Exhaust comming from back of boat!!!

[rob83srv225]

I was on my buddys boat on Sunday, a 84 24 srv with the 260 merc. alpha drive. At idle there seems to be almost like exhaust comming up out of the water, almost like smoke, but not smoke, but it quickly dissisipate?? There is no burning oil smell, no black soot on the transom,temp guage was normal, i checked the oil, which was nice and clean. I put my hand on the riser at idle once she was up to temp, did not burn my hand,was able to keep her there. And it doesent do it all the time either ???? Any one know whats going on, or what the problem is, or if it is even a problem???
Robert.

 

[FYN409]

If it dissapates quickly could just be steam. What were the weather conditions when you saw this? Sometime they can play a big factor. I will notice while warming my boat up on a cooler morning some steam rising up with the exhaust.

-Ryan

 

[David Morgan]

Sounds pretty normal to me.

 

[rob83srv225]

The morning was cool, but even later in the day it was in the high 70s, and the lake water temp is only 61...
Robert.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Obviously, exhaust exits out through the prop and will want to rise once it clears the prop. So, yes, it's perfectly normal. Does he have a platform like yours? Maybe you don't notice it on yours because of the platform?