gotmuddy said:
he must not run any kind of intake grate on that rig or it would stay clogged.
It has to have a grate, otherwise, debris would surely foul the impeller. While some debris will pass through the impeller, if it ingests too much, or if it encounters some vegetation like lily pads, it will definitely foul the pump. I've done it enough times with jet skis and marsh grass, running jet skis with and without intake grates, and with what they call 'top-loader' grates. On a jet ski, clearing a pump is easy, simply get in the water, with the engine shut off, reach your hand under the intake, and pull out the weeds.
On a boat, it's a different story, especially in weather too cold to get in the water and dive under the boat to clear fouling.
Most likely, he has what they call a 'stomp grate' which is a grate that pivots on the front end, and on the rear end there is a fitting attached to a push-pull cable. Operating the control from inside the boat with the engine turned off, the back of the grate hinges down, and the debris falls off, then the grate is retracted.