Re-attatching ski/rudder plate after a leak

[Nickgb55]

I was searching for a leak this off season in my 85 supra sunsport and filled the bilge up with water with the boat on the trailer and determined the leak was coming from around the plate above the rudder. (Thanks for that advice Michael)

The plate has about 15 screws and as I was removing them water continued to pour out of the holes.

It was obvious the marine caulking/sealant around the plate had failed over time

For resecuring the plate what precautions can I take or what are best practices? My plan is to clear the area of all precious sealant and prep it to be reinstalled, apply marine sealant to the plate and screw it on.

Do I need to do anything special to the screw holes before replacing the screws? Like fill them up with sealant or anything to add another layer of protection?

One installed I will go around the perimeter of the plate for a final seal.

[CJD]

Use the 3M 5200 glue and sealant. It's nasty stuff, but seals great and never gets hard or cracks. Be sure to clean the plate thoroughly, and then apply the sealant around the plate and around the screw holes. You can either coat the screws before installation or fill the screw holes with sealant. If you use enough, it will squeeze out when you install the plate, so you should not need to run a bead around the plate, just wipe off the extra with a wet rag or paper towel.

Oh, when you remove the plate for cleaning, look closely at the hull to make sure there is no rot from the leak.