Cracked Water Pipe Risks Flooding Entire Wizard Fishing Boat | Deadliest Catch

Peril at Sea: The Wizard Battles Storm and Onboard Emergency

Aboard the 155-foot Wizard, Captain Keith Colburn and his crew brace for a formidable storm, with northerly winds reaching speeds of 50 miles per hour. With opilio crab season underway, the intense conditions make for an unforgiving welcome to the new greenhorn, 27-year-old Amy Majors.

A Greenhorn’s Grit

For Majors, this is her first experience aboard a commercial crab fishing vessel. With an impressive resume but no prior experience in crab fishing, she faces a brutal trial by fire. The relentless 18-hour shifts, pounding 25-foot seas, and grueling labor prove no match for her determination.

“She’s soaking wet, working her ass off, and not complaining,” observes Captain Colburn. “She’s already tougher than a lot of guys I’ve hired.”

Despite the punishing work, Majors refuses to break. From climbing into each heavy pot to baiting and slicing foul-smelling codfish, she presses forward without hesitation.

Crisis Below Deck

Just as the crew finds their rhythm, disaster strikes. A water sensor is tripped in the bow, alerting the team to potential flooding. A 25-foot wave has compromised a decade-old pipe, causing seawater to pour into the vessel. The source: a rupture in the Sea Chest, a critical intake valve that recycles water for the boat’s massive crab tanks.

“This is one of the most serious issues we can have,” warns Colburn. Without immediate action, the Wizard could be in grave danger.

A Desperate Battle to Stay Afloat

Engineer Monty and his team scramble for a solution. With no replacement pipe available, they resort to a makeshift repair, wrapping rubber and securing it with clamps and bailing wire.

“If we take another surge, that crack could get worse fast,” Monty explains. “Soon we’d have a full-blown emergency on our hands.”

The crew works frantically, reinforcing the patch with every available hose clamp. Tension runs high as they test the fix.

Finally, Captain Colburn inspects the repair. “It’s got eight clamps and looks solid,” he confirms. “Good job, guys.”

With disaster averted, the crew quickly returns to work. The storm still rages, and the relentless hunt for crab continues. But for now, the Wizard remains afloat, its crew proving once again that in the face of danger, resilience and teamwork make all the difference.