Checking your raw water sea strainer before every departure is one of the highest-leverage habits in marine maintenance.
Why It Matters
Your engine's cooling system relies on an unobstructed volume of sea water. Floating weeds, eelgrass, plastic debris, or silt kicked up in shallow basins can choke an intake basket in minutes. When intake flow drops, rubber pump impellers can degrade rapidly, leading to engine overheating.
The 30-Second Pre-Trip Checklist
- Visual check: Inspect the sight glass. If clogged, close the intake seacock before opening the strainer cap.
- Clean the basket: Empty all debris, rinse out sediment, and inspect the mesh for corrosion or tears.
- Inspect seals: Check that the lid gasket or O-ring is seated cleanly and lubricated with silicone grease so the pump does not draw air.
- Reopen the seacock: Verify the seacock is open and water flows once the engine starts.
Taking thirty seconds at the dock protects your cooling loop and keeps you running reliably on the water.
