Trawler Air Conditioning Water Flows

Just a few days back I noticed the salon HVAC water flow was not what it should be aboard our trawler, the Patricia Ann. The flow was down considerably. The last time this happened was back in 2008.

So I went about taking everything apart assuming what the problem was. What I found inside the intake hose from the thru hull to the strainer and from there to the pump was a growing cluster of grass and barnacles. The strainer has caught some but not all of it.

Picture a doughnut for illustration purposes. The inside diameter of the hose is the outside diameter of the doughnut. I found grass growing inside the hose reducing the opening to the size of the doughnut hole, roughly 1/2 the original size of the hose. The hoses on the upstream side of the pump were clear.

I removed the hoses on the trawler and literally beat them on the dock finally using the dock hose to flush them clear. Here is a photo of how your flow should be when everything is clear.

So be sure to visually check your intake hoses for partial blockage if you suspect a water flow issue. Purging with the water hose will not remove the grass that may be there.

This condition will likely occur every couple years depending upon the nutrients in your water. I am about 1/4 mile from an inlet to the Atlantic Ocean so ours is very rich.

Look at your water flow and make a mental note; when you notice a drop in flow it will be time to do some troubleshooting.

Mike