[hellosailor]

Old carpenter's trick: Remove screw, break off some wooden toothpick or matchstick in the hole. Add some epoxy (optional) and reinstall screw.

On a boat, I'd make sure the use the epoxy. You might want to lightly spray or wax the screw before putting it in, to make sure it can be removed in the future.

Or you could clean out the holes, fill with MarineTex or a similar filled=epoxy product, and drill new holes. Whatever you find more convenient and to your liking.

 

[hellosailor]

"The ultimate goal is to not let the epoxy run somewhere else"
A piece of tape over the hole will hold in the epoxy paste until it hardens. Masking tape seems to work best, as anything more durable just becomes incredibly well bonded to the epoxy and then it is one more thing to clean up. Thin masking tape, and you don't even need to peel it off before screwing the snap down.

Talcum powder, cornstarch, sawdust, there are lots of fillers if you don't buy one of the cheaper ones from the store.