We love Fernandina Beach. It is a walking town and we want the exercise. Join us as we take a short stroll through Fenandina Beach. There are no shortage of restaurants, pubs, and saloons to sample. We plan to do our best to try sample as many as we can while we are here. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

The seas favored us as we rounded the last of the three sister capes—Cape Fear. Navigating its crowded waters proved our greatest challenge, threading carefully among the many vessels making their passage. Once clear, we steered south toward Fernandina Beach, while others chose a more westerly course. The sailing was at times exhilarating, at times less forgiving, as the weather strayed from the forecast. Ultimately, we arrived safely and marked the occasion with a well-earned dinner and drinks. Our journey continues, and we invite you to share in the adventure. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

We experienced some rough seas where the winds and waves plowed over the bows for eight hours. We did not escape without damage. This is our repair of our sail locker door piston that was caught by a huge wave that forced it back, breaking the piston coupler. We were lucky, I wish all repairs were like this. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

After clearing Cape Hatteras, we anticipated a peaceful night rounding Cape Lookout. Instead, we were met with a fierce reminder of nature’s unpredictability. The wind turned against us, the waves grew hostile, and the rain erased the stars from the sky. Cape Lookout was anything but welcoming. Shaken and soaked, we made our way to safe harbor in Morehead City. This leg of our journey tested us—join us as we share what unfolded. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

From all of us to all of you, We wish everyone a happy and healthy New Years for 2026.

As luck would have it, we managed to time our stay in Fernandina Beach during the annual “Dickins on Centre” festival. The streets were festively lighted, crafts tents lined the walks full of wares, bakeries hawking their sweets, performers at every corner, here a Christmas tree, there a Christmas tree, locals and tourist meandering the streets in Victorian garb, drones lighting up the night sky, and hot cocoa stands everywhere. It did not take long for me to realize that we were stuck in a holiday Hallmark movie with no way out, oh the horror,,, the horror of it all . . . Merry Christmas everyone. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

During the holiday, take the time celebrate the year and remember only the good, take the time to create a Moment in Time that will last forever.

Previously, we held position in the southern Chesapeake Bay, awaiting a break in the weather. In this episode, the window finally arrives. With icy winds at our backs, we depart the bay’s protection and enter the Atlantic Ocean. Three sister capes stand before us—mysterious, merciless, or merciful. Will they welcome us, or test our resolve? Join us as we press southward, chasing warmth and striving for equilibrium with the sea. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

The time has come. With the uncertain future of UP Boats, I made the repairs and modifications necessary to splash our UP340, Miss Annemarie, named after my mother from a piece of art commissioned by my father. We properly trimmed the outboard motor and took the UP340 through some initial paces before hoisting her up and securing her aboard “Moments in Time” We are not happy with the build quality of our UP340. It appears that UP Boats, LLC has gone dark and is questionable if they are still in business. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ *** Please Read *** During our dinghy review process, we conducted thorough research—examining manufacturers and speaking with multiple owners to gather their insights. In our videos, we explained why we chose the UP340 from UP Boats, LLC, based in Opa Locka, Florida. It met all our criteria and was proudly made in the USA. Unfortunately, our UP340 arrived 14 months late and already showed visible damage while still on the delivery truck. The damage turned out to be structural, and we immediately reported it to UP Boats, LLC. Despite having shipping insurance and receiving repeated assurances that a replacement would be provided, none ever arrived. As of July 10, 2025, all communication with UP Boats, LLC has ceased. It now appears that UP Boats, LLC is no longer in operation. Numerous complaints and legal actions have been filed by other buyers, indicating we are not alone in this experience. A quick online search for UP Boats reveals a troubling pattern. We will soon be posting videos on this channel detailing the problems we encountered with our damaged UP340 and the steps we had to take to make it marginally seaworthy. In hindsight, the cost savings from purchasing the UP340 do not justify the compromises we faced. We would have been far better off investing in a proven, high-quality Offshore Cruising Tender such as the OCT 350. *** End of Read ***

Toni and I had hoped to hold a boat blessing early on, but the timing never quite worked out. Now, as we prepare for our voyage south, we were fortunate to have Deacon Jim and his wife Ginger—both seasoned sailors—join us to bless "Moments in Time". They even offered a special blessing for our dinghy, "Miss Annemarie", complete with a few extra splashes of holy water across her transom. We are now nearly ready to embark on our odyssey toward lower latitudes and warmer seas.

