The Northwestern Is At Risk Of Capsizing In This Brutal Storm! | Deadliest Catch

Fierce Storm Threatens Captain Sig Hansen and Crew as They Battle for Crab

The crew of the Northwestern braces for the worst as they push into the heart of a violent storm. Forecasts warn of 50-knot gusts, and already, the wind is howling at over 40 knots. The ocean is a battlefield, with swells soaring past 25 feet.

Captain Sig Hansen, an experienced skipper known for his resilience, makes a calculated decision. “We’re setting up against it, but I think it’s the best way to go,” he says. “I don’t want to dive into a wave and break these windows. I have to control the speed, feather it, and wait for the right moment to push through.”

The Northwestern is the first vessel to make contact with the cyclonic winds. Hansen reduces his speed to half of what he would normally run, carefully navigating the relentless waves. His main objective: reaching the Bey biomass along the 166th Meridian. The success of their trip—and the safety of his crew—depends on it.

On Deck: A Race Against Time and Nature

On deck, the crew scrambles to get pots into the water despite the brutal conditions.

“I think we can get these over,” one crew member shouts through the wind. “Get them soaking while they’re hot! If we hit the biomass at the right time, we can make our delivery.”

But as the crew works, a new problem emerges—one that could prove deadly.

A slack tank threatens to destabilize the vessel. Seawater is flooding the Northwestern’s mid-tank, but it’s failing to drain. Suddenly, a bin board—a massive, 1,000-pound divider meant to keep the water balanced—is knocked loose.

The danger is immediate. If the water shifts too much from side to side, the boat could capsize.

“The worst thing you can have on a crab boat is a slack tank,” Hansen warns. “All that water sloshing from one side to the other—it’s how boats go over. The only thing that matters right now is keeping the vessel stable.”

The Fight to Save the Boat

Inside the hold, the crew prepares to enter the flooded mid-tank to secure the bin board. It’s a dangerous task—one that could leave them injured, trapped, or worse.

“See what you can do!” a voice calls out.

A deckhand braces himself and moves in, knee-deep in the freezing water. “We’ve got to go in there and get that bin board out,” he says.

“How much water is in there?” another crew member asks.

“You might have to get wet,” someone warns.

“I’m just going to have to go in,” the deckhand replies, his breath visible in the frigid air.

The crew rallies. “Grab the gra—the grab bar! Get this out of here!”

Tension is high as he wrestles with the bin board, the icy water pulling at him with every move.

“Easy! Watch the ladder!” a voice shouts as the boat lurches violently.

Finally, after a brutal struggle, the bin board is secured. The crew works fast to pump out the remaining water.

“The water’s 100% out of the middle tank,” they confirm over the radio.

Captain Hansen wastes no time. “I’m turning back around. We’re going to get the pots off the boat,” he says.

Back to Work: A Desperate Push for Crab

With the immediate danger resolved, the crew refocuses on the job at hand. The storm begins to ease, and Hansen knows they must take advantage of the calmer conditions.

“The weather’s starting to come down—that’s nice,” he says. “This is exactly what we need to fill up for our offload.”

The crew sets their traps quickly, dropping pots into the rough sea with precision.

“Look at that one!” someone calls out as they haul up a full pot.

“Three-four! Three-four!” another voice confirms, referencing the number of crab inside.

Hansen watches carefully. “I set these tight so we can get to the next one fast,” he explains. “I don’t like having the guys exposed like this, but as long as we can stay busy, we have to. That’s why we’re here.”

Below deck, the tank begins to fill with crab—large, healthy specimens that will bring a strong payday.

“Those are big crab—you can see it right there,” one deckhand remarks, watching as another pot comes aboard.

Hansen nods, satisfied. “This is what it’s going to be. We’re seeing consistent numbers, so as long as we keep seeing them, we’ll just keep plowing through. Keep putting crab on board.”

Despite the storm, despite the near-disaster, the Northwestern is back in action. The mission continues.