Are they a real big deal. I never did much sea travel because I have seen the kelp beds. I could see where the intercooler could get plugged, but if you are careful can you get by without one? I was thinking of putting a small one on just the intercooler. Thoughts?

Why not install a good one(s) for the motor(s) cheap insurance IMO Also if you add a port and a ball valve to the plumbing they make for a nice spot to connect a flushing hose, just make sure you open the ball valve before you start the motors. It's overkill, but I am running them on my lake boat with heat exchangers and closed cooling. With a clear lid it is also easy to make a quick check to see water is flowing.

Good ones are expensive. Like about 600 each . I got a 2 yo kid lol . So i would have to not go on the ocean or just put little ones on the intercoolers . Maybe i should have put this in boating on a budget

Look in the swap shop... I bought 2 Stainless ones that looked like new for 250.00 and they came with 1 1/4" ball valves.

And 2 YO is nothing, I have a 15 YO Daughter. Just wait, it does NOT get cheaper...

I was never a believer,until last year when my mechanic was adamant about installing one. I run on Long Island where seaweed is always a problem. Installed one this year,after running for a few hours and hauling it out to trailer it home,this is what was inside the strainer. I couldn't believe it. I was shocked. My mechanic informed me that it's the water pressure that pushes all the crap in there

Egads! Been years since I've seen one of those. Shave that thing. All bs aside I Couldn't agree more. I've seen blocks literally filled with sand also. Even a couple of used strainers you can usually find realitively inexpensive and is cheap insurance.

Getrdunn isn't lying- my blocks were one of the ones he saw filled with sand. My new engines have strainers on them and one of the strainers already needs the weeds cleaned out of it. It's not just for your blocks, but your oil coolers will also get clogged! As they say- pay now or pay later. Paying later is usually 4x more than now though!

Chad, give me a call. I have a couple of new ones that I do not need.
Al 219 670-0082

Sounds like your at a crossroads. Make the call. Nothing is cheap what we do however good decisions can prevent a lot of unnecessary expenses.

My boat has the old style factory fountain thru transom water pickups. On the bottom of the pickup, they welded a plate on to it, that has a bunch of little holes drilled in it. Like 1/8 or so diameter holes. While I also have sea strainers, nothing is ever in them, because nothing ever gets past the pickups.

One time I was idling thru a harbor that had a ton of sea weed floating at the surface. My water temp began creeping up at idle. I knew some seaweed must have been sucked up against the pickup. Shut that engine off for a few seconds, sea weed floated away from the pickup, and was good to go.

Its a really neat setup, that works well. Not sure why more pickups don't get designed that way.