Engine Operating Temperature

As the former owner of Richard's Dreamchaser (née Tug Dawg), it is with a sigh of relief that I read of the resolution of his problem. Interestingly, I had my C30 hauled yesterday to have the bottom powerwashed and, in addition to a ton of soft marine growth, every barnacle in the Chesapeake (except those on Dick's strainer) had taken up residence on my hull.

I too was surprised at the smallish size of both the main and generator strainers, though I've yet to have any temp problems.

As an aside, I gained 6 knots at WOT after wiping Gatsby's bottom!
 
Hello. We also experienced the same engine temperature increase this weekend while on the waters in the PNW. Our boat is trailered, so we have opportunity each time to check basically everything. When our temps soared this Saturday, we had been drifting in a small bay while crabbing. Heading across the channel to our anchor spot, we reached high temps and the alarm sounded. We were in 200 feet of water and in the middle of the shipping lanes, so we could do nothing but limp along until we got to our spot. It climbed slightly - normal is 178 and we were hovering around 195 or higher when around 2000 rpms - so we hobbled across. The temps reduced, and it looked like things had cleared up. We checked the sea strainer multiple times and while water was flowing, it wasn't like the normal flow, but we did have water. Overnight, we noticed that the toilet seemed to be struggling, but then it would clear as well. What is happening here is that the very soft, delicate algae is going to town. It is everywhere - it looks like hair. Some of it makes it to the sea strainer, a large portion seems to be lingering in the hull strainer. It seems this latest bloom is slightly clogging the lines. We pulled into 36 inches of water and my husband went hull diving and cleared out the mess under the hull. This gunk is so fine, that is it allowing a partial water flow, and it won't clear on it's own. It is just like getting hair stuck in a vacuum (we have four girls with long hair - trust us we know about this!). Some of the algae is making its way into the lines, but is still gunked up at the strainer on the hull - never makes it to the sea strainer. After he got the mess out of the strainer on the hull, the rest of the batch made it to the sea strainer, and we could get it out. Everything worked like a charm after that. This will cause us to keep a wet suit and dive mask on board! I'm not sure what the permanent solution is. This type of algea bloom only happens here when it is warm enough to get into the water...sigh...
 
DreadKnot":3bxb6p0h said:
...This will cause us to keep a wet suit and dive mask on board! I'm not sure what the permanent solution is. This type of algea bloom only happens here when it is warm enough to get into the water...sigh...
Click to expand...
I recently posted a thread on this topic. For grass, weed, etc. one can clear the strainer from a dingy with a scrub brush, preferably one with stiff bristles. It is easy to locate where the strainer is fore/aft by simply lifting the engine compartment hatch. Then with the brush it is easy to feel when you're on top of it. Hardest part of the job is holding the dingy against the side of the boat. It is possible to do solo but much easier with two people. What the brush doesn't get will then pass into the strainer.
 
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