Pulling the Cutlass Bearing
We replaced the cutlass bearing last year and we had the yard do it. Endless Summer is a 1983 h31 and I am certain that the cutlass bearing had been in there since 1983. The set screws that hold it in place were gone and the cutlass bearing refused to budge. The yard had a special hydraulic press made for the job. It came out after being hydraulically persuaded. I'd have a diver take a look. He could also pull your prop so you could have it checked at your local prop shop. The engine alignment is no biggie if you are mechanically inclined, but it can be time consuming and frustrating. If these remedies don't fix it, then it's time to pull the boat and have the shaft trued, propeller checked and replace the cutlass bearing. You do know that you don't adjust the diesel when it's on the hard, right? The hull gets flexed out of shape when it's blocked up. We were able to pull our shaft w/o removing the rudder. You have to remove the prop and swing the rudder until there is clearance. Good trouble shooting.