I agree that sandwiching the transom, with plate on both sides, you do distribute the force much better. It was just bolts and washers which cause a potential issue.
In a least one C Dory25 the splash well laminate was about 1/2" off the transom laminate--a void of 1/2"--and the 1/4" thick splash well failed--first with a large fender washer, then with a bar across the upper bolt battery. This was solved by boring out the splash well to 2", and then working 6oz glass circles about 3 1/2" in diameter soaked in epoxy resin, thru the 2" hole and taking the load of the splash well. Finally the cut out part was delaminated with taper, and there is solid glass from the inner splash well to the transom, and then the area in the transom, is filled with thickened epoxy.