I have a little update to add to this thread! Hunter 31 1984
Finally came time to get to the boatyard and a haul out for a bottom paint. Had bought a new stuffing box flex hose to replace what i knew was an old one and worrysome. Also picked up the Gore packing material. Left the replacement up to mechanics while i worked on the scraping and painting.
Work was progressing, all the bolts came out, the coupler was separated from the transmission finally, but then the coupler would not come off the shaft. They also cut the old hose off and to my bewilderment, it was some cheap radiator type hose, not the proper hose that's supposed to be on there. Then it became apparent the cutlass bearing was shot and needed replacing. Nothing would get the coupler off the shaft, so because the shaft was questionable, labor was adding up, cut the shaft, get it out and a new shaft was ordered. Once the shaft was out the shaft log was in extremely poor shape, so order one of those and replaced it. Found a used stuffing box in better shape than the one on there, so that will be replaced as well.
What turned out to be a 4 day turnaround and a few hundred bucks is now 2 weeks and possibly $3,000.
The yard was surprised my boat hadn't sunk the condition was so poor at the through hull and that cheap hose that was on there and had been for years.
Thoroughly check all these components if you have an older boat, the log you can't really access until everything is out I think.
Anyway, will have no trouble down this part of the boat once finished.
