Grate gasket

[JJinSC]

The gasket that fills the gaps between the back of the intake grate and the hull ( I think this is called the seal tray) seems to have worn and now I am constantly catching debris in these slots and it causes cavitation upon take off. I can stop, reach under and pull the debris loose and everything is fine. The debris is getting harder and harder to pull out now because the gasket seems to be wearing further and further. Do I need to get a new gasket for this and worry about being able to break the grate bolts loose to replace it or can I just fill this gap with a little clear silicone??

 

[JJinSC]

Any input? Since cleaning and adjusting the carbs, I get so much better acceleration that I have cavitation if I gun it out off the hole. I have checked my impellor and wear ring and they look in great shape. I think that this may be because of the worn seal tray on the grate. Could this be creating bubbles and creating the cavitation? I get the cavitation even after I clean the trash that gets caught in this slot Now.