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.

It is that time of the year again, the Annapolis Fall Sailboat Show is back in town. This is the sailing event of the year on the east coast. As always, Toni and I cleared our schedule months in advance so we can attend the show. We viewed boats of interest, took advantage of boatshow deals, participated in the comradery of fellow sailors, and of course, attended the parties. This year we toured the Corsair 880 trimaran and the brand new Dragonfly 36 trimaran. We had a list of items that we still needed for “Moments in Time” and had previously researched bottom line prices. Fortunately, the boat show prices were good so we pried our wallets open and purchased some gear. Watch the video to see what we purchased. 😊 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 winds aligned with Jupiter and Mars while leaving the sun shining in the bright sky. This was truly a rare event, where our son Ben, his wife Alicia, and our four grandchildren, with Monica up from Florida, and Reed, were all able to join us for a day of sailing. The winds were the right strength and from the right direction to allow us to make the lighthouse run. This is a nice sail crossing the Chesapeake Bay and going south on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to round the Hooper Island Lighthouse and back again. This is a nice day sail and provides a destination rather than sailing randomly back and forth. It turned out to be a great day and Toni and I hoped that everyone onboard mentally recorded a moment in time. 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.

Spur of the moment, Toni and I, including a guest, created a Moment in Time and left the dock at 03:00 PM and enjoyed a nice sail across the bay. We reached back and forth and then headed into the sunset. However, at the last minute, we were robbed by the encroaching clouds. We still enjoyed the sail and arrive back in our slip after dark. 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.

The summer doldrums continued. Toni and I have been making many changes to “Moments in Time” and now we wanted to relax. Toni and I simply committed to a couple days to go out. We packed some food and departed Solomons in the spitting rain and dying winds. We managed to get the sails up and sailed for a little while before enabling the iron gennys and motor sailing to St. John’s Creek off of St. Leonard Creek. We dropped the hook and relaxed, watching the pop-up thunderstorms and jumping whenever lightning flashed too close. However, it cooled the evening temperatures. This is the first trip that we took with the “Miss Annemarie”, our carbon fiber dinghy. We did some sightseeing, visited a deserted beach, and went out to dinner. Two nights was not long enough but prior commitments forced our return to Solomons. It was a short but great trip. Having a dinghy opens many more options while anchored. 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 YouTube trailing clip is where you ask for viewers to subscribe to your channel, encourage them to like the video, welcome any comments, and maybe click the notification bell so you will be notified when new videos are aired. I wanted to update “Sailing with No Agenda” YouTube trailing clip with the Von Abresch Family actors, how hard can that be? 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.

We always dreamed of sailing the seas, but there are a few things that scare me. Going overboard is one of these. Practicing safe habits and being prepared can reduce these risks. Toni and I spent last season researching life vests. There is no shortage of life vests on the market ranging from tarnished pennies to shinny nickels in cost. Most boaters know that a life vest will keep you afloat if you go overboard. However, that is a short-sighted view. The true purpose of a life vest is to keep you afloat to be rescued. This is especially challenging if sailing as a couple. If you go overboard, and your partner is not aware that you went overboard, the chance of surviving goes down with each passing minute. Even if you go overboard in front of your partner, you will quickly disappear in the waves. The life vest is the last resort. Its purpose is to keep you afloat and alive to be rescued. Do not cheap out on the life vest when sailing coastal or offshore. Of course, the best survival chance is not going overboard to begin with. Rig a proper jackline, strap in at all times, and wear your life vest. Subscribe and share 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.

As we transition to a life at sea aboard “Moments in Time”, there will be some things I will truly miss from land life. One of these will be enjoying fresh heirloom tomatoes from my garden. I will pick the tomatoes everyday and line them up on the counter. However, the best, the biggest, the ripest of them seem to disappear, leaving me tomatoes that require me to gerrymander around all the bad spots. I know it is not aliens coming down to take them, at least I do not think so, but Toni and the grandkids seem suspiciously happy, and it always look like they have red stains around their smiling mouths, like tomato stains. One day I will get the best tomatoes, that is the dream anyway. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

After spending a season onboard “Moments in Time”, we developed a list of things we needed to change before starting this season. We previously addressed the propane tank swap out, the external hose quick connects/disconnects, corrected all the slip and slides in previous episodes. In this episode, we will complete the task I wanted to do since we first got the boat and that was to install some fishing racks to store my fishing rods so I can have a line out when sailing. Well, what took me so long?, simply I was afraid to drill holes into a brand-new boat. “Moments in Time” is a year old now and I wondered why I fretted so. I plan to fish while sailing, while anchor, and have some hand lines to fish while out at sea. Another task I can check off the wish list. 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.

As we transition to a life at sea aboard “Moments in Time”, there will be some things I will truly miss from land life. One of the top things will be my garden. I start craving tomatoes as soon as my previous crop dies off from the frost. You cannot purchase a good tomato anymore. Even greenhouse tomatoes are not the same. Most modern tomatoes are hybrids, with traits that are genetically modified for uniform color, uniform shape, ability to be picked green, and yes, to rot from the inside on the shelf, all commercial attributes for shipping and selling, taste never figures into the commercial attributes. Of course, they will tell you that it tastes good, but in reality, they taste like crap. I try to plant only heirloom tomatoes. These are the only tomatoes that are naturally selected over centuries for taste. They might be white, green, rainbow, black, purple, orange, yellow, and of course red, but they all taste great. WARNING: If you eat an heirloom tomato, you will no longer be able to eat a grocery store tomato. But it is OK to be a tomato snob 😊 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/