I'm gettin' ready to head to the beach and would like to know your knowledge and thoughts on sea strainers?

they are a must if you boat in salt water. eel grass and seawed are a major cause of over heating and you do not want that stuff cloging your oil cooler or heat exchanger. then you'll have trouble. hardin marinr offers a top notch one.

good luck

I have a GIL offshore strainer. Has an easy removeable lid for clean out.

I almost burned my engine up the first time out. I had one the next time out.

I had a Gil strainer on my 2000 29 Fountain. It saved my butt a few times. Back then the Gil or Stainless marine were about the only ones to chose from. Now Teague, Trick and many others make them. Call Fred at Trick Marine, he has some nice ones and is a great person to deal with.

My Fountain is first boat that I have owned that has had a sea strainer, and I have know idea what the proper way to use it is. Does your boat have to be on a trailer in oreder to open and clean out your sea strainer or can it be done in the water?

Deltarat,

I have cleaned mine out when in the water or else I would have not been able to get running again. T here was no beach or shore to put it on to clean it out. Once I pulled the lid I was " what you say" pretty damn quick in cleaning it out. It going to let some water in the engine compartment but the bilge pump will clean it out.

I'm sure you'll have more input on this one.

I'm going to put one in mine very soon along with a check valve so I can clean out while in the water without having to be "fast" about it. Other than the strainer and the valve itself, is there any other things I need to be buying? Every strainer I've seen has threaded connections, do they come with the pieces that are threaded at one end and not at the other? Or do I need to buy those as well?

hardin marine has the best unit. ease of install due to design. bunged for a flush . you'll need 2 inlet niple's a flush niple and a 1"n.p.t ball valve, this way you can flush in water. here's a sample of an clean install. the hardin unit has a conical mesh screen which helps shred sea weed and also increases surface area of the screening capacity.

We favor the Team KPM strainers. We also have stainless fittings and polished stainless ball valves.The fittings are much better looking than the chrome over brass or raw brass plumbing fittings some use.

These are the strainers that Skater is currently using to rig their boats.

Several sizes available, these sea strainers feature rotatable brackets and multiple inlets and outlets for ease of installation.

Thanx for the input and suggestions it seems obvious strainers are the way to go. Peace.