The support I have been getting on this topic is overwhelming wonderful. The shaft is out, and it looks like I will have to work on mutilating the cutlass apart with the same respect I afforded the coupling when I needed to remove it from the shaft. I tried to explain this situation to my wife and she said that she didn't realize that the sawzall had become a standard mechanics tool. She thinks she is funny. About the thing I am calling the shaft tube*. I am referring to the solid met housing that the cutlass lives in. It is bolted on to the keel horizontally from the outside. Is the proper name for this a "shaft tube" or "strut". More importantly, what else could be holding this on after I remove the nuts? I thought maybe 5200 was keeping it in place, but I am able to back it out about 1/8 inch. I even used heat on the studs, thinking maybe the 5200 was sticking in the holes where the studs pass through and not allowing it to slide out. Apparently this isn't the case. Could this strut be part of a shaft tube that runs all the way (110 inches) to the other end of where the shaft comes out in the engine room? And could the packing gland in the engine compartment be holding this together? If so, removing this whole thing would be futile as it would be too far of a "push" to create a device to press the bearing out anyway. Also, I would have to remove the rudder etc.., to slide it out. It looks like I will be bloodying up the knuckles again on this one. My concern is that I will not be able to avoid cutting into the strut/tube if I attempt to cut the cutlass apart. Is this strut solid brass? Please keep the support coming. I wouldn't be able to keep this boat if I had to pay the bucks to have someone else do the work. By the way, I did get all four new engine mounts on. Got to take your vicotories. Thanks, and keep the information coming. I am taking picture of everything I am doing to help others in the future. Maybe somebody can let me know if there is an archive a jobs like this where they would be useful Best, Bob.

For what its worth, My old Formosa 37 had the screwed into the shaft log. After you remove the studs that hold it tight against the after end of the keel you can unscrew it. Don P. Wilson M/V "Gaijin", Diesel Duck 44, Yokosuka, JA http://_gaijin.homestead.com > -----Original Message----- > From: trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com [mailto:trawlers- > and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com] On Behalf Of Robert Pelton > Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2005 8:47 PM > To: trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com > Subject: T&T: Cutlass extraction support - Keep it coming! > > About the thing I am calling the shaft tube*. > I am referring to the solid met housing that the cutlass lives in. It is > bolted on to the keel horizontally from the outside. Is the proper name > for > this a "shaft tube" or "strut". More importantly, what else could be > holding > this on after I remove the nuts? I thought maybe 5200 was keeping it in > place, but I am able to back it out about 1/8 inch. I even used heat on > the > studs, thinking maybe the 5200 was sticking in the holes where the studs > pass > through and not allowing it to slide out. Apparently this isn't the case. > Could this strut be part of a shaft tube that runs all the way (110 inches) > to > the other end of where the shaft comes out in the engine room? And could > the > packing gland in the engine compartment be holding this together?