I have an Oday 34 - just launched about 4 weeks ago for this season. Never had an oil leak (except when I had to replace the sending unit last year) other than the slight weeping I would consider normal for a 24 year old engine. Last week, I notice a small amount of oil in the bilge, and when I looked at the sump under the engine, it had a considerable amount of oil in it. I looked the engine over carefully and don't see anyplace that looks suspect for producing that amount of oil. The oil in the crankcase is between half and 3/4 full. I don't recall where it was when I launched. We don't have more than an hour or two on the engine this season, so I am pretty sure if it were coming out of the engine somewhere I would be able to spot the location. I cleaned the engine and bilge today, and will monitor it closely, and I did get some dye to put in the oil for inspection with an ultraviolet light. I also checked the drain plug, which I know some have a tendency to back themselves out. I am wondering now - and I didn't think to check it - if it could have come from the transmission. I was sailing last week with my daughters, and I seem to recall coming in and finding that the transmission had been in forward gear while we were sailing. I know this is taboo with the Hurth HBW50 that I have, and I am wondering if somehow this could have forced oil out of the gearbox, or crankcase?
