[Newbie7749]

I finally got around to removing the two aft storage areas on my 29 Tiara Coronet (I have become obsessed with cleaning the engine room and storage areas of my boat -- the boat is in great shape (2006 with 220 hours) but there was so much dirt and leaves (wtf) in the engine room);  

anyway, beneath the trim tab reservoir on the starboard side there was red sludge all over the bildge floor -- I can't imagine this is from a trim tab reservoir leak; is it possible that the fluid in the trim tab reservoir (which takes typical transmission fluid) would burp or otherwise spill out while running?  I suppose someone could have just overfilled the reservoir and spilled transmission fluid on the fluid (but it seems insane to me that someone would just let it sit there like that).  


Most important I want to make sure it is not something with my SeaStar hydraulic steering (which I doubt because the fluid at issue is a very dark red).