Tag: Blue Opal

  • Replacing the head sanitary hose – part 1

    Replacing the head sanitary hose – part 1

    Blue Opal’s head has had a bit of a pong since I got her, even with lots and lots of water flushed through (and Jabsco “Toilet Fresh Clean”.. actually, I think that smelled worse than the head itself; sickly sweet). The manual Whale V pump has also been annoying me, because it was installed about…

  • Things that go “bang” in the day

    Things that go “bang” in the day

    I was peacefully minding my own business on Blue Opal this afternoon, after work, when I heard a rattling of sails and some yelling. A mast came past my saloon window, and then there was a very loud bang from up forward. I dashed up on deck to see a 1720 from one of the…

  • RIP GPS mushroom

    RIP GPS mushroom

    The GPS on Blue Opal has been failing recently, claiming that it can’t get a fix. The common answer in the forums is that the battery has died, and should be replaced – spot welding the tabs will be the hard bit, but doable. So, I took mine off the railing, and discovered that it…

  • Running a new bilge pump pipe

    Running a new bilge pump pipe

    The existing pipe for Blue Opal’s electric bilge pump is some sanitation hose that looks like it might have been installed when the boat was built. I’ve been getting odd bits of water in the bilge that can’t be explained by leaks in the stern or at the mast, so I decided to clean and…

  • Pull-handle for the water tank locker

    Pull-handle for the water tank locker

    Blue Opal’s water tanks are in the bow, under the master cabin berths. The boards that cover the lockers are a pain to remove, because they’re a friction fit. However, given there are two shut-off valves in the locker, I decided to make it a bit easier to get the locker boards up. Having experienced…

  • Post-work sail

    Post-work sail

    In from work, a lovely sunny day, nice breezes – only one thing to do; tie the RIB to the mooring, and go sailing.