Jacksonville, FL March 21, 2026 --(PR.com)-- Captain Sandy’s Charities and Quantum Marine Stabilizers are joining forces to host the 2026 Quantum Spin A Thon, a high energy indoor cycling fundraiser on Saturday, March 21 at Quantum’s Fort Lauderdale headquarters. The event brings shipyards, crew, suppliers, and industry supporters together around a shared goal, fixing a growing talent gap in maritime by taking students and emerging talent from classroom to career.
The maritime sector is essential infrastructure. More than 80 percent of global trade by volume moves by sea, making shipping a multi trillion dollar engine of the world economy. Yet the workforce pipeline is under strain. Retirements in skilled trades and leadership are outpacing replacements, projects are taking longer to complete, and many shipbuilding and maritime employers report significant skills gaps and difficulty recruiting for core roles such as electricians, mechanics, welders, engineers, crew, and port operators. Funds raised during this year’s Spin A Thon will support programs that address these shortages by building awareness, education, and training pathways into maritime careers.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., teams will ride sponsored stationary bikes in timed intervals, with energy output recorded in kilojoules (kJ). The bike with the highest total kJ will be recognized as the winning team, and the individual with the highest kJ in a single 30 minute session will be honored as top rider. A closing party, awards ceremony, and auction from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. will give supporters another chance to connect, celebrate, and contribute.
From problem to solution, Captain Sandy’s Charities
“The industry is suffering from a shortage of crew members and shipyard personnel and has been for quite some time,” said Katie Ross, Business Development Manager at Quantum Marine Stabilizers. “Many known industry leaders are starting to reach retirement age, and if we do not acknowledge and address these issues, it will be too late.”
To better understand the challenge, Quantum Marine Stabilizers compiled a State of the Maritime Industry brief drawing on industry research and internal analysis. The brief notes a rising share of retirement eligible staff between now and the end of the decade, projects taking longer to complete than they did five years ago, and more than half of surveyed shipbuilding and maritime employers reporting significant skills gaps and difficulty recruiting for critical trade and technical positions.
The workforce problem is clear. Maritime is changing faster than the talent pipeline, decarbonization and digitalization are reshaping jobs, and training capacity and visibility have not kept pace. The 2026 Spin A Thon is designed to turn this problem into opportunity by funding Captain Sandy’s Charities classroom to career solution model.
From classroom to career, Captain Sandy’s Charities
This year’s Spin A Thon spotlights Captain Sandy’s Charities, founded by Captain Sandy Yawn to connect young people and career explorers with real opportunities in the maritime sector. The nonprofit is building a scalable from classroom to career pipeline that links K–12 education, digital storytelling, training, apprenticeships, and jobs to meet the growing demands of Florida’s maritime industry.
“We are taking students from classroom to career, straight into real maritime jobs,” said Captain Sandy Yawn. “On March 21, we are not just talking about the crew and trade shortage, we are doing something about it by funding education, training, and real pathways into this incredible industry.”
Captain Sandy’s Charities focuses on three core levers. connected education and visibility. Through fully accredited K–12 programs developed with Young Minds Inspired, including Steering Toward Success, Beyond the Docks and Ocean Rangers, Full STEAM Ahead, students explore maritime careers, Florida’s waterways, and ocean stewardship. Turnkey teaching kits, digital resources, and standards aligned materials are delivered at no cost to schools and families.
Digital storytelling, Beyond the Docks
The Beyond the Docks YouTube series showcases real maritime careers, industry professionals, and pathways. Professionally produced episodes highlight “Real Careers. Real People. Real Pathways.” and cover themes such as S T E M on superyachts, shipbuilding careers, crew operations, business careers, blue economy science, and training routes into the industry, with seven episodes already live and six core thematic modules filmed and available.
