U.S. Patriot Sailing
Supporting the veteran community through sailing
The Annapolis team on the J109 “Patriot VII” racing in the AYC Frostbite Series (March 2023)
For those of you who have been following this campaign, you probably know a bit about U.S. Patriot Sailing by now. Between the club presentations, email updates, social media posts, articles published, and podcast interviews….my ultimate goal remains consistent, raising awareness for U.S. Patriot Sailing as an ambassador for this non-profit organization. I have seen the healing power of sailing first hand and strive to help as many veterans as possible through this team.
“I started U.S. Patriot Sailing to help my colleagues who where falling through the cracks of the national support system—many were high performance experts and extreme athletes who were suddenly alone, without a mission, without their teams, and without high-performance challenging activities. Performance sailing offers Veterans a chance to engage at a similar level and in a small team while tackling a very dynamic and challenging environment—all while having fun, setting and achieving new goals, and decompressing with other Veterans who share common life experiences.”
Peter Quinn, Executive Director & Founder of U.S. Patriot Sailing
Back in December 2020, I wrote one of my first blog posts on “The Why” explaining the link between U.S. Patriot Sailing and racing in the Mini Transat. As I read over that post again, the passion and meaning behind the words are just as relevant today and backed up by two seasons of Classe Mini racing to prove it. The team helped me through a difficult time in my personal life and during my transition off of active duty, both key milestones. I started volunteering with this team about five years ago to help other veterans, and ultimately discovered the team was helping me more than I could ever have imagined.
Over the past few years, I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to spend countless days volunteering with the Annapolis based team as a skipper. This involves a combination of planning, coordination, providing leadership and supervision of events, sailing instruction, and supporting boat maintenance.
Since U.S. Patriot Sailing was there for me when I needed it most, my mission now is to give back to the team to help more veterans navigate their own challenges through sailing. Let’s explore how U.S. Patriot Sailing has changed since 2020 and the impact of this campaign on the organization.
Overall: This Mini Transat mission has proven an effective platform in raising awareness of the team by bringing in new veterans, an increase in donations, and to raise the level of team exposure.
Veterans Supported: Since the start of this campaign, U.S. Patriot Sailing has increased the number of active teammates from 250 to 375 veterans across multiple locations throughout the country!
Donations: U.S. Patriot Sailing operates on a budget that is sustained through grants and donors. Federal grants are critical to supporting administrative, operational, and logistic costs. This also includes a combination of funding and equipment donations, such as boats and sails. This public profile of this campaign led directly to the donation of the Annapolis team’s J109 (pictured above), sails, and over $17k in direct contributions.
Elevating the team: Representing U.S. Patriot Sailing in international events has increased positive exposure for the organization. This helps elevate the team atmosphere internally through teammates following my mission and externally by demonstrating the high caliber of this all volunteer organization. This has helped lead to an increase in industry sponsorship and support.
New Locations: Over the past year, the team has expanded to two new locations in Solomons, MD and Seattle, WA. This is in part possible through the J109 donation to the Annapolis team. By bringing a newly donated boat to the Annapolis fleet, U.S. Patriot Sailing was able to move the Farr30 to Solomons, MD to start a new team in that location. The Farr30 was modified with a bowsprit to use asymmetric spinnakers, which improves the training value and sailing experience.
Continued Team Interaction: One of the key aspects to this organization that initially attracted me is the continuous engagement opportunities. This team builds strong local networks, which leads to some veterans choosing to sail multiple times a week during the main sailing season. Over the past four years, I have truly enjoyed meeting so many incredible teammates. Each veteran has their own story and reason for joining the team. When I am not training in France, I remain committed to supporting the Annapolis team through skippering and helping with boat work. The ability to provide sailing instruction and support, both on and off the water, has proved to be a rewarding experience.
U.S. Patriot Sailing is committed to supporting the veteran community and has a bright future going into this season. In addition to the local racing and training events, there are some major events on the horizon. This includes hosting another Safety at Sea certification event, competing in Charleston Race Week, and racing for the first time in the Annapolis-Newport race. I am excited to return from training in France with just enough time to join the team for this offshore race in the J109!
“When I got out of the military I was in a dark place after multiple combat deployments. I struggled with depression and substance abuse issues which I believe came from seemingly overnight losing my military support network. I was fortunate to find the sport of sailing that gave me back a sense of teamwork and working towards a common goal, which is hard to find after the military. Due to knowing how difficult the transition was for myself, I became heavily involved with U.S. Patriot Sailing so that other service members would have a chance to discover if the sport can help them on their personal journey throughout the process.”
Zack, U.S. Patriot Sailing Teammate
J109 sailing in Annapolis, MD
Farr30 practice in Annapolis, MD
Farr30 racing in Solomons, MD with new bowsprit
Farr 40 training in San Diego, Ca
Safety at Sea certification hosted by U.S. Patriot Sailing
Melges24 racing in Annapolis, MD
Melges24 racing in Annapolis, MD
U.S. Patriot Sailing racing off Ireland in the 2022 Beaufort Cup and Cork Race Week on a chartered Beneteau First 40.7 against other veteran and first responder teams
