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Jim
You're better off without a strainer over the through hull as they can clog easily and there is no way to clear them while in the water. A better idea is to install one of these inside to strain out debris. West Marine: Raw Water Strainer Product Display 710&Ne=0&Ntt=strainers&Ntk=Primary Search&Ntx=mode matchallpartial&Nao=0&Ns=0&keyword=strainers&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=11&subdeptNum=70&classNum=71
But there are better prices than West. Check Jamestown oe Defender.
Jim
Both types can clog. But the strainer type can't be unplugged in the water easily. With the open type you can remove the inboard end of the hose and put a rod or smaller hose through to clear it. As long as the inboard end of the hose reaches above the waterline no water gets in the boat.
Heresy Alert!
I don't have a strainer of any type in my raw water engine intake, and have not had a clog in the nine years of substantial sailing/racing on the upper Chesapeake. It may be very relevant that my boat has a saildrive, where the intake is a series of slots on the vertical drive section, located just aft of the keel. We do get grass caught on the keel leading edge, which is a frustration especially in a race, but none has made it into the engine intake.
Sorry to revive an old thread... I am getting considerable push back from the guys doing the bottom on leaving the strainer off. So I am posting here for moral support :laugher
Having dealt with many a plugged external strainer I no longer use them. No fun diving with a coat hanger. We get LOTS of floating crap in the water during spring tides that reach up on our 3000+ miles of coast line and pull all the crap on the beach back into the bays. I instead bump my intakes to 1" and use sweep ells as opposed to 90's before the 1" Perko 0493 series strainer. This allows the vast percentage of the stuff to make it to the strainer.
Once eel grass or similar gets into a slotted or round strainer it becomes nearly impossible to remove unless you have the ability to open it. The round opening style was designed specifically for sailboats and the holes are far better than the slotted type are keeping stuff out. If you put one on definitely go for the Groco round opening type. They are cheaper at Hamilton.
PS If you use a "scoop" strainer be sure to face it aft so it is not in "scoop" mode. The forward orientation is for power boats.
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