Sealing screw holes on hatch guides

[dsal]

I'm sure there's an answer in here somewhere but I'm having trouble finding it.  The wooden guides for the hatch have been leaking water in the cabin when raining (roof and door).  So I have taken them off and refinished the wood and now I'm ready to put them back on.  I was planning on putting a dollop of 3m 5200 sealant on the screw hole (wood side) and then securing it.  But now I'm thinking that might be too permanent for my liking.  I was thinking maybe I should just use some silicone sealant in the same manner and then I know I can remove them again without damaging the wood.  Any suggestions on which way to go?   Thanks!

[Tom L.]

DO NOT use 5200 or silicone. If you use 5200 the wood will probably break away if you ever want to remove the guides. Silicone will contaminate the area so that nothing else will work. Best material in my view is either butyl tape or life caulk.

Tom L.

[dsal]

Thanks Tom.  I'll look into both those suggestions.

[Tom L.]

One other thing it works well to bevel the hole slightly in the fiberglass with a counter sink bit. This gives the sealant a place to reside instead of just squeezing out.

Tom L.

[marc]

I second butyl tape. Great stuff.
Marc

[JBC]

As I'm about to undertake this task, the question and answers are timely. Thanks!
Jett

[Bilge Rat]

4200 is a great sealant . I use it for all my bedding needs. And unlike 5200 it is not permanent - you can remove it fairly easily.

[brackish]

I have sealed mine several times with 4200 and it worked great but a little messy to use.  I just did them again and used butyl tape, it was much easier to use but I can't speak to its effectiveness yet.

[Bob23]

I also rebed mine this spring with butyl tape in white. It took a while for it to squish down, needed a warm day. But I like the stuff and it is not messy at all. No leaks once it started feeling at home.

[dsal]

Thanks everybody for the feedback.