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Still chasing this one. Turns out the engine and drive are all Yamaha, from their Wave Runners. But Yamaha couldn't help at all and sent me back to Whaler...so...
I contacted all the local dealers within a radius of 90 miles for both Whaler and Yamaha, and most of them hadn't a clue what I was even talking about. I finally found an independent guy out near Stockton who was completely familiar with the problem. His comment was: "Well, you're going to earn your money on this one, friend." I told him I was just doing this as a favor for a pal, and he said, basically, you need a paddle on the creek you're up, and you don't have one.
He described the tool required to r & r the fitting where the cable comes out of the hull: "You take a socket and weld about two feet of pipe to it..." AND, nothing can be ascertained until the cable is completely out of the boat. That's where we stand now. I have an idea or two. Maybe I'll post updates. Wish me well.