Help ! On trip coast of Maine with leak

[kpinnn]

I have noticed for some time, during my daily pre cruise inspections a quantity of water in a trough on port side of vessel. I started keeping records of preconditions to see where the water could be coming from. Was it rain water, did it occur after washing the deck, was it domestic water, etc. I did finely discover the source. It is from the exhaust system. The vessel is a gulfstar trawler. 2 Perkins 4-454 engines. Wet exhaust and the leak is at a final 45 degree elbow after the raw water injection elbow into exhaust manifold and distance from final exit from boat at the transom. Looks like this has been a problem for previous owners as I rember replacing the stainless steel clamps due to corrosion in the past. The other side I have no leak and never replaced clamps. This is twin engine vessel. Here is where I need help. The exhaust exits above water line. This is obviously not under pressure. It leaks a pretty steady drip now after trying to tighten clamps even when engine isn't' running. The elbow is some sort of steel. It is perfectly dry after this fitting all the way to exit. It is dry before this fitting. WHERE IS THIS WATER COMING FROM? And how can it keep dripping it isn't under pressure and there are no obvious holes? Is it possible water is siphoning through the seacock through the raw water pump through the heat exchanger and then dripping out the fitting through two tightly double clamped ends? What am I missing?

 

[FF]

Close the seacock to that engine to see what happens when stopped.

 

[kpinnn]

Yes as I was writing I thought about closing seacock. Haven' done that yet but will later this morning. I can't think of any other possibility. Maybe this elbow is a low point and raw water is collecting there.

 

[menzies]

Is this are below the heat exchanger? If so run your hand along the bottom of the hose between there and the exchanger. The leak could be at the exchanger and running along the hose to that point and then falling.

 

[Bradenvlp]

Split in the hose? They do degrade and require replacing.

 

[cappy208]

I think you have already hit upon the problem. You have already replaced stainless hoseclamps. Corrosion. Probably into the steel elbow.

Porous elbow, Or crushing elbow. Remove the elbow and inspect. They make a nice Hi Temp fiberglass elbow replacement. While the hoses are off the elbow inspect them too.