Cleaning Water Intake Grates

[AB]

For those of use that run in hydrilla, clogged water intakes are a fact of life.  What we use is one of the extending handle boat hooks.  Duct tape a toilet scrubber brush to the end (the kind that looks like a toothbrush, not the halo one).  When you know the intakes are plugged, trim the motor out of the water, extend the handle, and scrub away without having to lean over the back of the boat and risk falling over.  Scrub them off real quick, then trim her back down, fire it up, and Hammer Down!

[Steve_W]

Great Tip
I hope to get to Fl. some time to find out about the weeds,haven't been their since 1984 and my brother lives outside of ft.myers just need the gas $ and some time off work

[hesjustbassin]

Wish it was that easy with milfoil. Those fine particle leaves go right through the intake cover.

[AB]

Miles, I got a tip for the Yamaha's too.  One of the big issues with them is that weeds will catch in the leading edge of that big plastic intake grate, then swong back and cover the inlets.  What I do is take the intake grates off and using a grinder, gently and carefully take the square leading edge of the grate and make a radius on the grate on what would be the outside edge that catches the weeds.  The radius allows the weeds to slide off instead of bunching up in the leading edge.

[hesjustbassin]

Awesome idea AB. I'm going to have to give that a shot.

[AB]

I know how bad it is...We can't sell a freshwater boat with a hammer on the back down here...