bent strut?

I should have a shaft around somewhere- the broken one from the 67 barracuda - and it makes sense to use that to get things lined up. I do like 5200 but I think something less permanent might also do the trick. Unless there's a reason to use the 5200 to really firm up the position of the strut and ensure (almost) no movement over time?

just double checking that's what I thought just wanted to bring it up again just incase.

disconnect the coupling and if the shaft looks like it is about centered in the shaft log then move the engine. If you are basing your acessment on the couplings being bolted together then you are wrong and need to be doing it based on then seperated and a gap between the couples to see how well it is center in the log.

or you can adjust it with an old prop shaft. remove the good prop shaft, remove the hose from the shaft log. Just twist the strut accordingly to line up side to side w/ strut bolts tight.

Thanks for the clarification, but I did understand you the first time - I have no play between the shaft and bushing, as that was replaced when the strut was straightened; I was just asking what kind of tolerance there is with the strut mount holes, and it sounds like there's enough room to make the adjustment I need. I will follow the steps you outlined above now, which is what should have been done when the strut was reinstalled after being straightened.

I know the shaft doesn't quite line up with the rudder, as I've taken the shaft out before and it was nice that it didn't line up. I had to loosen the rudder on a friend's '67 barracuda to get the shaft out of that. But then again when it broke just behind the coupler(!) it didn't drop with the prop straight to the lake bottom. (no safety collar either)

I couldn't remember when I had the strut out before how much play there was side to side... I'll probably use 4200 or similar so I can take it out again sometime if I need to! I've had 5200 pull off chips of gelcoat trying to get things off...

I just aligned my engine the other day (read: tried), and found the shaft to sit on one side of the brass fitting through the hull. I have had my strut straightened by a prop shop because when I bought the boat it was like a banana (or at least visibly bent). Yet it still seems to favor one side. The question is, has anyone had luck making fine adjustments to the strut in terms of side to side adjustment by shimming or anything? I don't really want to send the strut out again but maybe I'll have to because there is no way to get the alignment perfect without either forcing the shaft to starboard about 3/16" or else having the shaft sit on the edge of the shaft log (is that the correct term for the brass fitting in the hull itself?). Sorry for the long-winded question but I've put a lot of thought into this problem, and really want to get rid of the slight high speed vibration the boat has always had!