Water in skeg

[John Gardner]

During a survey of 1988 C34 #695, by looking from within the aft cabin, it was found that the hollow inside of the skeg (if that is the right term for it) was full of water.  The nuts on top of the propeller shaft strut had rust streaks, and on the outside, when the hull began to dry off a wet line marked a crack at the interface of the strut and the hull.  However no water dripped from the joint.  And I wasn't sure that the slope at the top of the "hump" where the strut securing studs poke through was in the right direction to feed leaks into the skeg area.
After the incredible East coast drought, we had just had 5 inches of rain.  Unfortunately I didn't think to taste the water at the time.
I'm not yet familiar with the relationships of things in that area.  Can anyone offer some probabilities - leaking strut, leaks from the rudder post, or rain water?

[delilah]

John, I routinely notice some water in the same area...I've tasted it and believe it's fresh water entering mainly thru the lazerette, and a couple of other minor known inlets. It seems once it gets caught in there, there's not a lot of excessive pitching or heeling that gets it out. Unless it's routinely at the brim so to speak, unlikely there is constant seepage from the watery depths below.

[John Gardner]

Again, thank you for your replies.

I did have the opportunity to go back on board, but not to really go crawing round looking.  However, I did taste the water and it was salt.  As I mentioned I haven't yet seen how things are organized for the rudder, but based on the little I have seen, and Ron's comments, the rudder packing gland seems likely.  Either way, (that or the strut) it seems fixable.