So far, I haven't had a problem with them. I think it's the best way to mount footbraces. Yes, they are very strong; you just have to put some glass over the bases of the studs.

Some of this is from some of my previous posts:

If you don't want to drill through the hull, mounting studs are the way to go. They are very strong and you don't need a hole in your hull. I glue them in place with thickened epoxy using the foot brace rail (protected with packing tape) to keep them perfectly positioned. Then, when it hardens sufficently to keep the studs in place, remove the rails and put about 3 or 4 patches of glass over the stud bases. This produces very solid mounting points.

Check out this website: http://www.mcmaster.com and do a search for this stock number: 97590A574. They call them: Perforated Base Binding Studs.

They come in packs of 10, but the price is still low, and you'll have enough left over for your next build. They come in different lengths as well.

Good luck,

Pedro Almeida