Cutlass bearing

The cutlass bearing is a fiberglass tube, 6 inches long with rubber spines inside that the propeller shaft rides on. To replace it all you have to do is remove the propeller shaft. Of course, to do that you have to remove an 11 foot tall rudder, the propeller, all of the batteries, the battery housing, the muffler, the connection to the engine and the shaft seal all working in an area that can only be accessed by kneeling in a tiny area, leaning over until your head is resting on the hull (lower than your knees) and stretching out your arms through a bulkhead to undo bolts… lots of fun. Of course these parts haven’t been apart in 5 years just to add to the fun. Then you can use a hack saw to slowly cut the old bearing off. Needles to say, it was a bad day for Rich.

Going "down under" to un-bolt the rudder. Anna lifting it off the boat,
With a bit of help.
Removing the prop.
Pounding out the shaft.
Next, the batteries
The muffler which hasn't come out in 5 years.
All to replace the cutlass bearing. Here's the final product... that little ring around the shaft.