grease leak between midsection and gearcase

[fishinjim]

1990 200xp. model number E200STLESE. serial number G02545213.

went to visit the boat a few days ago and noticed a big glob of grease sitting on the top of the gearcase (flat part closest to the stern). looking up from the glob, i could see where the leak originated about 6" up on the midsection.

i think the glob/leak is too thick to be gearcase oil. its more along the lines of triple guard.

here are a couple pics...






i can't seem to find any reference in my service manual for this part of the motor. looks like it could be related to the exhaust housing or the steering.
i should mention that i noticed this after a 300 mile tow. also that previous to that tow, i banged up my prop pretty good on some rocks. ran the motor with the spare prop about 20 miles after that with no problem, and prop shaft is still straight.

can someone let me know what kind of goop and problems i might be looking at here?
thanks!

[ChampioNman]

Came down the steering tube, could be tripple guard or some other type grease. But grease for sure. A result of over greasing. You'll be OK.

[fishinjim]

thanks championman.
guess i'll wipe it off and keep an eye on the area.
weirds me out a bit that its never done this before. i've got a few hundred water miles and a few thousand trailer miles on this motor and have never greased this area (is there a zerk fitting somewheres for this?). is it common for this sort of overgreasing not to show up for a while?

oops, wait, i just remembered something i forgot to add in my original post...
not only did i bang my prop up, as i mentioned above, but i also bent my skeg around 1/4 - 1/2 inch to one side. duh.

so what i should have said above was that i have about 20 miles on the motor with my spare prop and a bent skeg. could running with that bent skeg have added a enough pressure somewhere to squeeze some of that grease out?

if it matters, i couldn't feel any resistance or pull in the steering when driving with that bent up skeg.