Often times the best course of action or the only course of action can be to just cut the shaft out especially if you are paying the labor. The shaft on this boat was 23 years old and had bad cutlass bearing wear and bad stuffing box wear on the shaft. The coupling was so rusted, and space so limited, that the best course of action was to cut it out and have a new shaft made.

Doing this ensures that you will not harm your gear box and you know you are starting with a new fitted & faced shaft & coupling that has no wear and is straight.