: Is it worth upgrading to Yakima footbraces?
: Are Keepers that bad?
: Is Yakima pretty much the industry standard?

: I am very close to joining the deck to hull and plan to use the non-through
: hull method of attaching footbraces, probably the Newfound Woodworks
: footbrace studs.

: I prefer durability, reliability and buying once to saving a few bucks.
: Any thoughts, advice, comments or jokes before I join top and bottom
: (hopefully) forever would be greatly appreciated.

: Thanks, M.

If you are going to use the footbrace studs it is definitely easier to install them before you joint the deck to the hull (although not impossible to install afterward). The plates on the studs need to be glassed to the inside of the hull. It makes it much easier in the alignment process if you don't have the deck attached. The footbrace studs will work with either the Yakima style or the Keepers.

Michael