7.14 SEA INTAKE, STRAINERS AND VALVES

Inspection and cleaning

This operation has to be carried out outside, therefore the yacht must be in a dry shore or you can ask for the intervention of a diver.

• Have the sea cocks cleaned (removal of seaweed or barnacles. If necessary have them cleaned with a brush).

DANGER

If the ship is in the water, before starting to work on the shaft lines, block the start of the engines, the generators and the sea water pumps.

• Check for barnacles or corrosion on the control levers of the cut-off valves of the filter to be checked.
• Clean the control levers of the valves with a brush.
• Move the levers repeatedly.
• Close the cut-off valve upstream the strainer.
• Remove the filter cover by loosening the screws.
• Remove the filter element, clean it with a brush and rinse it in water.
• Clean the strainer housing.
• Check and, if necessary, replace te gasket of the strainer cover.
• Fill the strainer with water to avoid the pumps running dry or that the system does not prime.
• Reposition the strainer, the cover and tighten the nuts.
• Reopen the cut-off valve and check for leaks from the cover.

WARNING

Before restarting the utilities, make sure that the cut-off valve is completely open.

DANGER

Before servicing the sea water lines, disable the operation of the connected utilities.