Raw water intake

[Just Limin']

Was running fine today for an hour at 7.5 knots on our R25SC. Noticed that the temp gauge went up from 196 to 197 and saw light smoke from the exhaust. Found almost no water in the strainer. Used a couple of plastic wands to see if there was anything blocking either side of the strainer. Found nothing. Water would fill the strainer until it overflowed. Closed the strainer. Started the engine and all the water was sucked out of the strainer and it made a sound like air had been sucked out and I could see a half inch of the rubber gasket was stretched out. Shut down the engine. Checked the gasket and found it to be in good shape. Let it fill with water, tightened the strainer top down and tried again. No luck. Can't understand why it would be running fine and just overheat, unless I sucked something into the strainer. Was able to limp back to my pier. Will have a diver look at it in a couple of days. Impeller was replaced two months ago. Thoughts appreciated. I think the boat is out to drive me nuts...

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

Try closing the thru hull fitting, take the sea strainer cap off. Get a water hose that you can start and stop water flow from the cockpit engine compartment. Have someone start the engine while you let water flow into the sea strainer. If it backs up (doesn't pull water thru the system and out the exhaust) turn the engine off asap.....you probably need to replace your impeller....even thou it just replaced 2 months ago. If the engine, on the other hand, takes the water and exhausts it then you most likely have an obstruction under the boat. Let us know what the final cure is for the problem.

 

[Bill & Donna Sibbers]

Hello, Same thing happened to our R31 on way home from Roche Harbor Monday. We stopped in Des Moines to fuel. Used fresh water hose from dock to back flush the hose from raw water intake - a large gob of seaweed had blocked the thru hull strainer when I attempted to go to high speed and filled the strainer. As you described, engine would suck all the water from the strainer and not refill. Am planning to purchase a bellows type toilet plunger with an adaptor to do the same when out in the wild. The high tides have floated a lot of seaweed and debris recently.

Bill Sibbers
Sea Natural
R31

 

[dencarst]

I have had this problem for years for both on my R25 & R27. I pull the boat out the water and clean the raw water intake at least 3 times a year. I have used the blaster limited success. This my biggest problem I have had with Ranger Tugs. But still build the best boat for money.

Dennis
Tug of my Heart 11

 

[Just Limin']

Thanks gentlemen for the advice. When I went to the boat this morning, the raw water strainer was filled. Sooo, I started it up. Ran fine, good draw by the impeller and good exhaust. Ran it at the pier, including in forward. I imagine something had blocked the intake and fell off during the night...or the good boat fairy visited my slip. A diver will take a look in a couple of days and also clean the bottom. I must admit I'm now gun shy and afraid this will happen again. Marine growth on the Chesaoeake Bay has been especially bad this year. Maybe there's a better hull mounted intake strainer out there?

 

[baz]

Maybe it was a short-lived Jellyfish. 🙂

 

[Hydraulicjump]

I like the good boat fairy hypothesis. Sometimes, things improve overnight.

But my experience with the boat fairy is not all good. If it has happened before, and is neither discovered or addressed, it will happen again.
Typically when you least expect it and lack capacity to handle it, of course. Murphy had boats before he made laws. Or contractors. Or both.

It is a vengeful fairy sometimes.

 

[Longbranch Louie]

As a prior poster stated, sometimes the blockage will dry out the strainer only at higher RPMs. don't run it till your sure. My strainer got plugged with a salad of lilypads and it acted like a flap valve and only stopped the flow at higher RPM. Everything appeared normal while the boat was at an idle. Ive been thinking a go pro on a pole might come in handy to check out blockages and crab pot/prop encounters.

 

[pugtug613]

On the Great South Bay on Long Island, we put a "South Bay Strainer" on all our thru hulls. It's basically a bronze cover with a series of small holes, instead of those long slots. Look on line. They just screw to the hull (use short screws) with a Life Caulk, or equivalent. I'll be changing mine this year. I just got the boat in April and I keep it in the water. Haven't had a problem yet, but the eel grass has not been too bad this year. I check my strainer regularly.

 

[PhilR]

If you trailer your boat, the add on strainer may be damaged by, or tear up your trailer bunk. My R 27 rides on a Float On trailer and the factory seacock intake has torn the carpet and the wood. An add on would make it worse.

Phil

 

[Todd]

About a year ago there was a similar thread. Search for Drain Blaster, which was the solution I recommended at that time.

Google "DiversiTech GG-1 Charles Gallo Drain Gun for A/C Condensate Lines"

Three weeks ago I was on the Rideau Canal in Canada, locally known as the Weedo, when my engine temp started to rise. There happened to be a marina near by so I motored in to use their hose to back flush the intake. Tried several times, no luck, I could see that the water was just not coming into the strainer fast enough, the engine would suck the strainer dry and only a trickle was coming in. I got out the Drain Blaster, gave one blast into the line from the strainer to the through hull, a big blast of bubbles surfaced around the boat and the problem was solved. the rapid back flush of the water in the line, followed by the release of the CO2 gas cleared the blockage and I was on my way. This is the best little device to add to your tool bag.

 

[Just Limin']

Problem solved. The diver brought up a clump of marine growth that looked like a 5 by 7 inch, one inch thick sponge made of marine growth. It had molded itself to the intake. It's a wonder I got any water in at all. It was the best $75 I've ever spent!

 

[baz]

My understanding from Andrew when at the recent Seattle Boats Afloat the other week is that Ranger is now making the raw water pickup grate opening larger to reduce the suction pressure at the grate opening. Presumably this will help reduce the chance of sucking up marine debris. I don't know when Ranger began this modification, but do know it was implemented on the new R-29. 😱 ...all part of 'modernising' the product line and improving things for owners. 🙂