Training scholarships and workforce pathways
By partnering with leading training providers and marine employers, Captain Sandy’s Charities helps fund credentials, short courses, and apprenticeships that move people from interest to training and into real maritime jobs, including shipyard trades and crew positions. Scholarships and employer connected pathways lower the barrier to entry for talented candidates who may not otherwise have access to professional maritime training.
Together, these programs form a maritime workforce pipeline problem and solution model, building awareness early, aligning K–12 learning with real jobs, and then pairing bridge training and credentials with employer connected pathways so that more students move from awareness to training to employment in priority roles.
Florida is a high impact proving ground, where a domestic maritime industry supporting nearly 66,000 jobs and generating over 14.6 billion dollars in annual economic impact is already constrained by workforce shortages and the need for new green and tech enabled skills. A detailed description of the maritime workforce challenge and Captain Sandy’s Charities classroom to career solution model is available in the attached “Captain Sandy’s Charities Organizational Impact 2024 to 2027” brief.
Quantum leading the charge and industry support
Quantum Marine Stabilizers is the presenting sponsor and creator of the Spin A Thon concept, bringing the industry together around a unified effort to power yachting’s next generation of talent.
From global shipyards to local marine businesses, the community is coming together to invest in the next generation of maritime professionals. Industry leaders and sponsors rallying behind the 2026 event include.
Bradford Marine
Derecktor Shipyards
Professional Yacht Crew
Lürssen
Moore and Company
Moran Yacht and Ship
National Marine Suppliers
Northrop and Johnson
Oceanco
MIASF, Marine Industries Association of South Florida
Safe Harbor Marinas
Sea Vision
Synovus Bank
TESS Electrical Sales and Service
Ward’s Marine Electric
A growing tradition of impact
This year marks the second Quantum Spin A Thon, building on the success of its 2024 debut. A sharpened focus on maritime workforce development and expanded collaboration between Captain Sandy’s Charities, Quantum Marine Stabilizers, and industry partners, the 2026 Spin A Thon aims to convert every kilojoule of energy into real opportunities for the next generation of crew, tradespeople, and maritime professionals, from classroom to career.
About Captain Sandy’s Charities
Captain Sandy’s Charities is a 501 C nonprofit organization founded by Captain Sandy Yawn to connect young people and career explorers with meaningful opportunities in the maritime sector. The charity builds the talent pipeline by combining K–12 maritime and ocean literacy curriculum, the Beyond the Docks career awareness series, and workforce pathways that lead into real jobs in yachting, shipyards, and ports. Through training scholarships and partnerships, Captain Sandy’s Charities helps fund credentials, courses, and apprenticeships that move people from interest to training and into the maritime workforce.
About Quantum Marine Stabilizers
Since 1985, Quantum has engineered and manufactured marine stabilizer systems for the yachting, military and commercial industries. With three world patents secured, and the inventors of Zero Speed™, XT™ (extendable) Fins, MAGLift™ Retractable Rotors and Dyna-Foil™ Retractable Fins, Quantum has revolutionized the marine industry, adding unprecedented roll control for comfort at anchor and underway.
Worldwide customers have benefited from Quantum’s renowned service and support, including a comprehensive lifecycle maintenance program. With innovation woven into the culture, Quantum will continue to challenge the status quo, while ensuring the comfort and safety of passengers for generations to come.
If you are interested in sponsoring the Quantum Spin A Thon or partnering with Captain Sandy’s Charities to support classroom to career maritime pathways, please contact:
Sponsorships and partnerships
Randi Gold
Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships and Program Development
Captain Sandy’s CharitiesC: +1 561 315 6619
E: Randi@captainsandyscharities.org
Media and press inquiries
Gina Ragusa
Director of Recruitment Marketing and Public Relations
C: +1 954 612 2821
E: press@captainsandyscharities.org
Contact Information:
Captain Sandy's Charities
Randi Gold
561-315-6619
Contact via Email
https://captainsandyscharities.org
(Gina Ragusa) 954-201-9508
Press@captainsandyscharities.org
Read the full story here: https://www.pr.com/press-release/963860
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