Email from my father about his motor. Any help will be appreciated as we are currently on week 8 of the boat being in the shop and being told that the parts are on order. Please see below:

If you get time, can you go on line to the outboard engine forum and ask can a cracked exhaust manifold cause water to get into the bottom cylinder.
I'm having problems understanding how this can happen unless the head is cracked. Keith was telling me that the water jacket wraps around the head and the cooling water cannot be sucked into the cylinder. I'm was thinking that when the piston is forced down after the ignition and the exhaust valve expels the burned fuel, water could then enter. Keith seems to think this happens so fast that there is no negative pressure that would allow water in. What do you think?
2007 Honda 200 HP 4 stroke

First thing to check is mounting height, with boat sitting in water and motor trimmed down the exhaust port on back of mid housing should at least 6 inches above water or water can enter exhaust(especially when coming down off of plain and backwash slammed into motor) and be sucked into engine.
A compression test will usually indicate a bad head gasket, a cracked exhaust manifold could let water in if cracked between exhaust chamber and water chamber.

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