Do Not Change Your Generator Water Line Inlet!
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- čas přidán 24. 12. 2023
- As we had three incidents where seaweed clogged our Westerbeke generator's cooling line this past summer, I wanted to determine a way to alleviate that happening in the future. As I mention in this video, my initial thought was to add a scoop style strainer where the through hull fitting is located. But before proceeding with that, I reached out to Westerbeke (the manufacturer of our generator) to get their official thoughts on the situation. Unfortunately, their recommendation was to NOT add a strainer like that, as there is a potential of water being forced through the line (while under way, with the generator not running) and finding its way into the exhaust and head. Of course, that would be potentiality catastrophic on the engine, which is not a good thing. . .
For more info, check out he Westerbeke site ( www.westerbeke.com/index.htm ). There, you can find installation manuals that cover this issue, including the one for our genny (www.westerbeke.com/installati... ).
If you want to see more of the fun I had in dealing with seaweed - and fish parts - clogging our generator's cooling line, watch this video here; • Seaweed Clogs Our Boat...
For a look at all of the projects I've done (continue to do) on this beautiful Sea Ray Sundancer, as well as on our previous boats, have a look at nearly 100 projects in my 'How I Did It - Boat Repairs And Upgrades' playlist, here; • How I Did It - Boat Re...
Learn about how we bought this beautiful Sea Ray Site Unseen! Full story here; • Buying A Boat - Sea Ra...
I hope you'll also follow along with my Blog (boatingwithboogaboo.wordpress...) for lots more boating content from our past 25 years of loving this incredible boating lifestyle!
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Filmed October, 2023.
Boat Specs;
- Model: 1998 Sea Ray 370 Sundancer
- Length (bow to transom): 37-6", LOA (with factory swim platform): 40'-1"
- Beam: 12'-7"
- Engines: 2 x 7.4 litre (454 Cubic Inch) Mercruiser Bluewater, Multi-Port fuel injection, gasoline,
raw water cooled, rated at 310 HP
- Transmissions: 2 x Borg Warner Velvet Drives, in Vee-Drive configuration
- Performance: Average cruising speed 22MPH on plane @ 3,200 RPM
- Dry Weight: 17,000 lbs
- Fully Loaded Weight: Boat + Fuel (1,664) + Water (580) + Gear (1,250 +/-) = 20,500 LBS
- Fuel Capacity: 275 U.S. gallons ~ 1,040 litres * Usable Capacity 261 US Gallons ~ 989 litres
- Freshwater Holding Tank Capacity: 70 US Gallons ~ 58.3 Imperial Gallons ~ 265 litres
- Poop Holding Tank Capacity: 40 US Gallons ~ 33.3 Imperial Gallons ~ 151 litres
- Draft: 32”
- Dead Rise: 20 degrees
- Generator: Westerbeke 7.2 Kw BCGTC @ 60 Hz, gasoline powered & carburated, 3,600 RPM continuous engine speed
- Dual reverse cycle heating/air conditioning units, 19,000 (total) BTU (12 + 7)
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- Google Pixel 6 Pro + iPhone 12 for still photos + supplemental video
- Editing done with Vegas Movie Studio 11
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Happy Boating :-)
Thanks for posting this. Went back through the photos and sure enough my inlet didn't have a scoop or slotted grille. Not sure if I added one, but if I did it will be simple enough to remove. I swapped out all of the through hulls to non-metal Forespar units, so the scoops are screwed on.
This is the reason I watch your videos.
Glad it helped bring the potential issue to mind. And I'm glad I contacted Westerbeke before installing a scoop grille.
Thanks for an excellent reminder that sometimes what seems to be a logical and obvious ‘fix’ may not be the right thing to do. Merry Christmas! 🎄
This was surprising. Glad I contacted Westerbeke on the issue.
Hi Paul. My boat's a '99 340 and I had the very same experience as you this season, including sucking up a fish while along side at Swift Rapids and ruining the impeller. In my three seasons with this boat this is a new phenomenon. It plagued our entire two weeks on the Trent and I was constantly monitoring any time the genny ran - detracting from my enjoyment.
