Founded by crew to help crew on their fitness journeys and maintain a solid routine on board, Salt Lick Fitness started as an in-person and online coaching program for crew, but they kept seeing the same issues: long hours, limited space, mental fatigue, and inconsistent access to quality coaching. Founders Christie Surveson and Thomas Jones wanted to create something that could live on board with the crew, so they’ve launched the Salt Lick Fitness Crew Initiative, a program built specifically for the demands of yacht life.
The app allows them to turn their coaching systems into accessible, bite-sized and “crew-proof” sessions, support entire vessels in addition to individuals, plus offer a continual well-being presence, accountability and support through remote coach support.
For crew and vessels that sign up, they gain access to guided follow-along training sessions, short “on shift” movement snacks and stretch ideas, education modules on recovery, energy, posture and sustainable habits, plus crew challenges and group accountability.
All the crew challenges were designed to be realistic on board and not add stress to already busy schedules, such as a “Micro Movement Moments” challenge that has 5-to-10-minute sessions crew can slot between tasks focusing on mobility, posture resets, breathwork and quick strength “bursts” without needing a full gym. The challenges are built to be inclusive for different fitness levels, can be done in limited space and posted monthly to keep crew engaged.
“We’ve spent years working with crew and seeing firsthand how demanding life on board can be — physically, mentally, and emotionally,” Surveson says. “With this initiative, we wanted to create something that truly fits into the realities of yacht life, not an idealized version of it.”
A full vessel-wide wellness membership means that the entire crew gains full access to the Salt Lick Fitness app, allowing crew members to build camaraderie over shared training.
Planned additions for the app include more role-specific sessions, expanded mental well-being and mindset content, progress tracking and seasonal challenge cycles, and additional resources for HoDs and captains for building a supportive well-being culture on board.
“We are excited to give crew practical tools they can actually use in between guest trips and long shifts,” Surveson shares, “not just to stay fit, but to feel more resilient, supported and human in an environment that often asks them to be superhuman.”