zebra mussels in exhaust

[rooferdave]

ended up building a custom exhaust for my boat and today as I was fitting the port side I looked in the muffler and it was about 25% full of zebra mussels! I will take pics tommorrow for you guys but it certainly raises some questions as in how? Does this affect performance? Maybe something for us to think about.

[k9th]

Definitely want to see those pics. I can't imagine that it won't affect performance.

I haven't run into them in either Lake Huron or Lake Michigan yet but I can only imagine that I will at some time in the future.

[turtlem1969]

I would assume that any blockage of the exhaust can't be all that good on engine performance.

[randyp]

On our 2008 Erie Canal Trip we were laid up around the Syracuse area waiting for an replacement ignition swith. I wandered around the marina's yard (Pirate's Cove) and saw a nice 36 footer with zebra mussels clogging up the exhausts. They are very prevalent in Lake Ontario and come into the canal via boats transiting the canal out of the Oswego Canal. They love warm water and are big issues on power plant cooling systems, so you can imagine your exhaust is just a mini version of that to them. That being said I have no idea how to prevent them, but I bet there are plenty of articles about what to do.

[captainralph]

just pulled my boat out of the water yesterday to replace a cutlass bearing,bottom had quite a bit of mussels.today i will check the exhaust.the hudson river is full of them.

[captainmaniac]

I wanna see the pics too... Lots of reasons for mussels to adhere, lots of ways to get rid of them as well. Seeing what you are trying to deal with may help me help you.

[rooferdave]

been working out of town for a few days, just got back will take pics today,