What`s more likely to blow out, a metal reinforced gasket or some RTV?
Personally I wouldn`t trust just RTV. I do gasket and RTV

That’s the way I’ve always done it.

Always used the high temp red rtv on the manifold gasket side. Dry head side. No leaks. When you remove the manifolds the gasket stays with manifold. No mess to clean on the head side.

No gasket nothing to blow/burn out. Silicon ain't goin' nowhere.

I went with just a 3-layer metal gasket (and used a torque wrench), but haven't started it yet. Everything cleaned up well and flat-edge looked good. We'll see what happens.

BTW- If your running WB02, might wanna remove the sensors from the area when using RTV. Back when I was active tuning cars using WB-02, the sensors would experience "silicone poisoning". Symptoms would be lazy response at first, then slowly die. I would remove them and place in a zip-lock until the RTV had thoroughly dried and I was ready to re-install. Don't know if the WB02 sensors have changed since then (early 90's) but thought I'd mention it.

If surface is somewhat flat and doesn't have imperfections I use Mr gasket Ultra seal gaskets, I put a slight amount of antiseize on one side so they will separate without tearing/ On my dyno my favorite set of BBC headers I used mr gasket ultra seals with slight amount of hi temp rtv between header and gasket and tiny bbit antiseize on cylinder head side so gasket doesn't bond to paint if customer brings a engine to be dynoed with fresh paint.
Personally I hate when someone just uses RTV and its smeared all over, into every nook and cranny, looks like a cobbled mess. Theres quite a few things too where exhaust doesnt go straight on too, you have to work it in, Id much rather slide a gasket in at that point on front/rear bolts then smear a bunch of RTV down as you work a piece into place, just, my opinion.

I always use the factory, metal and fiber ones. Seems to work the best with cast and aluminum manifolds, without failures. Never used RTV. Manifolds are too hard to get on and off in a couple of my boats. Being glued to the head would be an added nightmare.

Exhausts on watercooled exhausts run so much cooler than their auto counterparts I’m surprised there's a marine exhaust sealing issue with some of you. Or is this just with header peeps ? I’ve never seen an exhaust manifold issue with using just normal felpro exhaust gaskets.

Been chasing down a lifter tick on my albermarle vortecs and got a glimpse of some red rtv between the cast iron exh manifold and head. I says to myself, self, that's not a lifter tick it's an exhaust leak. So today I removed that manifold and found no gasket and barely any rtv. I was like wtf? The little bit of rtv that was there was squeezed out and not even on the sealing surface. Anywho, ordered felpro gaskets and will put this mess behind me. I'd never consider using rtv on a marine exhaust manifold. Frankly I'm surprised its even a thing. Sorry for bringing up an old post but I wanted to get my 2 cents in on that.

BT

I can say that the multi layer metal exhaust gaskets have worked well in my app for more than 10 years. Nothing hot - a 502 mpi with Stainless Marine manifolds. I am sure that I did not use sealant . I forgot that I had them until reading this! I remember that I was leery to use them as I never read anyone using them for marine, but it was a Saturday afternoon and it was all the local NAPA had. Not sure, but they may have been Fel-Pro - definitely not a hot rod brand.