Mel,

I will send part of this to the TWL, but this is just for you.

<< I've needed something like this the last couple of
seasons on the Chesapeake.  Just about the time you need your air
conditioners
the most coincides with sea nettle season.  I keep sucking them into the
intake and shutting down the water flow.  A pain in the arse.  Seems like
this
mud shoe would prevent this.  I don't think I've ever seen them.  Are they a
standard piece of hardware?  Where can they be obtained?  How are they
attached?  Do they have to be through-bolted?

A mud shoe is just a big strainer. Check page 461 of the West Marine catalog.
Two are shown on the bottom right side, made by Groco and Perko. Boat US,
page 471, has one made by Buck-Algonquin. Smaller ones are also shown in both
catalogs, but the term "mud shoe" as I have heard it used, means the big
ones. Mine are just attached with short screws that have been bedded with
sealant. I didn't install them, but they have stayed put and don't leak, so I
left them. I know of the short screws because I had to do some work on one of
the thru-hulls. It was just replaced as it came off.

On my old sailboat, I had to build out the hull with a fiberglass fairing
because the hull was curved and the strainer was flat.

<<One thing you want to consider when using a wedge type cover over a through
hull. The wedge types force water up into the through hull. On a generator
that is off, they apparently can push water past the raw water pump and
into the muffler. If the generator is not running and no exhaust is pushing
the water out of the muffler there is a danger that water can back up into
the cylinder head and possibly through a open exhaust valve into the
cylinders. >>

Frank Burrow's warning is very true and appropriate, especially for high
speed boats. The generator hull strainer on the Celestial is round as he
pointed out it should be. (I didn't install it, so am not taking credit for
it <VBG>.) Also, I keep the thru-hull closed if I am not using the generator
for the same general reason.

Wayne
M/V Celestial
Albin 43 Sundeck

Albin43Tr@aol.com writes:

A few years ago when I put one of these wedge shaped strainers on my
boat,  an old salt happened to walk by and pointed out the
possibility of water being forced into the cylinders. The solution is
really quite simple: turn the thing 180. (Looks like you put it on
backwards). That way you don't build up pressure when driving
forward.
I did as I was told - never had a problem.

George of Scaramouche - Lake Ontario, Canada