[GroveGuy]

Thanks for the response.
The transom was rebuilt a few years ago and is solid as a rock. As the old transom was removed, i inspected the stringers and did not notice any issues- no rotted wood/solid glass and fully intact. The deck has a slight 'creak' in one spot, but i'm not sure i would consider it in trouble and hope to get at least another 5 years before considering recoring it. Could this be a suspect cause of the problem?

BTW, I wouldn't consider the previous hull/cap riveting repair a quality job and am looking for recommendations to have it done correctly.