Marine: Boating, Sailing, PWC, GPS and Navigation - trailer tounge latch question, safety chain mount question

Question #1: I replaced my worn out latch with a new Reese 3" tounge x 2" ball. The old assembly laid tight against the top of the square tubing, the new one sits 1/8" above the tube. The holes line up just fine, do you see a problem with having the gap? The force is upward anyway, I can't see any problem.

Question #2: The original safety chains are held on by the bolt that hold on the tounge latch. In other words I have 3 bolts, the rear one is clear thru, the front 2 are short and go thru the top safety chain link. To me that seems hoakie, should I loop them thru the triangle prop that keeps the tounge off of the ground and put 1 bolt thru the center? Do you have a better suggestion?

It would be better, long term, if the hitch were tight to the tongue.
The space will allow some movement of the hitch causing the bolts and hole to wear.
You could lay a piece of 1/8" flat bar under the hitch to make it tight.

You should not bolt the safety chain to the skid plate.
If the trailer became detached from the vehicle the skid plate could get ripped off taking the safety chains with it.
You could have room to drill holes in the tongue and use separate bolts for the chain.

Advice well taken... I'm cutting a plate for under the latch and I'm going to bolt to the tounge like they had it. I'm not all about drilling another hole in the tounge where the most stress would be. I'll weld a 1/8" plate to the tounge and bolt the latch over it.