‘Deadliest Catch’ Crab Boats Cost Millions of Dollars to Purchase
How much does it cost to purchase a crab boat like the ones seen on Discovery’s ‘Deadliest Catch’? Here’s what to know.
Discovery Channel fans keeping up with Deadliest Catch know the dangers of fishing in the Bering Sea. The crews aboard the fishing boats often talk about how the weather can affect the vessels — and, of course, several boats have sunk in the series. Here’s how much the crab boats from Deadliest Catch can cost — and it’s way more than some fans might expect.
Crab boats, like the ones seen on ‘Deadliest Catch’ Season 19, can cost millions to build
Building crab boats fit for the Bering Sea is no easy task, as they have to withstand the harsh weather conditions of Alaska.
“We have stability reports onboard and we try to follow them to the letter, but a lot of times ice can build so fast there is nothing we can do about it,” Captain Sig Hansen of the F/V Northwestern told The Fishing Website. “So, we do try to keep up with the ice and there is a ‘fudge factor.’ That is where having experience on the same boat pays off — you do tend to know her limitations. In the worst-case scenario, if you are loaded with pots you can always cut the ties and lose the gear; you don’t have to spend the time untying and setting them, and that’s been done to save a vessel.”
The crab boats on Deadliest Catch can cost hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of dollars to build. The 150-foot Alaskan Enterprise, one of the largest crab fishing boats in existence, reportedly cost $2 million to build. Smaller crab boats can reportedly be found used for anywhere from $80,000 to $160,000. It seems likely that the vessels used on Deadliest Catch err on the more expensive side. Additionally, maintaining a crab boat can cost thousands annually, and just the engines on the boats alone can cost $2 million.
The crab pots aboard the boats are also expensive. King crab traps can sell for about $1,250 each.
‘Deadliest Catch’ boat Time Bandit went up for sale for $2.88 million
The F/V Time Bandit sold for quite a lot of money. The vessel, introduced in Deadliest Catch Season 2, reportedly went for sale for $2,888,888 million. The boat is 113 feet long and can hold 175,000 pounds of crab or 365,000 pounds of salmon. The Hillstrand brothers built the boat in 1991. It’s unclear if the Time Bandit ever sold at that price.
Captain Sig Hansen gave a clue as to how much the F/V Northwestern may be worth. He spoke about the boat’s humble beginnings on the show. His father bought the boat now known as the Northwestern. At the time he made the purchase, the boat was $1.2 million.
“The Marco fishing boats were the Cadillac of the fleet,” Hansen explained. “And they said that because they were so easy to maintain, operate, and they were so seaworthy.”
F/V Northwestern Captain Sig Hansen says no one’s getting ‘rich’ from the show
Crab fishing in the Bering Sea is certainly a lucrative business — but Captain Sig Hansen once said that the cast and crew appearing on Deadliest Catch aren’t making much money from the series.
“They pay a little bit of money for the time and effort involved, but it’s not like we are getting rich on it,” he told The Fishing Website. “It would be nice to see more, but what are you going to do? I see there are benefits on the other side of the coin, or I would not want to do it anymore. It is a hassle having the camera crews on board – it’s not easy.”
