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The first step towards a successful engine
alignment came before the engine was even in the boat. When I installed
the flexible mounts, I used my engine template to get the adjustment roughly
accurate, and this rough alignment turned out to be quite good. However, there
were adjustments needed.
 After
inserting the prop shaft, I installed the coupling, and attempted to mate it
with the transmission coupling. I could make them fit, but it was obvious
that the rear of the engine was too high, and a little too far to
starboard. Using a wrench and hanging upside down through the cockpit
hatch, I adjusted the nuts a little, then went inside the boat and raised the
two forward mounts slightly. To push the aft end more to port, I used a
crowbar to jack the engine to the side. After several small adjustments, I
got the two flanges pretty much aligned with each other.
I spent a little time with a feeler gauge, and
got the alignment pretty well set. Of course, after I did this, I ran the
engine for a while one day, the the starboard engine mount nuts vibrated loose,
lowering that side of the engine. I had to jack it back up and crank down
on those nuts, and then realign the engine again.
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