Salt water in the bilge

Hi people, I'm new to this forum and hope to find some help with my problem. I own a Hanse 342 of approx. 9 years old. We are the first owner. Last year the the rudder bearing was replaced. Since then we have salt water in our bilge. This can vary from 10 liter up to 100 liter in a week. We have checked all the potential causes but we are unable to find the source. The seacocks are all dry and don't show any trail of water ingress. Also the keel bolds are dry. The water seems to come from the back of the boat. For your information we have a sail drive. The engine area is completely dry as well as the sail drive. We thought to have found the problem with a small whole in the exhaust pipe of the engine but having that replaced the problem still exists. Strangely enough it seems somehow to stop entering. other wise would the water activate the automatic bilge pump which it doesn't or even worse sink the boat. Does any of you people recognize this problem? Do you have any suggestions that might help us to identify the issue and locate the leak? We are getting quit desperate after eliminating all potential causes and not being able to locate the problem. To give you an idea the beginning of this season we launched the boat again in the water, after the winter, letting us be towed to the jetty, not starting the engine, to see if the engine could be the cause. Guess what again water in the bilge. After being complete dry on shore outside with no cover. 

The pipe in Which the bottom bearing sits comes to mind, especially as you mentioned bearing replacement.
If they used too much force taking the old bearing out, perhaps it caused a crack.
Do you have a gator?
Peter.

Rock, do you have experience with these kind of leakage? I have puzzled my mind to understand the link between the bearing replacement and the leak since that was the only change. Since the water is not coming from the inner shall is it possible you think that between the outer shell and the inner shell water ingresses and ends in the lower part of the bilge, mid ship? 

What Peter/Rock is referring to when he asks about a gator is the large rubber seal that fits over the bottom tube where the bottom bearing is located and up around the top internal part of the rudder stock. This is called a gator and is sealed by hose clips around the bottom and around the rudder stock sealing the bottom bearing against any sea water coming in. If this is in place it could have a split in it, so worth checking.

I would be surprised if it was the rudder bearing as it is above the waterline and the gator is there to keep it clean,. Not to stop water getting in. Although the sea cocks are not leaking you need to check all sea water pipework below the water like, for example the pipe to the raw water filter and the pipes to the heads and the sink and showers drain pipes etc. 100 litres a week sounds like a very large amount so I would expect it to be obvious where the leak is. Please keep us updated.   Steve

Edited by echoofwight - 03 October 2016 at 09:42