cleaning raw water strainer?

[bsnively]

It looks like my strainer is clogged (boat started to overheat, but turned it off in time).

What's the best way to clean it out?

Thanks,
Ben

[bsnively]

some more detail may be in order.

It's a 2001 super air nautique -- and when I look under the boat (on the lift) -- I can see some slim hanging out. I don't know if I should just use thin tweezer and go from the bottom of the boat -- or do something more from the inside and shoot it out...

Thanks,
Ben

[bsnively]

I figured out my issue. at first I thought the water strainer was the grill at the bottom of the boat. After looking at the manual it talked about a canister in the engine bay that I took over, clean the screen, and shot water down the throw-hull hose to clean out the grill.

Ended up working great -- figured I would post.

Thanks,
Ben

[charlesml3]

You should be cleaning out this strainer several times a season. It takes just a few seconds and an overheated engine is a BAD THING. Just pull the mesh off and wash it with a water hose. Be careful not to blast the rubber o-ring into the lake.

-Charles

[bsnively]

Thanks for the heads up. Any good sources listing all the different items like that... Almost like the maintenance sheet for a car

Going to go through the manual again

The engine was only running a few seconds like that since I was right next tho my dock

Thanks
Ben

[Jpowell]

You should be cleaning out this strainer several times a season. It takes just a few seconds and an overheated engine is a BAD THING. Just pull the mesh off and wash it with a water hose. Be careful not to blast the rubber o-ring into the lake.

-Charles

Hi Charles, I haven't cleaned out the strainer but was looking at it. Do you just twist it off as it seemed to be on there really tight. Thanks!

[MN Ryan]

It should just unscrew unless the newer boats have some new-fangled strainer.

[NautiqueJeff]

The newer ones tend to swell up if they are left full of water. They can be a real pain to remove. You have to REALLY twist it.

[MN Ryan]

Are you supposed to routinely drain them? Mine stays full unless I unscrew it.

[charlesml3]

You need to clean the strainer on occasion. It'll get full of pine straw, leaves, etc and eventually start to constrain the water flow.

-Charles

[northernoak]

I clean mine out when switching to a different lake. Clean it out and then run the boat on garden hose for a few mins to flush old lake water. This way I'm taking out any possibility of transferring an invasive species. If I stay in/at the same lake I don't empty it unless I see it's getting full of debris.