Grounding Plate for SSB

[SV Bacchus]

Hi All,

About to close on a new to us Leopard 42. The boat has, according to the surveyor, a top-notch install of a SSB. I don't have the paperwork with me but I believe it is an Icom 802.

Uh, With the exception of grounding. He showed me the 3 or 4 inch wide strip of copper grounding going down into a bilge in the starboard hull. Then the copper is just laying there, 2 or 3 folds back and forth on top of each other. He said it would work, huh???? But he added the true ground to get max performance of the radio is a grounding plate outside the hull, on the bottom. He described it as a plate maybe 6"X12" and looking like a mass of copper BB's welded together explaining that gives the small footprint maximum water exposure.

He didn't know the name of a manufacturer or didn't want to get in the business of making vendor recommendations. At any rate, I don't know who or where to get one. He suggested I add it to my next "haul out list" so I wouldn't forget it.

1) Can anyone tell me good or best maker and where to buy?

and

2) Mounted to the hull with bronze thru bolts to facilitate connections inside?

and

3) Mounted first then new antifoul or do the antifoul first then mount the plate?