The sound of flocking geese heading south begin to fill the twilight air, the white glaze of morning dew frosting the grass, the brisk sunset with a single dog barking off in the distance, and the clear star lit skies highlight the moonless cold nights. In the past these were normal events marking that Autumn is now in control. But we have other plans. We need to be heading south. Prior commitments have now given away to a mad rush to stock the boat with supplies and wait for an acceptable weather window to sail south. A weather window presented itself so we untied “Moments in Time” and pointed the hulls into the sunrise and started our odyssey south in search of warmer temperatures, sunsets, and girly drinks. Join us as we begin this adventure. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

In mid-November of 2024, a 42-foot catamaran, Qori Inti (Golden Sun) was found capsized 60 miles off the coast of Georgia, the crew Dave and Charlie, both experienced sailors were missing and never found. As “Moments in Time” cross these very waters in very rough conditions, we pay honor to Dave and Charlie with two shots of rum, one shot for the sea and skipper and crew of Quri Inti, and one for “Moments in Time”. The rough seas soon laid down.

We were not only sailing from the cold, we also wanted to spend time with Monica and enjoy Thanksgiving. Monica picked us up from Fernandina Beach and took us to her place in Jacksonville, a short distance away. While Admiral Toni did most of the cooking, I got a list of chores that I had to complete, fix the patio door, fix the front door, pick up and move heavy stuff, fix her Sono’s Google Play, reposition her dash cam, . . . , you get the picture. Bon Appetite!, the meal was delicious. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

Our dream dinghy has turned out to be a nightmare. In the last episode, we repaired the structurally cracked transom only to find out that the insurance adjuster notified us that the damage went beyond the crack. We patiently waited for the insurance claim which never came through. Ultralight Performance (UP) Boats promise of replacing the UP340 never came to fruition. UP Boats as of this posting no longer exists. Join us as we continue with the transom repairs and also fix other issues discovered with the UP340 before it was ever splashed. Were we hoodwink?, I do not know, we researched, analyzed, checked UP Boats reputation, and all came back OK. Somewhere between us ordering the UP340 and final delivery something happened. I can only speculate as I have no hard facts at this time. There were other customers that suffered worse than we did. For other UP customers, please post a comment and share your experiences for others to see. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking / sv.momentsintime As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. *** Please Read *** During our dinghy review process, we conducted thorough research—examining manufacturers and speaking with multiple owners to gather their insights. In our videos, we explained why we chose the UP340 from UP Boats, LLC, based in Opa Locka, Florida. It met all our criteria and was proudly made in the USA. Unfortunately, our UP340 arrived 14 months late and already showed visible damage while still on the delivery truck. The damage turned out to be structural, and we immediately reported it to UP Boats, LLC. Despite having shipping insurance and receiving repeated assurances that a replacement would be provided, none ever arrived. As of July 10, 2025, all communication with UP Boats, LLC has ceased. It now appears that UP Boats, LLC is no longer in operation. Numerous complaints and legal actions have been filed by other buyers, indicating we are not alone in this experience. A quick online search for UP Boats reveals a troubling pattern. We will soon be posting videos on this channel detailing the problems we encountered with our damaged UP340 and the steps we had to take to make it marginally seaworthy. In hindsight, the cost savings from purchasing the UP340 do not justify the compromises we faced. We would have been far better off investing in a proven, high-quality Offshore Cruising Tender such as the OCT 350. *** End of Read ***

“Moments in Time” radar reflectors had slide down during a rough passage in the Chesapeake Chop. Unfortunately, the reflectors are now even with our radar, thus creating huge blind spots to port and starboard. This required another trip up the mast to correct but this time I wanted to test my new safety backup. While the Admiral still raised and lowered me using the main halyard, I was able to use my backup tether to the screecher halyard and control my backup line myself. This greatly simplified going up and down the mast. It worked great! Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

