Salt water in my engine.

1972 Pearson 30 , inboard universal atomic 4 gas engine. Went out in a high
steep sea with engine running , turned off engine, sailed in 3 foot chop ,
engine refused to start; sailed back in to harbor, anchored , pulled plugs,
found salt water on plug electrodes. Ran engine with plugs out , replaced
fouled plugs with new, engine worked.

History; blown gasket two years back (lots of salt water in engine) led to
new exhaust system; exhaust exits boat from transom about 3 inches above
water line. Raw(salt) water cooling. Exhaust gas exits manifold, rises one
foot, levels off, then descends one foot into round black device (which I
think is a muffler ( I write to prepare myself for meeting with the guy who
did the work 2 years ago)) as exhaust pipe descends it is met by smaller
line from the manifold which I assume is for water injection into the
exhaust gases.

Called guy who did the work ; he asked me about following seas, and
suggested a flap over the exit on the transom. Looking at the system today
it seems very unlikely that water could have found it's way from the transom
through 5 feet of hose ,up and through the muffler , and up another foot ,
especially with the engine running .

I sailed her a full year after his work, though not in anything quite so
pounding .could water have gone all this way ?