A Nordic feature? I have had the same experience with blockage and have added a water flow alarm to catch that problem faster.

Another Nordic feature was that my engine strainer was installed backwards. Way back when I was deciding if I should buy a Nordic I talked to another 44 owner and he commented that his strainer was installed backwards. You might want to check that.

Anyway, I too would keep both. It does catch grass that occasionally gets through the outer strainer. I don't want that in my water pump or heat exchanger.