Hi all
Putting a deck pad on wing board
wondering do you put holes for foot straps in pad before or after sticking down.
if before how do you locate holes

Personally. I wouldn't put holes in new pad before sticking it down.
I haven't done this before so maybe there is an easier way.
With the old pad on I would measure to the millimeter from permanent reference points like the middle nose tip, Camera plug attachments and the tail corner tips & also leash plugs at fine points where the leash plug pins meet the inner circumference of the plugs. All of them to each hole of the footstraps. Write these measurements down for each hole of the foot straps. Then use a pin to stick through your newly stuck pad at these measurements. If the pin sinks through further than the deck then maybe you got your measurements right to make the holes or sink your strap screws.

You put the footpads on then you take a needle to find the first hole. After the first hole, it should get easier as there is a pattern how the layout is of the holes.