← WA360 Home ← 2025 WA360 Teams
Crew: Brian Shields and David Mercer
Hometown: Everett, WA
Vessel: Catalina 30 monohull sailboat
Class: The Wind Division
Connect: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
Get to know Team Changes in Daditudes
First thing first. Why race in WA360?
WA360 Race is an opportunity to bring to bear the experience and knowledge gained over the years and employ all of it towards what we consider to be the next great challenge. If not now, then when?
What’s your connection to these waters?
Puget Sound represents a long history of sailing lessons, time with family and shared adventure from Shilshole Bay to Desolation Sound.
Superpowers. Each crew member gets one. What are they and why?
Optimism and Resoluteness
Defend your vessel choice for WA360. What makes it so cool and worthy?
It’s paid for, and has sails. Crewed by Resolute Optimists.
What are your adventure qualifications for WA360? What makes you (y’all) cool and capable?
Cruising and boat ownership have provided many challenges and adversity including engine failure, bad weather, sea sickness, mild hypothermia, a dragging anchor, transmission failure, night sailing, a blacked-out chart plotter, dealing with a sinking boat, boredom and fatigue. Through all of it, experience has been earned – and more importantly – remembered. Many adventures have been had over the decades, coupled with their share of challenges.
The above examples have dovetailed well into an ever-expanding knowledge base that includes:
Sailing, navigation and anchoring at night
Familiarity with COLREGS, and aids to navigation (both day and night markers)
ASA certification for basic keelboat, coastal navigation and coastal cruising
Hold a restricted radio license for VHF radio communication (aeronautical) but lends itself well to marine ops.
Successful planning and execution of annual family sailing trips over the past three years to destinations in Puget Sound. This includes route planning, provisioning, weather reports, tide charts and current charts to reduce risk and maximize fun.
Application of maritime decision making with respect to go / no go decisions based on weather, crew capability, and boat readiness.
Accustomed to watchkeeping duties both day and night.
Have experience with local waterways, tides, crab pots, ferry routes, shipping lanes, and currents.
Familiar with regulations regarding whale pods, and marine domain awareness.
What
What is going to break?
Anything is a candidate for failure, but I’d have to wager on oars, auxilliary propulsion, the charging system and possibly our will.