If it comes down to it you could bypass the hot water tank by linking the in and out hose together. Then drain the tank. Repeat all of your troubleshooting and see if you get any water leaking. That would tell you if the tank has a leak that you can't see somewhere. FWIW I've battled water in my galley bilge since I bought the boat. Very challenging to find all the connection points. It's going to take a methodical process of elimination to find the area it comes from. Zoning areas off and eliminating areas slowly as you continue to monitor the problems are going to be key.
If you do ever find it please post back here so others can learn of potential solutions if they have similar problems. We're all in this together!
In the compartment under the dinette table, there should be a removable at the very bottom of the bulkhead in the bilge, this prevents the engine compartment bilge from draining into the forward bilge. Make sure that plug is there as this will help isolate one section from the other in case water is flowing forward. If the plug is missing, install one, it's just one of those expandable rubber plugs. The other water source of water sometimes found in this compartment is one of the air conditioners. Check to ensure the drip tray isn't leaking and is draining into the shower sump. Also check the raw water inlet and discharge lines at the air unit while it's running to see if there are any leaks.
Also check your anchor locker to see if there is a path for water to go into the bilge instead of overboard. If there is a way for it to leak into the bilge, you'll get water when retrieving your rode (rope/chain) and if you have a windlass it's not unusual for water to get through the rope opening and into the locker. This would end up in the forward bilge if the locker isn't sealed.
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