Originally Posted by
rojoguio
Ok, if no brace transversely right below the Splashwell on the inside then the Splashwell is the Brace. Some boats are made like that. This being said the Splashwell is Not shaped for the engine to roll forward (Lower unit contact with a solid object underway) allowing for the flex. Your glass fibers may be fine, they do deflect a bit before cracking. Gelcoat is the waterproofing so if you have a wood transom, no rot, better get the cracks fixed or you will have rot in the future. Champion glassed in a 2x4 on edge across the transom under the splashwell and the knee braces were glassed to that transverse brace as well as the transom tying everything together. You look at my little Blazer project pictures and you will see I added the transverse brace to it while the opportunity presented itself. I smoked a tree with my other Blazer and not only did the gelcoat above the splashwell crack but the splashwell compressed too cracking all the gelcoat inside.