Starter access is USUALLY terrible.
I would think that it would be EASIER to pull the outdrive and see if the squeal goes away.

On my ex-Formula the starters were murder to access the bolts unless you have skinny arms with Six elbows and eyeballs on your fingers.

I would HATE to swap out a starter and STILL HAVE the squeal.

I do agree that it sounds like a STARTER-RELATED issue, but with yanking an outdrive being such a quick and easy job I would do that first.

Well it's a little late. I pulled the starter already and when I bench tested it. The gear jumped in and out a couple of times something may have been wrong with the starter or solenoid, but now I'm leaning towards the Ignition key. The air around here is salty. Maybe that was causing the issue.
The drive was repaired last year went for an hour ride. No noises ran great. Winterized it and then put it in the garage. How can the upper end of the drive just srart making a noise sitting over the winter.

Keep us updated please.

Possible if water was in the oil over the winter. Or possible water was in the u joint bellows over the winter?

Good point I opened up the side plug of the drive and the oil was still clear. I'll have to take a look at the shaft if I can get in there and see if there's any rust on it.

I’m late I know, but I have heard vacuum leaks and exhaust leaks make sounds like that

Open up the drain plug on the drive, water will settle to the bottom.

I didn't even realized he started the engine...I just heard the starter...lol.

If it's switch issue related, get a multimeter or something on the starter wire/connector off the switch. You could probably do that with no powrr and using the continuity resistance setting on the multimeter to see if it sticks on.

I will check that.
I hope it's not the switch it's in a tight spot under my dash.

Just say it is something with the drive. Would you hear that screeching sound super loud in the engine compartment?. Wouldn't it be towards the outside of the boat by the drive. What if the preload on the input shaft was set too tight? Same sound?