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I was tightening the bolts on my outboard’s mounting bracket last weekend and noticed one of the transom knees has developed a very fine hairline crack. The boat’s a 17-foot aluminum fishing skiff, so it gets worked pretty hard. I’m worried this could be a sign of deeper stress, but I’m not sure if it’s something I should try to weld myself or if it means the whole transom structure needs a professional look.

I found a hairline crack on a knee near the motor mount last season. It looked tiny, but I didn’t trust it after a while. A marine tech checked the welds, brackets, and bracing and we ended up replacing a short section and adding a small doubler to be safe. It still gnaws at me, but it felt like the right call then.

I once tried to weld a tiny crack on an aluminum piece thinking it would be quick. It seemed fine for a few trips, then the flex came back when we hit chop. I stopped and took it to a pro instead. It’s not forgiving work.

The whole thing makes me wonder if the crack is the whole story or just paint checking over a flexed mounting. I’m tempted to measure any movement and check bolt torque, but I don’t know the right numbers and I’m wary of overthinking it.

Do you think the issue is the transom knee itself or the way the motor clamps are loading the bracket?

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