This sounds like my symptoms on my Pearson 30, except before the engine bogs in Reverse (happens occasionally) and forward (happens frequently), I hear squealing that gets progressively worse over 10 seconds or so. During the progressive squealing, the engine progressively strains more and more as if under progressively increasing load, and then finally quits (unless I put it in neutral in time).

I wonder if I have a prop shaft problem, like an incorrectly stuffed stuffing box or a seizing cutlass bearing. The prop is difficult to turn by hand; it's much tighter than that on my neighbor's boat (stainless shaft on a Catalina 34), which turns with little effort in neutral. The squealing seems to originate outside and aft of the tranny--not inside of it. I tried running things with the stuffing box nut backed-off completely and with copious water leaking through the stuffing box to hopefully ensure good lubrication of it, and the symptoms sometimes still occur. Also, the prop shaft has zero play in the cutlass bearing, and the shaft is not smooth (bronze, I believe, but exhibiting some corrosion/uneven surface). This makes me think I've isolated it to the cutlass bearing/prop shaft interaction, but still not convinced. Any insights?

-Paul