Re-varnishing The Old Outer Island

Normally, I wouldn't create a post about such a routine task, but this time I decided to try to remove all the old varnish. It was quite a task.

I am learning a lot here. First, I tried the "safer" citrus stripper on the hatch covers. It seems to attack the varnish all right, but it does so unevenly, and dries out quickly.
Back to the "brute force" approach-heavy sanding. You really can tell when you're through the varnish-the sanding dust changes from brown to white. After hand sanding, R.O.S. sanding, 220 grit, 400 grit, powerwashing, steel wool, and more powerwashing, I wish I had applied a heavier coat of epoxy three years ago! I did hit the glass weave in more places than I expected to. In all, I think it would have been better just to sand lightly. There was a not-unpleasant "old varnish patina" that is now gone.
After all that, I applied commercially-available adhesive rub strips to the bow & stern. I think they would look better on New Construction.

I used Epifanes varnish, first coat thinned 50% with the 333 thinner, and second coat 25%. It somehow seems to go on better than the Schooner.