Our dream dinghy has turned out to be not so dreamy. We analyzed and rated our top 4 dinghies in past episodes and chose the UP340 from Ultralight Performance (UP) Boats. At the time we thought it was the best dinghy for us. We ordered it in July 2023 with a delivery date of December 2023. However, through various issues, our UP340 was not delivered until April 2025, over 16 months behind schedule. We were patient and explained away the constant delays thinking that any design improvements would benefit us. Imagine our disappointment when our UP340 arrived with a structural crack in the transom. Promises of a replacement from UP Boats faded away with the company. The last we heard was that UP Boats was going through restructuring with some external investors which was to be completed in September 2025. It is now November 2025, UP Boats have vacated their shop and no one has heard a response. I have to assume at this point that UP Boats are no more. Now we have to make this work, first on the list is to repair the transom crack. We should have paid the extra money for Offshore Cruising Tender (OCT) from the beginning. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. *** Please Read *** During our dinghy review process, we conducted thorough research—examining manufacturers and speaking with multiple owners to gather their insights. In our videos, we explained why we chose the UP340 from UP Boats, LLC, based in Opa Locka, Florida. It met all our criteria and was proudly made in the USA. Unfortunately, our UP340 arrived 14 months late and already showed visible damage while still on the delivery truck. The damage turned out to be structural, and we immediately reported it to UP Boats, LLC. Despite having shipping insurance and receiving repeated assurances that a replacement would be provided, none ever arrived. As of July 10, 2025, all communication with UP Boats, LLC has ceased. It now appears that UP Boats, LLC is no longer in operation. Numerous complaints and legal actions have been filed by other buyers, indicating we are not alone in this experience. A quick online search for UP Boats reveals a troubling pattern. We will soon be posting videos on this channel detailing the problems we encountered with our damaged UP340 and the steps we had to take to make it marginally seaworthy. In hindsight, the cost savings from purchasing the UP340 do not justify the compromises we faced. We would have been far better off investing in a proven, high-quality Offshore Cruising Tender such as the OCT 350. *** End of Read ***

We keep multiple boat hooks onboard “Moments in Time”. We have an extending hook in the forward locker, a special line threading hook forward as well, mostly for catching mooring balls. However, the boat hook located in the stern barely reaches the waterline. This is the hook that will most likely be used in emergencies as it is the most accessible from the cockpit. I decided to replace 6-foot hook with a 14-foot floating telescoping boat hook, This will extend the reach quite a bit and increases the safety factor if something needs to be retrieved from the water. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

We were due. Between all our medical issues it was hard to get out sailing. We found three days and made a run for it. We set our course south looking to reach the Potomac River and then find a quiet anchorage to chill and relax. We found the perfect cove in Smith Creek where we splashed the anchor and sat back to relax. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset while sipping some refreshing wine before grilling some burgers for dinner. The next day we explored Smith Creek and stretched our legs on a deserted beach before returning to “Moments in Time” for lunch and some hull scrubbing. We relaxed, enjoyed a nice dinner and went to bed. We reluctantly weighed anchor the next morning and started our journey back to Solomons in rough waves and high winds on the nose. We had to be back, there was no leeway, so we sucked it up and pounded our way north. Nine hours later “Moments in Time” was safely secured in her berth and we made our way home. Our only regret was not staying longer. We are already planning a return trip. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

The Seawind 1260 really did not have a jackline route, so Toni and I created one. I installed a folding padeye in the Monica lounge to give us that critical forward attachment point. A jackline is a safety line or no stretched webbing that is secured from stern to bow. Its purpose is to provide attachment point for a safety harness tether. If rigged correctly it should prevent one from going overboard in rough weather. It is important to note that a jackline should be rigged as close to center of the boat as possible. Jackline's main purpose is to prevent one from going over the side, NOT to keep you attached to the boat after going over the side. Survival chances are greatly reduced if one goes over the side while attached. One hand for yourself, one hand for the boat, and a tether to a jackline as a backup. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

For those that might not have made it to the Seawind party on “A” dock at the Annapolis Sailboat Show after closing, here is a short excerpt from Richard Ward and the state of Seawind. Exciting news with the Seawind 1160XL, 1170, 1370, 1600, and the newly announced Seawind 1270. It is nice to know that all the models in the Seawind corral are always in the process of innovative improvements. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.