I would like to clean my sea strainers. The 1.5" bolt on the top is absurdly tight. No go with a normal socket wrench. I'm thinking big breaker bar but I'm afraid it will live up to it's name. WTF? Both sides same deal.

May be time for the smokewrench.

Boat owner told me there is a small paper clip thick piece that you pull down and turn 90 degrees to unlock. Far away from it now so I can not investigate. Anyone know what he is talking about?

For the record if someone has this problem, on mine it is a spring loaded pin that needs to be pulled down. The cover has a bunch of holes in it and you tighten by hand until snug, release the pin, then go a little more until the pin finds the next hole. It was not tight at all, pin was holding it. It was the 1.5 inch bolt on top that had me thinking it was probably just tight when I didn't know how it worked.