- Sailor / Organisation Lead: Jay Medlin
- Organisation: Skeleton Crew Adventures (501(c)(3) nonprofit)
- Region: Texas & Gulf of Mexico, USA
- Sailing Frequency: Monthly training sails, coastal programs & offshore expeditions
- Favourite SailTies Feature: “The detailed, shareable sailing logs that show real progress and impact.”
- SailTies Plan: Jay and Skeleton Crew Adventures use SailTies Plus to document therapeutic voyages, track veteran progress, and preserve offshore expeditions in detail.
How Skeleton Crew Adventures Uses SailTies to Power Healing, Purpose & Professional Growth for U.S. Veterans
Skeleton Crew Adventures (SCA) is a Texas-based 501(c)(3) providing Adventure Therapy to U.S. military veterans, first responders, and their families. Through structured coastal sails and offshore expeditions, veterans navigating PTSD, transition stress, or suicide ideation rediscover purpose, resilience, and camaraderie at sea.
Led by Jay, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Director of Operations, SCA runs multi-day training sails, therapeutic interventions, and long-range Atlantic passages aboard their fleet:
- S/V Encore (Olson 40), coastal training vessel
- S/V Godspeed (Swan 51), offshore expedition platform
With dozens of training sessions, expeditions, and regattas each year, SCA needed a seamless way to document voyages, track veteran progress, and demonstrate program impact.
That’s where SailTies became essential.
Why Skeleton Crew Adventures Chose SailTies
Before SailTies, SCA struggled with scattered logbooks, screenshots, and inconsistent documentation, all barriers for veterans tracking sea time and the organisation demonstrating outcomes.
SailTies solved this immediately by offering:
1. A visual “proof of progress” for every veteran
For participants recovering from PTSD or transition challenges, seeing their tracks, miles, and achievements mapped becomes more than data, it’s evidence of perseverance.
“Many describe their SailTies logs as a roadmap of their recovery, showing not just where they sailed, but how far they’ve come.”
2. Professional-grade record keeping
Essential for the Career Placement Program, where veterans earn sea time toward USCG licenses and maritime employment.
3. Operational clarity for instructors and skippers
With every voyage recorded, SCA can:
- Review training routes
- Conduct after-action reviews
- Compare conditions
- Refine curriculum
- Improve safety planning
4. Transparent storytelling for donors & supporters
The public logs allow SCA to show the world who they serve, where they sail, and the impact they create.
Use Case Highlight: The Harvest Moon Regatta
One of SCA’s most powerful deployments of SailTies is during the Harvest Moon Regatta, the Gulf Coast’s iconic offshore race.
Aboard S/V Godspeed, a crew of veterans recovering from trauma must:
- Operate under pressure
- Communicate clearly
- Trust one another
- Adapt to shifting offshore conditions
This race becomes a living laboratory for post-traumatic growth.
How SailTies amplified the impact
SCA recorded the full regatta in SailTies, capturing:
- The track
- Wind & sea conditions
- Crew notes
- Sail changes & maneuvers
- Speed and performance data
After winning 1st and 2nd place in their divisions, veterans revisited the SailTies log together. Many still return to it today.
“For some, that SailTies log is tangible proof of what they can overcome, not just offshore, but inside themselves.”
Operational Transformation With SailTies
SailTies now underpins the entire SCA program:
✔ Automatic track & weather logging for every voyage
✔ Consistent documentation across rotating crews
✔ A shared route library for training & expedition planning
✔ After-action review data for skill development
✔ Accurate, time-stamped logs for USCG license applications
SailTies also strengthens community retention. Veterans can revisit voyages, stay connected to crew, and share their progress with family, reinforcing identity, capability, and purpose.
Favourite Feature: Detailed, Shareable Sailing Logs
For SCA, SailTies' beautifully designed logs do three critical things:
1. Communicate impact to donors and partners
Supporters see exactly what their contributions make possible.
2. Empower veterans tracking sea time
Clear documentation accelerates career transitions into the maritime industry.
3. Provide emotional continuity
Veterans can reflect on journeys that mark healing, milestones, and transformation.
“Every posted voyage becomes an open invitation, showing the veteran community what’s possible and giving supporters full confidence in our work.”
Results
For veterans
- Increased confidence through visible progression
- Clear sea-time records for USCG licensing
- Stronger sense of community and shared experience
- A documented journey of recovery and purpose
For SCA’s operational team
- Streamlined record-keeping
- Improved safety & planning
- Higher-quality training reviews
- Better visibility for fundraising & outreach
For the broader veteran community
- Real stories, real routes, real impact
- A pathway from trauma to professional opportunity
- An invitation into a supportive, mission-driven sailing environment
“SailTies is a cornerstone of how we sail, teach, and grow together. Losing it would take away a tool that supports learning, connection, and healing on every level.”
Their recommendation score? 10/10.
A Mission Amplified by Technology
SailTies gives Skeleton Crew Adventures more than a logbook.
It gives veterans:
- Proof of progress
- A sense of belonging
- A documented pathway to recovery and career opportunity
And it gives SCA a way to deliver professional, consistent, and transparent adventure therapy at scale.
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