Sealing deck hardware

[bbook83]

I removed cleats and chocks for fiberglass refinishing. They all had studs through the deck with no evidence of a gasket or sealant, nor evidence of water getting through the holes. I put them back on without sealant, but am now having second thoughts, thinking I should remove them and seal with 4200 before I reinstall things like the fuel tank, which will make The underside inaccessible. Any experience out there on this?

 

[Grub54891]

Absolutely put some sealer on them. If for anything, peace of mind.

 

[DeepBlue2010]

The factory wanted to save few $$. You should use sealant for sure. 3M 4000 is very good for this job since it has much better UV resistance characteristics but 4200 will do if this is what you have already.

 

[bbook83]

Thanks for the responses. Good to know about the 4000 vs 4200, but I will only be sealing around the studs where they pass through the deck (inside the hardware), so there will be no UV exposure. Grub is right about peace of mind. Rot doesn't warn you while it is doing it's thing.