Ramblings
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Water system – upgrade redux
The first step is completed – the two ball valves have been placed in-line between the tanks and the T-connector that joins the tanks to each other and the rest of the system. Tested, and they work just fine – the pump area is current in bits, as I’ve taken the Jabsco pump out so…
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Water system upgrade
Blue Opal’s water system is fairly simple – a large stainless tank under the forward berths, plus a triangular Plastimo tank ahead of the big one. They’re both connected to a T connector that heads off towards the Jabsco pump. There’s an in-line filter attached to the pump inlet, and after leaving the pump, there’s…
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Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire
In late April, with the help of two other DMYC members, I moved Blue Opal from Conwy to Dun Laoghaire. I opted to stop in Holyhead on the way (on the good advice of Con), since it made for a shorter day on both days. It also enabled us to find the lovely oil in…
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Sailing in from the Kish
Almost home, just have to get past the Burford Bank.
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Meet Blue Opal
I purchased Blue Opal, a Victoria 34, in September of 2016. I had made the trip over to Conwy on the fast ferry, met the broker, looked at the boat, and promptly asked my parents to go take a look at her as well. This is after a year+ of thinking about a larger boat,…
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Building better bases for the coachroof winches
After I sailed Aslana for a while, I decided to re-fit her for single-handed sailing. This meant leading lots of lines back to the cockpit, and upgrading the captive winches to self-tailers. The ones on the coachroof were installed at a bad angle relative to the triple clutches ahead of them, so this winter has…