"Straining" for a better answer...
Ericson must have really liked putting the engine intake valve under the galley sink...
That's where ours was. This was on starboard side, and the hose had to go under the sole and to the raw water pump on the engine on same side.
There was no real room for a proper strainer under the sink area, so I had the intake moved to where you see it in the photo, under the quarterberth in the aft cabin. Lots of room there for a proper strainer, and the hose could run forward to the front of the engine on the Starboard side to enter the raw water pump.
Only you can determine where the best place for a strainer would be in your particular model of Ericson. Note that if you have the height to spare, Groco makes a nice combination seacock and strainer, all bronze. I did not have the height available under the berth. Besides, I really like the Forspar Marlon intake valve unit -- no electrolysis worries.
Note two: moving the intake involved filling one hole and creating a new one -- "moving holes" is somewhat consuming of time and money...
Best,
Loren in Portland, OR