That method would scare the heck out of me! I can see the housing mushrooming when the bearing doesn't want to move.
Jeff
PS: I have a Marinette, with aluminum struts, so this is more of an issue.
You should think about using a Maritex hard bearing ( these are used on many military and commercial aluminium boats) these are made as a clearance fit and bedded on epoxy, they are a hard composite and have shown wear rates of shaft and bearing far lower than any rubber bearing. To remove you simply heat the strut and the epoxy softens.