Raw Water Intake

Click on this: Hose

An option for you instead of hose is aluminum tube. It wont colaps or expand and can be polished. You can buy it at summit, jegs or your local hot rod shop. I used it works great. Also you will have to put e beed roll on the ends so your hose conections dont slip off.

Tim,

I made them from 3" 90 deg ss bends. Some tig welding a little polish and good to go. They made the boat sound even better!

Sam, Nice work on the tubing and detailing the engine. As long as you have posted the picture of your exhaust, I'd like to suggest double clamping your hose to pipe connections. Some insurance companies when having the hull surveyed will require it plus I seem to remember it's a USCG regulation (may be only required below the waterline). T type hose clamps are a big plus too. Get rid of the cheap worm drives. You mentioned beading the ends of the pipe. Where you having a problem with the hose slipping off? Although the hose you used looks like a high temp silicone, it also looks to be very thin walled - consider a hose designed for exhaust.

Miami, Since the raw water hose is on the suction side of the pump, I recommend wire reinforced to prevent it from collapsing.

Pete,

I recomended beading the water pipes for added insurance to not have one slip off. The orange exhaust hose is turbo hose designed for very hight temps with cevlar weave very $$$. Thanks for the tip on the hose clamps. Also is there a website i can go to where i can read all the CG regs?

This should get you started. I haven't seen any garden hose large enough for this, and the wire reinforcement is key because it's a suction line. The wire prevents the colapse.