I was very fortunate that my boats twin sister built just one hull number apart is owned from day one by a sailboat mechanic and rigging expert. I bounce many of my problem off him. His boat (an oday 39) experienced the same problem. Here is his remedy. Quote:
Greetings from the upper reaches of the Choptank River
How are you both ? Me : very well . I think I mentioned early last fall to one or both that I had a leaking strutt . Thought I would pass on the Low Down . The factory had bonded the strutt , a good thing , they drilled a 1/4 hole throught FRP knob and the strutt and afixed two (2) bonding wires. One either side with a S.S. 1/4 in bolt . AND there inlies the problem .Oxygen starvation , the bolt separted inside the FRP and the strutt . And then the water seeped up the strutt and out through the bolt , Now that it was not tight . SOOOO if you start to see a liitle water under the engine pan for no apparent reason look under the fwrd part of the hot water heater (Mirror ) and you just might see the seeping drip. The fix is a pain but easy . Pull the heater , make a cut in the heater floor . Pull both bolt ends . Redrill with 1/4 in bit , TAPP completly through with 5/16 tap and pick up a 3 " bronze machine bolt and you get the rest of the picture .NEXT : drill a hole in the TOP of the FRP strutt and tap w/ a 1/8 " pipe , then get a small funnell and poor water in the funnel to wash any salts that may have come up the inside of the FRP and bronze. THEN a dash of Acetone to complete the flush . Now go to the local auto parts store and pick up an inexpensive grease gun (will be sacrificial) and an 1/8'' grease fitting . Back to WEST one or two units of WEST , pump it into the strutt till it comes out of the hull and strutt joint . Got all that ??? . While you are in there it will be a Good time have a good look around . Now I will tell you that you will see the fuel tank platform looking a bit Knarghley . Not much me thinks we can do to help . I am going paint what I can with WEST . . The heater will come out the port cock pit locker door or the if you remove the propane locker it will come out that way too . Might have to loosen the steering cables . But again a good time to poke around a see what condition your condition is in . "Found my mind in the bottom a bag as i was ................" remember that song ?
Ok there ya go , been a crazy winter here .We saw 5 deg. one morning , maybe , all together a foot of snow .warm today . Still busy fixing boats . I looked afer the top of the engine the winter . new glow plugs , serviced the injectors not bad but not good either .Was getting hard to start if it sat for week . adjustd the vlaves , torqued the head . Good for another 4000 hrs .