A bit more

I'm running out of steam (No pun intended).  Today was the last of my holiday for getting Ciao Bella ready but with no hope of getting her in the water imminently I have backed off on the pace.
This morning I had a look at what to do with the battery box.  I mounted a sheet of ply under the cockpit floor. It's tight for space under there. I wanted to have the sheet at the same level as the floor but there wasn't room to get the box in so it had to sit about an inch lower.  I'm happy enough with it, there is still space at the side to store paddles, boat hook etc.

I also removed and refitted the the rubbing strakes on both sides, bedding the top edge in a bead of sikaflex.  I finished off the starboard strake using some of the freecycled hardwood.  I had a piece of what looks like teak which has blended in reasonably well with the Iroko.

I took the sharp edges off with the sander, they are looking pretty good now and are ready for some 'it does exactly what it says on the tin'.

The last wee job I did today was to remount the starboard rear stanchion... easy enough you might think.  I took it off with the help of number one son, clean it up; squished some sikaflex around the base and bolted it up. Popped out side to admire my work only to see that the hole for the guard wire was pointing the wrong way.  Back under the rear quarter berth, unbolt; remove; more sika flex; position correctly and bolt up.  Fabulous except for the extremely black hands  :~(

Mrs Ciao Bella found some blue and white material that I can make curtains out of so that another job that can be done for zero cash.. result.