Deadliest Catch

[DARISC]

Anybody else find "Deadliest Catch" as captivating as I do?

Having weathered several South Pacific typhoons, one of which, out of sheer abject fear of drowning, trapped below decks, drove me to tying myself to a stanchion on an open signal bridge for three consecutive nights as the ship consistently took 47 deg. rolls (critical roll was 45 degrees on the vessel I was on - every roll beyond 45 degrees and there was no expectation that she'd come back), I'm fascinated by the grit of the fishermen on this series.

I watch in awe the lengths to which these dudes go to make a living fishing for crab in the Bering Sea.

In the T.V. wasteland, "reality T.V." generally disgusts me. But I see "Deadliest Catch" as no bull***** reality - and I am impressed.

What are your takes on this series?

[URY914]

How much do these guys make per trip?

Are we talking one month and they take home $20k, $40K?

Does anyone really know?

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by URY914

How much do these guys make per trip?

Are we talking one month and they take home $20k, $40K?

Does anyone really know?

Dunno; It varies widely (couldn't pay me enough!).

[ZOA NOM]

I, too, have done the Typhoon tie-down in the South China Sea, along with several sea-state-six voyages off the coast of Northern California that rivaled the typhoons, and I wouldn't do the Bering sea under the calmest circumstances. Those guys are a different breed. Great show, too. The host, Mike Rowe, is from the Bay Area, and has been outstanding in several shows, including "Dirty Jobs". Good television in a sea of crap.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by URY914

How much do these guys make per trip?

Are we talking one month and they take home $20k, $40K?

Does anyone really know?

Depends on the catch. They each get a share according to 'rank'. (low first year, etc.)

Last episode of the series they give you an idea.

Good trip, shares can be from $8k to maybe $60k or so for what, a month.

But it's not full time work, may only work a few months a year.

Bigger boats have more traps, larger catches, but also, bigger crews.

[VincentVega]

Cool show.

I was talking with a buddy about it the other day. I've never had the crab they fish, does it go by another name? Is it a west coast thing?

[Joeaksa]

Very good show. Have an old high school friend who worked the boats for a while but it was simply too dangerous, so he went back to mining gold in the winter and a surveyor in the summer in Alaska.

Chris, they go after King and Snow crab. You should be able to find their crab legs in almost any good grocery store.

[legion]

The episode that freaked me out was the one where the boat got trapped in a bay full of ice. The only thing that stood between the crew and death was 1/16th inch steel.

[Gogar]

I think it's pretty good; I'm not sure it's cut out for multiple seasons. But they've managed to make it last a few. It's probably the least-scripted "reality" show out there, but they still stretch it sometimes.

Chris, "Opilio" crab is also a variety of "Snow Crab", so you've probably had it at one point or another, if you've had crab cakes or crab meat Ceasar Salad or anything besides "Crab legs."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_crab

[nostatic]

No way I could watch the show...I get seasick just thinking about it.

[DARISC]

Originally Posted by legion

The episode that freaked me out was the one where the boat got trapped in a bay full of ice. The only thing that stood between the crew and death was 1/16th inch steel.

Me too (but I think it's 3/8" steel - still waaay thin!).

Oh yeah, not a hot meal for four days in one of the blows I experienced. The first attempt ended up splattered all over the overhead of the mess deck when the ship unexpectedly did a rolling pitch free-fall into the trench, landing on the starboard bow, staving it in to the point that four water-tight compartments had to be sealed post-haste and shored up with two-buhs (maybe larger). I hated every minute, thinking I was gonna die! No sea faring man am I!

Like ZOANAS said, " Those guys are a different breed."

[M.D. Holloway]

Our kids are crazy over it. Our son knows the ships, the captains and who has a good crew and who doesn't. I think if they made trading cards he would want them.

[Joeaksa]

I miss Hiram Johnson who worked one of the boats. Crusty old fart but good guy.

The jerk Blake and his attitude would be dropped at a far away island and allowed to mellow for a few months before coming back on any boat I had anything to do with...

[Brew 66]

Most of these guys do at least two crab seasons per year and a few different fishing seasons.

The hours they work while being in such danger is insane.

If any of you are ever in Seattle go down to fisherman's terminal in Ballard (interbay). That is where most of the boasts spend the off season. THere is also a real touching memorial of the fisherman lost from the fleet.

[craigster59]

I've been a fan of the show for a long time. I like Capt. Sig of the " Northwestern", they seem to bag a lot of crab.

I used to watch "The Most Deadliest Cratch" but it was called "The Simple Life".

[tchanson]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

Our kids are crazy over it. Our son knows the ships, the captains and who has a good crew and who doesn't. I think if they made trading cards he would want them.

Same with my kids. They've been captivated for the last three years with this show. After homework's done on Tuesday nights, they'd kill me if they missed it.

One's a Sig and Edgar FV Northwestern devotee, the other follows the hoons on the FV Maverick.

They can spout off facts about crab counts, soak times, pots and greenhorns that would make your eyes glaze over...







Tim

[TerryBPP]

Great show for one reason. Men with hug balls! These guys are insane.

I saw an episode where the take for each crew member was $90k for 1 months work. Keep in mind that there is a season for each type of crab most of the year. So its more of a work a month, take off a month, work a month.

Those guys have to be on meth right? How could you stay awake doing hard labor for 36hrs straight without help?

[IROC]

I love the show, too. On one of the last episodes Hillstrand's son came on and worked for one run and decided to not go into the family business. While he was talking about his decision to leave, he made a statement like, "Yeah, you can make $120k working 8 months of the year, but what good is all that money if you can't be with your family." Evidently some money to be made there.

Did you see where - as a practical joke - they took off one of Sig's pots and attached an old pickup truck to it? Kinda like the one a couple of seasons ago where they attached a length of steel pipe to someone's pot line and it wouldn't go through the block and they had to cut it off while the pot was hanging off the side of the boat. Great stuff.

They also fish for cod and brown crabs, too. I have a feeling they're fish for anything as long as it is profitable.

Love the show...

[widgeon13]

Good program, much better than "Dancin with the Stars"

Those folks are a different breed, 24 hours ++ on deck, no sleep, wet, very cold, muscle fatigue, doesn't get much more uncomfortable than that.

[cgarr]

Had my share of crabs, I'll pass!