Who is the Crew?
Blaine (Captain)
Blaine is the one who keeps Tangaroa running. He originally trained as an aircraft mechanic, but his career took him to the water, where he became a yacht engineer at just 21 years old. After working on yachts for several years, he started Carmena Performance, a shop where he builds and customizes high-performance cars.
On Tangaroa, Blaine’s focus is improving systems and making the boat as self-sufficient as possible. His plans include full solar power, a Cummins repower, extra fuel capacity, and maybe even a kite for assisted propulsion.
Blaine was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, grew up in St. Thomas, USVI, and later moved to Victoria, BC, Canada, where he became a dual citizen after marrying Janis.
Janis (Admiral)
Janis grew up in Nipigon, Ontario, and left home the day after high school graduation to attend Royal Roads Military College on the west coast of Canada. After realizing the Navy wasn’t for her, she left to study at the University of Victoria, where she earned a Bachelor of Education.
The year she graduated, her mom passed away from ovarian cancer. Her mother had always dreamed of sailing around the world, so Janis decided to do it for her.
She started in Australia, sailing across the Indian Ocean to Africa and then across the Atlantic to Brazil and the Caribbean. From there, she joined a 187’ schooner as professional crew. She continued her circumnavigation as a First Mate on a 123’ sailboat and then a 100’ powerboat.
After five years at sea, Janis returned home to Victoria, got married, and started a family. She spent the next 20 years as a police officer in Saanich, BC. Now, she’s back on the water—this time, on her own family’s boat.
Maggie "The Best Boat Dog EVER!"
The most common question we get about Maggie is, “What breed is she?”
Our answer: MEXICAN SPECIAL!
Maggie was rescued from the Puerto Vallarta SPCA in 2019. Before COVID, the shelter had a program that sent rescue dogs to Vancouver, BC with travelers, and we were lucky enough to adopt her. Her original name was Hope, given to her by the SPCA.
As a boat dog, Maggie is perfect. She loves riding in the tender, lying in the sun, and cuddling up on the couch in the winter. The only thing she doesn’t like? Rough seas. When the boat starts rocking, you’ll find her curled up in the Captain’s chair, waiting for it to pass.
Our Kids
We also have a son, Josh, and a daughter, Izzie, who make occasional appearances on Tangaroa. Izzie lives onboard, but she prefers to keep her life off YouTube and this website for now—and we respect that.