silver93t

Looking for some opinions. I have a 99 Checkmate 251 with a Mercruiser 7.4 and Bravo ll drive. Yesterday was the third time I sucked up sand and trashed the sea pump impeller, ruining my family's plans for the holiday weekend.

I live right off a lagoon in Brick NJ and there is a sandbar right at the inlet.
At low tide there is only about 3 ft of water and very difficult to get out without running aground. I have to have the drive trimmed up all the way to have a chance and then it is difficult to maintain steering control.

Boat is mostly stock mechanically. Has a decent sized Perko strainer mounted on the transom. Seems sand just goes through the screen. Right after I struck sand the boat began to overheat. I popped open the strainer and it was jam packed with sand. I cleaned it out but couldn't get the sand out of the water lines so I limped back to my house. I then back flushed the strainer. Next I popped off the water lines at the 4 way water manifold that holds the thermostat and back flushed each of them. At this point I could see rubber chunks of the water pump impeller in the strainer. Flushed that all out and put back together to test it and very little to no raw water is being pulled in and the boat heats up. Is there a better strainer I can get to prevent the sand from making it to the pumps? What about a brass water pump impeller? The pickups on the drive are located low at the front of the bullet. I've been told to get mid or high pickups but not sure the cost and what is involved.

I pay triple the taxes compared to across the street because I am on the water. The town refuses to dredge. It's at the point where im looking to hire an atourney and sue the town for damages to my boat as well as my neighbors boats. It seems the few neighbors with smaller boats/outboards have an easier time. Those with larger boats like myself have trouble getting out. Temporarily I could always trailer to and launch at the free ramp up the street but that defeats the purpose and convenience of living on the water. Thanks and hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial day weekend.

Revd Up

I would get rid of the low water pick up and go with a dual water pick up. The low water pick ups just vacuum the bottom. I had the same problem . I took off my IMCO lower and went back to a stock dual water pick up lower and things are so much better. You could buy a complete lower with dual water pick ups, or just get a dual water pick up case and have everything transferred into it.

phragle

iTrader: (3)

A bravo 2 with a low water pickup?? Bravo 2s are already extra deep. stick a regular bravo on it

silver93t

Might be regular bravo. Can't remember and boat is in the water currently. I think changing the pickups is the best solution just not sure how cost and labor intensive that is. What are the benefits from low water pickups?
​​​

Gimme Fuel

You likely have a Bravo I drive. A 251 Checkmate doesn't have the drive high enough to need a low-water pickup. The standard side pickup is what you need. It is not hard to change a lower unit, and you should be able to find a decent used lower, or maybe you could trade lowers with someone who needs a low-water pickup drive but has the standard.

A brass sea-pump housing still uses a rubber impeller and will still shred an impeller just as fast if there is no water flow. Changing the lower to side inlets will likely completely solve your issues once you get everything cleaned out.

Be sure to flush your block too, as they can fill up with sand as well.

scarabman

iTrader: (1)

What was already said, side pickup lower unit. I am in Toms River and low water pickups cause quite a bit of trouble in the Barnegat Bay and backwater areas due to shallow locations.

If you flushed everything well and installed new impeller only, it is possible the housing itself got heavily scored causing your current issues

silver93t

I haven't logged on here in a while but my problem has been solved. I had Protechnologies in Brick add side pickups to the Bravo One drive so it is now dual pickup. I previously thought that low water pickups meant for shallow water but as I understand now they are physically lower on the drive. Also did a Mercury stainless seapump and Hardin marine strainer which was relocated from the transom where it was too high next to the motor on the starboard side. I now rarely get anything in the strainer even if I brush the bottom. Still fighting with the town to dedge but there seems to be some movement on this so thats a positive sign.