Just thinking... be sure the hose needs to be replaced before you get into it. It's been described here as the task 'that can make grown men cry" and if you're doing it for the first time it isn't far off. Once you have the bellhousing loose and swung to the side, slice through the old hose so you can remove one end at a time. I use a utility knife to cut through the ends so I can pry them off. Be careful with the end above the u-joint bellow- the nipple it fits over is plastic and you could slice through it if you're too aggressive.
You'll notice that the new hose has a natural curve to it. The curve needs to wrap around the u-joint bellow. Position it any other way and it'll probably kink when you push the bellhousing back into place. The Merc hose is also exactly the right length, so don't cut it. First time I did the job I made both mistakes trying to position the hose without kinking it. What should have taken me an hour took about 6 hours over 2 days, and I was ready to set fire to the boat
Immersing the hose ends in boiling water for a few minutes helps a lot, as does lubing the hose ends (I use Merc Power Tune spray) before you push them on.
