Has anyone replaced the muffler on a Beneteau First 42? Seems impossible!

[Enyar]

I had some cooling woes and it appears I just keep working myself stern replacing items. It started when one of the bowman endcaps sprung a leak on my Perkins 4.108. After replacing it I noticed on startup that it started to swell up and I knew I had a restriction down stream. Since then I ended up:

• Replacing the mixing elbow with a stainless one because the 40 year old cast iron one was completely clogged
• Replacing the exhaust hose going to the muffler because the previous one was 2.5' to make up for the swelled up cast iron elbow
• All new hose clamps after one broke after tightening it on the muffler

Unfortunately now I am dealing with a leak. I can't see the actual leak, I can just see the water coming into the bilge and I can hear it. I took a boroscope and best I can tell it's not coming from where the hose attaches to the front or rear of the muffler. To me that means while the boat was sitting for a couple months saltwater must have corroded the muffler and now it's leaking.

Accessing this muffler is terrifying to me. I have no idea how I am going to reach it and I am hoping one of you have prior experience before I take a chainsaw to the cockpit and just hack my way to where it is. Recommendations for a replacement muffler would be helpful as well. The boat is a 1984 Beneteau First 42.

Thank you.

[Enyar]

Bumpp

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by Enyar

Bumpp

Nothing’s impossible, some things are just harder to accomplish.

[MicHughV]

Easy...call a mechanic and quite stressing about it.

A good mechanic can do something in one hour that will take you all day.....zip...zappity do....done

Most area marina's have a boat mechanic nearby....