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Chuck Gould

wrote:

What do you all suggest?

Thanks!

It's not uncommon to mount the rail directly on the deck without a
rubber gasket beneath.
The important part is to squirt some Sikaflex or other sealer into the
fastener holes to prevent water from wicking into the interior of your
boat, a cored laminate, or etc. (Don't use 5200 to seal the fasteners
unless you are *positive* you will never need to remove them. You can
use 4200, but not 5200).

Even if you jammed some rubber under the rails, you would still have to
deal with a propensity for water to creep down the fasteners. Assuming
that the fasteners have a "head" that protrudes above the stanchion
brackets, a layer of rubber between the bracket and the deck may indeed
keep water from sneaking in under the bracket, but won't prevent
wicking.