The Deadliest Catch boats are as big a symbol of the Discovery Channel reality series as the oversized Alaskan king crab and snow crab they hunt for in the blistering Bering Sea. While there are some parts of Deadliest Catch that are faked in the way Discovery reality series often are, those are real boats out on the freezing and tumultuous North Atlantic Ocean, weighing upwards of 370 tons. The sight of one of these behemoth and industrial, but somehow nostalgic, ships blasting through ocean spray as gulls soar overhead is a defining shot of the series.
Names like Northwestern, Seabrooke, and Wizard are as tied to the show as Sig Hansen, Phil Harris, and Keith Colburn. With F/V as a prefix (“Fishing Vessel”), the boats on Deadliest Catch set out from Alaskan harbors in the October king crab and January opilio crab (snow crab) seasons. Narrated by Mike Rowe, Deadliest Catch has been on the air since 2005, outlasting many similar Discovery Channel shows that have been forgotten over the years. The crabbing vessels are one of the most impressive aspects of the show: a filming set, home, and source of danger.
5. F/V Saga
F/V Saga has been piloted by many captains over its long run on Deadliest Catch, even being the training vessel for Sophia “Bob” Nielsen before she took over the helm of Seabrooke in season 20. However, Saga really belongs to Jake Anderson out of any of the captains. Anderson is one of the most volatile captains in Deadliest Catch, and before getting the position he moved around ships often butting heads with other crewmates and frequently being demoted.
After becoming captain of his own ship, Anderson quickly matured, considering this new responsibility a chance to change his firebrand ways. Out of Kodiak, Alaska, Saga is 33 meters (108 feet) long and can carry 198 tons of crab on a journey (via DeadliestFleet). Saga is a powerful-looking dark blue boat that could almost be something the Coast Guard uses to patrol.
4 .F/V Wizard
F/V Wizard is an old ship, built in 1945 by the Ira S. Bushey shipyard for use by the U.S. Navy (via DeadliestFleet), making it a powerful juggernaut capable of facing even the harshest North Atlantic storms. At 48 meters (157 feet), it’s over half a gridiron football field in length and capable of carrying nearly 500 tons of crab, and thus one of the biggest boats in the series. Keith Colburn has helmed the ship since its first appearance in season 3, with some help from his brother Monte “Mouse” Colburn.
Keith is not the most well-liked captain, often prickly in his demeanor, but his results speak for themselves, and in later seasons he’s tried to keep a more even keel. Wizard also benefits from having Freddy Maugatai as a part of its crew, and his bombastic and larger-than-life personality has ensured that the boat often gets screen time in Deadliest Catch.
3. F/V Time Bandit
F/V Time Bandit is a vessel out of Homer, AK (via DeadliestFleet). At 34 meters (112 feet) and capable of carrying nearly 300 tons of crab, it’s a fairly standard fishing boat on Deadliest Catch. But what makes it one of the best in the series is its appearance, complete with a pirate flag skull and crossbones on the bow. Based on this design, one might expect the captain to be an angry man, but Johnathan Hillstrand is not that man.
Hillstrand’s father designed Time Bandit with some unheard-of luxuries on it, including a four-man sauna, staterooms with queen-size beds, and a dishwasher, making the vessel feel more like a home than any other ship (via GiddingsBoatworks). Jonathan is a practical joker on the ship and lets problems that would bother other captains roll off his shoulders. His brother Andy may be a bit more serious, but he’s also one to never forget that he’s doing a job he loves.
2. F/V Cornelia Marie
It’s hard to talk about F/V Cornelia Marie without also bringing up Captain Phil Harris. Harris was the first captain of the fishing boat when it appeared in season 2 and was a no-nonsense, unapologetic captain who had countless memorable moments on the series, becoming a fan favorite. He would often have real arguments with his sons who worked on the boat, Joshua and Jake, making for some affecting drama. Harris passed on February 9, 2010, from an intracranial hemorrhage, the lead-up to which was captured on film.
It was a tragic loss and every time the yellow and blue Cornelia Marie comes on the screen, crashing through ice or sailing through waves, it’s hard not to picture Harris up in the cockpit. 39 meters (128 feet) long and capable of carrying nearly 300 tons (via DeadliestFleet), Cornelia Marie has always been one of the more successful boats on the show and a gorgeous one at that.
1, F/V Northwestern
F/V Northwestern is the quintessential Deadliest Catch fishing boat. It’s appeared in every season of the show and its captain, Sig Hansen, is the unofficial main character of the series. Sig’s family is also a big part of the boat, working as crew members or taking turns at the helm. Sig is a hard-driving captain who doesn’t accept failure or fools easily. His crew puts up with his ambition, however, because of the success of Northwestern and Sig’s keen sense of where the crabs will be.
Northwestern is a beautiful white ship with blue and red decals that make it instantly recognizable when it appears on the waves. It’s 38 meters (125 feet) in length and capable of carrying 197 tons of crab, via DeadliestFleet. Northwestern is what comes to mind when one thinks “Deadliest Catch” or “fishing boat”. It’s essentially the banner boat of the series.
