: I always find the VCP fittings really ugly, and I'm not convinced they spread
: the load very well - probably work OK on a moulded fibreglass boat, but I'd
: be unhappy about using them in a stripper after cutting a hole for a
: retrofitted recess.

I really like the way they look and that's why I bought them. I don't really see the distinction on why they would work "OK" on a fiberglass boat and not on a stripper. My Romany's deck isn't that thick and is mat, probably 2 or 4 ounce with a reinforcement around each Valley fitting. A stripper with a 1/4" or more of wood plus several layers of glass should be much stronger than the mat deck on my Romany. Especially using one of the recesses shown above with glass on the back.

Care to educate me on exactly why you think Valley fittings would work "OK" in a glass boat and not in a stripper?

: No matter what you planned, sometime someone is going to help you carry a
: fully loaded boat and will pick it up by the deck lines. A lot of the
: designs I've seen look worryingly delicate ...

Yep, it happens sometimes. But I've never been out with a friend and have it happen. In the summer, I guide two trips a day and this last summer, I guided around 500+ people and only saw a few times where boats were lifted and carried by the deck lines and not by the handles. In real life, people are smart enough to see the handles, especially if you give them a quick talk about picking up and carrying the kayaks. The times that the boats were carried by the deck lines didn't really concern me, because they were outfitted with Valley Fittings or something similar. We had no problems with our glass boats and Valley Fittings or our plastic boats and Valley fittings. They're plenty strong.