I used the same brand linkage Budgates did...which i figured out how to connect from what Sumner did...
In my case, i got a slightly longer linkage and bent it twice (two 45-degree bends) to make it reach down to where the front of the motor has a handle of sorts already cast in. I have some tweaking to do, but it works well enough to prove the concept.
I leave my rudder up (i have a line with pulleys to make it easy) and use ONLY the motor linked to the tiller when launching and final docking in the marina. I treat it like a power boat. I lock the tilt so I can quickly shift to reverse and gun it if needed to avoid a collision. Not a purist thing, but with the crazies standing off twenty feet behind me in their 35' center console fishing boats, i don't want to risk a maneuverability issue. I also drop the swing keel a hair.
Once I've cleared the docks and boats, I immediately lock the outboard straight, release the tilt lock, remove the connector linkage (both ends) and leave the linkage down in the motorwell in front of the engine. It's heavy and tends to stay put under the fuel line and such. I drop the rudder, secure the downhaul, drop the centerboard, and putter my way on out the channel, now steering with the rudder only.
A couple of other comments:
(1) another reason for wanting to be able to link the tiller to the outboard is that the Mac26D/S boats are very shallow draft, beachable boats. I've sailed mine into 2-1/2' of water on the flats to anchor for the night. Have to pull up the centerboard and the rudder to get there though. So having the tiller attached to the motor allows one to maneuver the boat in the shallows...and get back out to where the wind is the next morning!
(2) I understand the feeling of laying down in the motorwell to reach the motor...and i'm pretty lanky! But another issue that goes along with sitting all the way back on the port seat against the laz to manage the motor is that you can't pull the tiller into your stomach to turn hard to starboard. Ooomph! That hurts... (This may be an issue reserved for those of us with a little extra flotation around the middle.) So especially when docking, not as much when launching, i tend to stand up so i can see better over the bow, or sit forward of the tiller end so i can make full sweeps either direction. And that makes it a laying-down lunge into the motor well if i have to throw the gear lever.