MikeBz
Well-known member
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):

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:

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:

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:

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

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:

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:

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:

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.