North Country Inspiration: Winning hearts in a race around the world

(WWNY) - You may remember around a year ago when Croghan resident Dane Hylen was preparing for his biggest adventure yet.

“We’ve entered the Ocean Globe Race of 2023,” Dane Hylen said in May of 2022. “It’s an all-veteran crew and were filming a documentary about it.”

He’s part of Skeleton Crew Adventures, a nonprofit that provides adventure therapy for veterans. And now they have set sail, racing 14 other crews around the world. Their vessel, Godspeed, is the slowest and smallest boat, but everyone loves the underdog.

“In the case of Godspeed being all veterans, this is like looking at life in vivid colors,” said Ocean Globe Race founder and director Don McIntyre. “And I know they get a lot out of it and we love the guys, they’re crazy, they’re the life of the parties. We can understand why they’re passionate, why they’re there. They’re in it for the inspiration, they’re using it as their own therapy, but they know other veterans are watching.”

The crew has enough charisma to keep them afloat, but early into the race they’ve already run into trouble.

In an emergency call, crew members reported a large crack in their boom. The team had to alter course for Lisbon to repair the boom. It’s a setback, but the group of veterans isn’t giving up that easily.

“Now that we’re racing, they’ve got 26,000 miles left to go, so 98% of the planet,” Skeleton Crew Adventures board member John Hill said. “They have to go south across the equator into the southern hemisphere and that’s where the real challenge begins.”

The crew has a long journey ahead. It’s expected to take eight months to sail down around Africa, over to New Zealand, loop past Cape Horn, and shoot back up to England.

“We’re filming a documentary and we’re hoping it will raise further awareness for adventure therapy to help veterans and first responders deal with PTSD,” Hill said.

You can root for Godspeed and the Skeleton Crew by watching their progress online at OceanGlobeRace.com.

“They’re in it for the challenge more than anything,” McIntyre said, “not expecting to win any trophies, but they’re winning a lot of hearts, that’s for sure.”

Here are more links:

Skeleton Crew Adventures

Fundraiser by American Odysseus Sailing Foundation : Ocean Globe Race 2023 Fundraiser (gofundme.com)

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