Like you I've been planning a change to the scoop/strainer intake - I'm so glad you were wise enough to reach out to Westerbeke and share their response. Thank you. My quick thought is to install a remotely controlled seacock which is only open while the genny is running, which will in turn need an interlock to prevent forgetting it open or closed...sigh. Let's see how next season goes first! Best, P
Not sure if you saw one of my previous videos, but we also had the generator suck up fish parts as well ( czcams.com/video/gw1x-rCWrEs/video.htmlsi=szl8tc0J7TtIxUwS ). That was surely due to the couple who were fishing the entire day before and of course, to make as much room in their 5 gallon bucket to carry their 'under limit' haul, they were also cleaning them and tossing fish guts in the water at the dame time. Insert P****D O** emoji here.
Yes, it seems like the seaweed problem gets worse every year here on Lake St. Clair. Part of it is from the zebra/quaga muscles. They filter the water so much light gets down 10 to 12 feet and the weeds can grow better. Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!
A few years after the zebra mussels invaded Lake Simcoe, the seaweed was reaching the surface in 30' deep water! If you watch may Trent Severn Waterway cruises, you'll see that many of the smaller lakes are almost completely covered in seaweed, with only the marked channels being navigable . . . czcams.com/play/PLKhjT5kr2l2EFaPCqEgjxYofTvO9Mbh81.html
That is so interesting! Good thing you reached out to them for advice before performing the change.... like I would have! 😉
I think so too!
We have had the same issues with our generator. On the last haul out i installed that scoop 😮, we have been running the Gulf ICW for six weeks now, we have not noticed any issues, yet. The water is only 55° so I'll have to wait to remove it. Ugh.... thanks for the information.
I was so *frustrated* with the issue - especially repeating itself three times in as many weeks - I was fully committed to installing the scoop I shared in this video. Glad I contacted Westerbeke before Boogaboo was hauled out and I had a chance to actually perform that change 😁
I guess we'll just keep an eye out for passing seaweed when running the genny this coming season. . .
BTW, I watched your Short from Destin and noticed you wearing cool weather gear. And then I remember our first time visiting the snow white beach of Destin, also right around New Years, and I can still feel the ice cold water on my feet. But, you know, us Canadians are a little crazy when it comes to Florida beaches, eh 🤪
Our boat has a Kohler generator that has an open through hull port as well. I've always wondered why there isn't a screen...now I know.
Ya, kinda counterintuitive IMO, but I guess they had bad experiences in the past and figured how to overcome it by deleting the strainer. As I mentioned, that was the first time (and 2nd and 3rd) in 13 seasons of running our generators in similar conditions (sometimes at the exact same locations) on our three boats, so this was a real surprise to us.
Oh well, that's boating ;-)
wow. I want to check my boat now as I think I have a strainer/scoop style pick up for my westerbeke. Though in three full seasons have not had any issues. Merry Christmas.
When we bought our Sedan Bridge, the first boat of ours with a genny, I contacted both Sea Ray and Westerbeke to ask if it was okay to run it while underway. They both replied that it was, and have done so on all the subsequent boats with no issues. Apart from our current Sundancer, I can't recall if the previous boats had scoop style strainers in those pickups, but this past season was the first time in 13 seasons that we had issues and I'm glad to have learned that a strainer isn't a good option.
I guess the only thing we can do is try to keep an eye out for concentrations of Sea weed when docked for the day. Not sure how I'll be able to watch for fish parts underwater though 😉
On my first boat I had seaweed get wrapped around the outdrive and started to overheat the engine. Was able to clear it but glad I caught it early enough
Had that same issue once with the outboard on our dinghy. Too much seaweed is never good 😳
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!!
Beautiful boat!
Thank-you. We agree!
How you loving that beautiful Sedan Bridge of yours??
@@BoatingWithBoogaboo I love it!
Hey Paul,
Merry Christmas from Virginia!
I have a question related to this video. I have heard of several people in my marina who have installed a system so that they can run their generator and even AC/Heat systems while their boat is elevated in their lifts out of the water. They have "extensions" that reach back down to the water and allow for normal water cooling operation. Now it's not so important for the generator other than to be able to run it for maintenance/system checks, but for the AC it is very nice to be able to do this when overnighting in your own slip. Have you seen this done and do you have any suggestions for products to accomplish this "extension" back to the water from a lifted vessel? I've been keeping my boat on the lift but still partially floating in the past but am intrigued by this possibility. Thanks for your thoughts in advance!
