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Crew: Liam Pareis
Hometown: Victoria, BC
Vessel: Modified Sid Skiff
Class: The Wind Division
Get to know Team Fairly Fleabag II: The Return of the Bag
First thing first. Why race in WA360?
Massive amounts of FOMO and a golden opportunity collided midair somewhere over the top of the Northwest Maritime Boatshop, and the wreckage hit me right on the top of the head. I woke up, concussed, sitting in Ruby with a fistful of sponsor dollars in my pocket and a burning desire to make it to the finish line as cheaply and ridiculously as possible.
What’s your connection to these waters?
Nearly a decade on and off living and sailing sailboats on the west coast of North America, or plotting how to get back here to keep living and sailing sailboats!
Superpowers. Each crew member gets one. What are they and why?
Hyperfunctional Dirtbaggery:
When the chips are down (in the bilge, the bag spilled during a gybe and they’re all soggy) and the skies are grey, I can turn on my weird blend of Canadian charm, homeless dirtbag survival skills, and oddly deep-seated luck into the answer for any problem.
Or, like, I find a moldy strawberry strudel in a dumpster when I need one.
Defend your vessel choice for WA360. What makes it so cool and worthy?
Ruby has too much history for a short and witty reply. Read the 48 North article (April 2025) for all the details! But when you’ve got 115 years of mainmast history milled down into a crazy-light strip plank build, there’s a recipe for instant history and boat success. Now is an open, 13 foot sail/rowboat the best choice for this race? Hell no, and that’s what makes it cool.
What are your adventure qualifications for WA360? What makes you (y’all) cool and capable?
Adventure qualifications:
– R2AK Fastest Woodstove
– 2024 Dirtbag Award recipient
– Tore off my keel hung rudder without sinking my boat
What is going to break?
The broomstick tiller extension (around mile 137)
The blisters on my ass (Probably day 2)
My will to continue (At the most inconvenient place for an easy departure)