Blocked Heads
Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sun 30 Aug 2026 02:16
Course: ENE Speed 6 knots
Wind: SW, F4 moderate breeze
Sea state: moderate Swell: SW, 2 meters
Weather: overcast, showers, occasional sun, mild
Day's run: 154 nm
Another excellent day's run. Barring any mishaps, large or small, we should
be in Opua sometime on Tuesday 1 September, much better than my original
estimate of Friday the 4th.
Overnight the wind has veered into the SW, as per the grib files and weather
faxes, and this morning at 0900 we poled the jib to starboard, continuing
with a reef in the main and the jib furled to 80%, Sylph running comfortably
with the wind fine off her starboard quarter.
On the down and rather smelly side, my investigations of the problem with
the holding tank revealed that not only was the breather tube blocked but
the head overboard discharge pipe was also blocked. It seems that this sort
of blockage is inevitable over time with heads which use sea water for
flushing. Despite the use of vinegar or stronger acids to dissolve the build
up of salts in the pipe work, over time it is a losing battle and the only
solution is to remove the pipe work and either clean or replace it - in my
experience the latter is generally the preferable option. This is clearly
not a task to be undertaken while bouncing around on the ocean, especially
with the chance of allowing a sudden ingress of large quantities of sea
water into the boat, not to mention the mess of smelly sewerage. Rather, it
is best left for a calm anchorage or, even better, when hauled out on the
hard, which I am planning on doing in Whangarei at some point during my stay
in New Zealand. In the meantime it is back to basics with a "bucket and
chuck it".
On a positive note, we expect to raise Cape Reinga around noon tomorrow,
then we shall turn to the East to run a further twenty miles to round North
Cape after which we will alter course to the SE for what should be a beam
reach, a further 75 miles to Bay of Islands and Opua. Like all sailors I
tend to be a bit superstitious about counting one's chickens etc. (see
opening paragraph), so we will of course remain vigilant to see whether the
sea has any surprises to throw at us before then.
(When I started writing this post the sun was shining and the wind was moderate. Now, a moment ago, a small rain squall has passed through requiring a second reef in the main for the first time this passage. Still many miles of ocean to go.)
All is well.