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Q: When does crab fishing season start and end?
A: Officially, the king crab and snow crab fisheries start on 15 October of every year. King crab ends on 15 January, snow crab ends on 15 May. The market demand is why we fish at this time of the year, king crab in the autumn and snow crab in the winter months.
Q: It looks like you have the biggest boat in the fleet. Is that right?
A: It's large, but it's not the largest. There are crab vessels that are 165 feet, but what is unique to the Wizard is her capacity. She holds over 400,000 pounds of crab in her tank. There are larger boats that hold more pots, but I believe the Wizard holds the most crab in the fleet.
Q: Where did you learn first aid? Did you save Lenny's finger?
A: I'm a licensed captain, and some of the requirements in your licensing are first aid training. I've been through numerous first aid and CPR classes. As far as the finger, Lenny is okay and still working on the boat. You'll have to follow the tv show to see what happens.
Q: Are you the only captain that doesn't chain smoke?
A: To the best of my knowledge, but I do have a bad habit as I chew tobacco.
Q: What is the hardest thing about being a captain?
A: I would say staying focused. Trying to remain focused on the crabs, the crew, the weather, your offload dates, and a multitude of other things at the same time can create confusion. Being focused at all times is probably the most important and most difficult thing about being a captain in the midst of dangerous fishing television.
Q: How many days or weeks are you out at sea?
A: However long it takes to put 400,000 pounds of crab in the boat. Sometimes that can be five days on great fishing. It can take as long as three weeks. Many times we offload to floating processors so we never touch land. Sometimes we may go one to two months without actually touching land.
Q: Is it different for you not only running the Wizard now but also owning it?
A: Definitely. There are a lot of demands and jobs associated with both owning and being the captain of a vessel. Trying to balance both is a serious chore. With our new crab programme, it's much worse than it was in the past for owner-operators.
Q: What type of engines are in your boat, what size wheel and how much power?
A: Our main engine is a CAT 399. It has 1200 horsepower. The wheel is approximately six feet in diameter. We have four generators, R3306 Caterpillars, two of which are our main power supplies. They generate 175 kilowatts, which is probably enough power to light up your entire block.
Q: Is there a website that honours crab boats and fisherman who have died at sea?
A: Yes, there is. Many of the harbours and towns associated with fishing have memorials. The one in Seattle is the Seattle Fishermen's Memorial. The Seattle Fishermen's Memorial also runs scholarship programmes for children of fishermen lost at sea. It is a great charity and I strongly encourage everyone to visit their website.
Q: Now that you've been on Discovery Channel TV, do you ever encounter people out in public who recognise you? Have you signed any autographs?
A: Yes, I have signed an autograph or two. As of yet, other than my little league baseball team, I'm still anonymous.
Q: What did you think when you saw your deckhand's finger was injured?
A: Lenny's injury was much worse than shown in the episode. The entire end of his finger was completely open with the bone and tendons showing. It was a miracle it wasn't completely crushed or smashed. The first thought in my mind was "We're going to have to take him in or the finger will be lost. And even then, it might still be lost."
Q: Is your crew covered by healthcare? How do you handle such injuries?
A: The responsibility and burden lies with the boat owner. Insurance for crab vessels is among the highest in the world for crews of this size. We take injuries very seriously and whenever possible seek immediate medical attention. But, being isolated in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Island chains, sometimes medical attention for extremely serious injuries is not available in Dutch Harbour or the Bering Sea. Anyone with this type of injury needs to be taken immediately to Anchorage via Medivac. But sometimes weather conditions will prohibit that, and because of this it makes the Bering Sea that much more dangerous.
Q: Your boat is a World War II ship. How did you convert it into a crab boat?
A: The Wizard was originally a World War II yard oiler. You can find out all about the history of the Wizard on my website, www.crabwizard.com.
Q: What's the most dangerous situation you've ever been in on a crab boat?
A: There have been a lot. The worst wave I ever saw was probably only a 30-footer, maybe 35 feet. But at the time, it sprung up in front of the boat and curled right over the top of the sodium lights on the bow, which are 25 to 35 feet off deck. It swept up 20 stacked crab pots and much of the deck's equipment and threw it all onto the back deck. The water on board after the wave had passed was at least 6 to 7 feet deep. When I looked down, the entire boat, except for the bow, was underwater. I immediately threw the throttles to full ahead and prayed. And the Wizard, being the tough old gal that she is, slowly dispersed the water and went right back up with decks clear.
Q: Besides the Bering Sea, where are some of the other places you've fished?
A: That's it. I've fished only in Alaskan waters commercially.
