overheating issues

my friend has 2 2004 volvo 5.7 gxi i/os in my 30 foot carver. I live in long Island and we have a bad eelgrass problem. Everytime he goes out his exchanger clogs with the seaweed and he has to clean them almost every trip. The seawater pickup is being pulled from the outdrives. Someone recommended southbay strainers thru hulls. Is this the best way to go. Also do the drives get cooled when the water is being picked up from them. Thanks for any info.

Re: overheating issues

It's always good to hear from an Islander!! (I was raised in Mattituck--East end) I'm not 100% sure on the thru hull idea due to your origional design, but the outdrives are not exactly cooled that way. Water goes through the sides of the inlet pickups on the drive and goes through the water pump, up a tube and directly to the exchanger. As the return water goes through the exhaust bellow and out the prop center. There are alot of sand bars in the Great South Bay and even a slow idle, or a reversing, kicks up sand & junk in low water, then it gets easily sucked in. There's no real good answer to this other than yearly maintenance on them and staying in deeper water.

You can't really stop the sand, but could you think about putting a screen over the intakes around the plastic to keep the grass out. I don't believe this would starve the amount of water needed..., but.. I'd give it a try and it will keep the grass out, but watch your temp gauge if you try this! Good luck,

~FB~

Re: overheating issues

OK was thinking that too. yea the sand isnt the prob its that eelgrass cloggin the exchanger right at the inlet of it