What does the the following options do?: <BR> <BR>Flush kit <BR>Strainer kit <BR> <BR>What is better fresh water cooling or closed loop cooling?

A flush kit is a adaptor that runs into your motor allowing you to attach a garden hose to the water intake side of the motor and lets you flush your motor by running fresh water threw it while your boat is on the trailer. A Strainer kit??? Im not shure what this is reffering to. Most boats have what is called a sea strainer. Its a filter that strain's out debri from the water befor going into the motor. Kind of like a huge fule filter. Its removable and easy to take on and off requries on tools. <BR> <BR>Cant comment on the closed water cooling. <BR>

closed cooling is mainly for saltwater applications. <BR> <BR>flush kit is essential for salt operations but also can make winterizing real easy as you can get sntifreeze in the engine more easily that way

The strainer is a filter that is installed in the cooling water intake line ahead of the tranmission cooler. It strains out small debris (pieces of twigs and leaves) that can clog the small passages in the cooler and reduce cooling water flow to the engine. <BR> <BR>I don't have one. I just reverse flush water through the cooler each season using a garden hose. <BR> <BR>I was told strainers are standard equipment in Nautiques, but they're optional on at least some boats.

Personally, I think that a flush kit and a strainer are essential pieces of equipment on any boat. As Jeff said, the strainer keeps any debris floating in the water from getting into your cooling system. It can be really amazing how much crap can get sucked into a boat's cooling system. A few years ago after all the fires in San Diego, the sea strainer was probably the only thing allowing many boats to get out on Lake San Vicente. There was so much ash and particulate matter floating on the water that even the strainer was getting clogged. I definitely wouldn't have wanted all that flushing through the boat. Even if you don't have extreme conditions like that it will catch any grass or dirt sucked into the engine. <BR> <BR>If you go in salt water, you need to have a flush kit allowing you to hook your hose directly to the boat without having to play with a "Fake-a-lake" or similar device. This allows you to flush the boat after each time in salt water. Even if you don't go in salt water though, I'd recommend it because it allows you to easily run water to the boat when you are working on it in your driveway. Some of the newer flush kits will even allow for routing of the flush line to the transom so you don't need to drag the hose into the boat and engine compartment. <BR> <BR>Although not necessary, you should think very hard about putting closed cooling on the boat if you plan on going in salt water. The closed cooling system will add a heat exchanger to your cooling system so that you only run coolant/fresh water through your engine block. The exhaust water from the lake or bay will only run through the heat exchanger rather than causing excessive rust and wear on your engine. If you don't go in salt water, don't spend the money, fresh water cooling will work perfectly. If you go in salt water, pony up the extra cash.