Chain plates are out, now what?

[HoffaLives]

since jrd22 has had his question answered, i'll pipe in with a related one of my own; when i bought fainleog, the surveyor recommended i pull the chainplates and reseal them at the deck. they've never been pulled and the visible caulk looks very weathered. the deck around large fittings like this on the cs is solid fiberglass - no core, so water intrusion doesn't lead to rot. so far we have had no leaks into the boat, and so i'm wary of ripping these out as i'm not ready to replace them. i know keeping on top of through deck fittings is an important part of regular maintenance, and lord knows these are overdue, but i'm reluctant to disturb these. opinions?

[jrd22]

Hoffa- I emailed Brion Toss (rigger, Pt. Townsend) about my chainplates and he definitely recommended removing and inspecting(mine are 20 yrs old). He said people are understandably hesitant to pull them because it can be a big job, but he also said that 1/3 of dismastings are caused by chainplate failure. Makes me feel better about doing it. Resealing doesn't look to be a big job if you have the same type of sealing plates that I do, screwed down rectangular plates? I'm sure someone here has done it and can give you specific instructions. Looks like tomorrow is going to be a nice day for sailing around here, wish the boat was in the water.

John