On Mon, 3 Sep 2012 05:44:58 -0700 (PDT), Flying Pig
wrote:

Assuming I can get a slip (depth is probably the limiter) when we splash, so that we can sit and stabilize for a couple of weeks, this is what I expect to do in the meantime:

Uncouple the shaft and move it back from the tranny (an inch or so).

Center the shaft by hanging, verifying ease of turning (I replaced the cutlass, and the shaft, if it’s centered in the log, should be centered in the cutlass).

Keep the shaft hung, and mount the new packing gland. Before tightening the clamps, verify clearance on all sides of the bronze, and adjust to fit if not. Spin on the packing nut (already packed and somewhat compressed, done while we had the shaft out).

Free up the motor mounts in all directions, which may involve hanging the engine and dismounting the parts attached to the engine. The stems of the tangs would want to move freely in the sleeves (in-out and rotation), and the nuts to the mounts spin freely. MAYBE the bolts holding the mounts to the brackets, too. That SHOULD allow a minimum of effort (still expected to be a lot) to move the engine from side to side at both front and rear, and the nuts on the mounts to allow height twiddles. I'll probably try to do them one at a time.

It depends on your engine mounts and the mounting brackets but on my
last boat I was able to fabricate brackets that attached to the engine
with a "jacking" bolt that bore against the engine mount. To move the
engine vertically I could, of course, use the nuts on the engine mount
stem and the home made brackets allowed me to move the engine
laterally by winding a bolt in. Much, much easier then the long pry
bar method.
Admittedly this scheme will not work on all installations but when it
does it makes engine alignment a doodle.



Once splashed, tighten the gland to the degree it just stops leaking. A couple of weeks later, align the engine to the coupling, loosen the gland to allow some drips, and run in place for a bit to allow the packing to seat, before final (well, initial, really, as it will continue to wear in a bit, I expect) tighten/lock.

Am I missing anything?

If I CAN’T get a slip, do all the above, but mount and align the engine, but then verify/realign as needed a couple of weeks later?

Thanks again for your interest and commentary. Pretty far out (of center), eh?

L8R

Skip

I've aligned the engine in a 40 ft. sailboat while ashore and when
checked a couple of weeks after launching I could detect no change in
alignment. You may find the same.