer - its the threaded part of the skin fitting itself ...

Also the one I highlighted and I have on board does not need a spanner to undo two nuts to remove the top plate .. it only needs a straight edge put between the two lugs and in seconds its off ...

I have the Vetus large pot strainer on my Yanmar in the other boat ...

dApSjBpl.jpg


Its nice - but I'm lucky that its in such an open convenient position. Having opened / cleaned - the centre threaded rod needs holding while refitting the pot / filter ... Yes its a good strainer - but I have reservations about having to sort in rough weather ... keeping the parts together while screwing it up. My old strainer on the other boat - no problem at all.
 
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harvey38

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I had the same as in post #9, I extended the intake hoses, made a hinged flap in the cabin sole and fitted a pair of these just below the flap. So much easier to check for debris regularly than having to scrabble around in the bilge, being above the water line, I don't have to shut off the intake valve either.
1706597818357.png
 

MikeBz

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Actually he may be looking for alternatives - but the fault is not the strainer - its the threaded part of the skin fitting itself ...

Well yes & no... it all started because I wanted to change the strainer to the modern type which is has a greater capacity, is easier to clean, and you can see through the lid so you know whether it needs cleaning. We get a lot of weed in our rivers in the summer, it's not unheard of for the strainer to need cleaning daily. Also a lot of silt & weed growth on the hull, so if you leave it for a week or more and then run the engine it immediately sucks up a load of bobbles of mud and weed. I suspect I will bite the bullet and spend on the below-the-waterline version of the Vetus strainer, but am thinking on it at present.
 

Refueler

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Well yes & no... it all started because I wanted to change the strainer to the modern type which is has a greater capacity, is easier to clean, and you can see through the lid so you know whether it needs cleaning. We get a lot of weed in our rivers in the summer, it's not unheard of for the strainer to need cleaning daily. Also a lot of silt & weed growth on the hull, so if you leave it for a week or more and then run the engine it immediately sucks up a load of bobbles of mud and weed. I suspect I will bite the bullet and spend on the below-the-waterline version of the Vetus strainer, but am thinking on it at present.

I berth one of my yachts at home and the entrance to my boat channel has a shallow sill. The reeds and weed grows there and at sides. My strainer will fill with weed / chopped reed from prop / mud when I exit / return ... its why I have become a dab hand at Close - remove filter - replace and open valve ... while engine still running.
I would not do it with the Vetus style on the other boat - takes longer to sort.

I understand your situation .. I think I am lucky that my strainers are in sensible locations as well ...

I like the smaller strainer TBH - then I know that I am not getting too much into engine before it needs cleaning.
 
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