Merry Christmas to you as well, Robert!
As for the water line extensions, I've never seen such a thing, but it sounds doable to me, as one would still be pulling water from whatever body of water they were located on (above). The only thing that comes to mind would be that the water pump (pulling the water) being able to handle the extra vertical 'lift' needed to overcome the height from the water's surface.
As for us, that would never be something we would do, as when our boat has been lifted out of the water, it usually means the end of the season for us, with freezing temps on the horizon. Check it out; czcams.com/video/NUcq0boAbt4/video.html
Boat on Georgian Bay - clean, clear water, no seaweed, lol! Pretty crazy to see all that seaweed. We have boated for over 30 years with generators and never experienced that. Pretty annoying for sure.
Boat on Georgina Bay you say?? Wouldn't know what that looks like ;-) czcams.com/play/PLKhjT5kr2l2FDUSJ32njBNbTBkNmAS1S1.html
@@BoatingWithBoogaboo Not bad, but that is 25 to 30% of G’Bay. :Lots more to explore. We have met many Loopers over the past few years and most agree that Northern Georgian Bay plus the North Channel are the highlights of the entire Loop. We boat out of Parry Sound on our 38’ so we at the start of the best of G-Bay. You would notice a big difference in the traffic level in Southern G’Bay since the time when most of these videos were shot. It has become significantly busier over the past 5 or 6 years and not just Loopers.
Thanks Paul! Have you thought about a tee-fitting before the strainer but after the through hull? You could attach a shop-vac or compressor with the through hull closed, turn on the air and open the through hull to push out the debris? They also make plastic quick connects to attach to the tee and the forced air option you use to make this a less messy job. Thoughts?
Sounds like a lot of work. Besides, the genny would have to be running to power the shop vac 😂
Happy New Year to you and Jackie! 🎆🎊 I’ve been following your channel for a couple of years now. I’ve heard you say multiple times you prefer gas engines over diesel engines. Can you share your thoughts on why? Is it maintenance cost/ease, exhaust fumes, smell of diesel, all of the above? We love our 2001 Sundancer 310 we bought in 2022 but are already thinking about what the next boat might be. I single hand the boat quite a bit so the Sundancer layout is great for docking solo. In a few years I’d like to transition to a larger live aboard boat with a stackable washer-dryer (no all in one) but not sure I’m ready to give up that wonderful Sundancer layout. I really hate laundromats though!!
And a big Happy New Year to you as well!
As for diesel, yes, all of the above. Cannot stand the stink of diesel fuel and the exhaust makes me nauseous. If you are looking for a boat that would be able to accommodate a stacking washer/dryer combo, it would be 55-70' +++ in length. Anything longer than 42' will be powered by diesel, as gas engines don't have the power to move those heavy boats.
That all said, take a look at the 480 Sedan Bridge. They came with a built-in washer/dryer - an all in one, but considering how much one would really use it, might be a reasonable solution for your needs?? And that boat is a beauty :-)
@@BoatingWithBoogaboo Thanks very much for sharing this. I think the only way I would want diesels is if I was buying a passage maker trawler to cross oceans or a large 50’ live aboard boat to be used as a dock princess (limited cruising - focus on comfort). I agree that diesel fumes really detract from the many pleasures of boating, being on the water and enjoying what should be clean fresh (or salty) air. My friends 1992 Sundancer 310 has 7.4L big blocks, he loves them and I can see why. Sea Ray’s underwater exhaust makes gas inboards even better - so clean and quiet.
It looks like the inlet is on the port side , and the port side is next to low water on many anchorages , could the inlet be moved or could you dock with the starboard side next to shallow water to test this ?
The through hull is actually on the starboard side,but not by much. Moving it anywhere different wouldn't solve this issue, IMO, as it's the passing water under the hull that would be the same,no matter where the inlet was located. Watch the video I linked to to see where we were - tied up against a lock approach wall, not at anchor.
How do you know if its overheating
As a water cooled engine, once the flow of water is impeded, the sound gets a lot louder and the exiting exhaust water becomes steam. Not a pretty situation...