Ramblings

  • Setting up Pi-Hole in LXC

    Setting up Pi-Hole in LXC

    I already have AdGuard installed on the Windows PC (at the network layer), but I’m starting to reconsider running browser extensions and their ilk – they’re executing with potentially full rights in the DOM (AdGuard injects JS to manage things for instance), and all it takes is one of them being sold/pwned, and my data…

  • Cutless bearing – open hull surgery

    Cutless bearing – open hull surgery

    After a bit of a wait, the work on Blue Opal’s stern gear has started. The rudder was dropped a little while ago, and other topside work was done while things were being sorted out for the actual investigation and dismantling. Close investigation of the open hull surgery photo reveals distinct pinking of the metal;…

  • Holiday – July 2018

    Holiday – July 2018

    The original plan for July’s holiday was to sail Blue Opal to the south of Ireland in a series of day-sails, do some exploration and relaxation, and then either leave her in a marina until I could find a crew to bring her back, or do a longish sail back up on the flood tide.…

  • Sailing to Pwllheli – Navtex log

    Sailing to Pwllheli – Navtex log

    Unfortunately, I forgot to turn the Navtex logger on when we were alongside the pontoon, so the log starts somewhere out past the Burford Buoy. More reason to write the code for the ESP8266 and build my data logger. Day Day/time (IST) Latitude Longitude SoG (knots) Heading (True) 2018-07-06 2144 53ยฐ 14.811′ N 005ยฐ 57.360′…

  • Sailing to Pwllheli

    Sailing to Pwllheli

    Blue Opal was delivered to Pwllheli yesterday afternoon, after a pleasant 16 hour trip from Dun Laoghaire. I brought her alongside the club around 1700 on Friday, and left the engine running under load to chill the fridge. Put supplies away, tidied up – all the stuff you do right before making a passage. We…

  • Dun Laoghaire -> Pwllheli

    Dun Laoghaire -> Pwllheli

    Having called around to the local yards and engineers, all of whom have said “yes, we can do that in winter” or “sorry mate, I’m more on the commercial side”, I consulted with the gent who acted on my behalf in Conwy when I purchased Blue Opal. The suggestion was a yard in Pwllheli, and…