Built in 1973 by American Marine in Singapore, “Black Opal” is a rare 36’ Grand Banks Classic for a number of reasons. She’s one of the last GB woodies built, with the shipwrights using thick Philippine mahogany planks for the hull and old-growth teak on most of the topsides. Ever since Jim Thiele found her languishing down in Long Beach, CA in the 1990’s, she’s had a lot of TLC and always been under cover. Thiele did a major refurbishing over a four-year period that included the decks, the flybridge, new electronics, new fuel tanks, upgraded appliances, and much more. The Ford Lehman 120s even today only have about 3800 engine hours. When I purchased her from Jerry Norman in 2021, I put in new house/start AGM batteries, upgraded the refrigeration unit, added new radio equipment, including SSB (my call: W6TYZ). The rudder system has been repaired, with new mounting woods, linkages, packing glands, and bronze closing plates. Similarly the prop shafts have new packing glands and cutlass bearings. Engine upgrades and repairs have been made as needed. Finally, just this year, she received new varnish coats on the hand and cap rails, new hull paint, and fresh bottom paint. I think of “Black Opal” as one of the Northwest’s own historic boats, and that it’s my responsibility to keep her in the great condition she was in when turned over to my stewardship.
