Embrace your Pivots

E-Propulsion Dinghy Motor Review [UPDATED 2023]

Before Reading: 2023 Update After using our motor for 2.5 years, it suddenly broke. It seemed that since we ran over the fishing line, during the first few months, this may have opened a seal on the shaft. This voided the motor’s warranty, and the motor died on our last voyage, presumably due to water…

January 22, 2022
Why we choose the Mantus M1 Anchor as Full-Time Cruisers

Choosing the right anchor is one of the most important steps to leaving the dock and having a good night sleep while out on the water. It’s a valuable piece of equipment that will keep you safe when foul weather comes. We explain our experience as two young boaters with a CQR anchor in their…

January 21, 2022
Taking a Break from Boat Projects | First Timers at the Annapolis Boat Show

We spent two months in Crisfield, Maryland working on boat projects. During that time we took a few breaks to step away from the boat to make sure we balanced work and play. The first of our weekends for play was going to the Annapolis Motor Boat Show. It was an eye opening experience for…

January 15, 2022
Surprising My Fiance with a New Bathroom

Elliot surprises Jenn with a fully functional forward head while she’s away for a weekend. This boat project has been months in the making! Our forward head was known as our number one only toilet, until we realized it was collecting urine in a bilge compartment below the head in Savannah, GA. At that point…

January 10, 2022
Re-Coring Our Old Trawler’s Leaky Decks

We started our biggest boat project to date! Like most things, we jumped into the deep end. Elliot did extensive research prior to starting this project, but didn’t have any experience with saws and grinders, fiberglass, or projects of this size. That didn’t stop him given his motto is “nothing to it but to do…

January 7, 2022
What to do when your Great Loop gets cut short

After 4 months in Florida for Elliot’s wrist surgery, recovery, healing, physical therapy, and catching up on work, we have returned to PIVOT back in Crisfield, Maryland. We discuss the theme and meaning behind PIVOT and how we’re going to pivot yet again as we postpone completing the loop for 2022. We discuss some of…

November 5, 2021
4 Months of Surgery, Recovery, and Road Trips

Once we successfully moved PIVOT from Smith Island to Crisfield, Maryland, we were able to attend follow up doctors appointments in Salisbury, Maryland. Jenn’s parent’s left to go back to Florida as we were capable of handing the rest on our own. Elliot’s follow up doctor appointments were in Salisbury, a 45 minute direct drive…

November 3, 2021
Forcing the Admiral to Dock the Boat

Two days following Elliot’s wrist injury, we moved the boat from Smith Island to Crisfield, Maryland. With our captain out of commission due to his wrist break, Jenn took over the captain duties and got the boat off the dock, crossed Tangier Sound, and docking us, twice, at the marina in Crisfield. It was nothing…

November 1, 2021
Ferrying Back to Smith Island the Day After the Boating Injury

The follow day after Elliot’s wrist break, we made our way back to PIVOT by getting an Uber from Salisbury to Crisfield, Maryland. Crisfield is the closest town to Smith Island and the town where the ferry’s leave from. We took the ferry back to Smith Island where we went straight back to the bakery…

November 1, 2021
What it’s Like to Be Injured on a Remote Island

Our first day on Smith Island started out beautifully. We enjoyed the slow pace lifestyle on the Island as we watched the birds, watched the crabbers go out on their boats, and noticed the small things on the island. We checked into the Bakery dock at 9am and went back to the boat to work…

November 1, 2021