S10.E14: Breaking Mandy

[formerlyfreedom]

Andy faces a tough decision.

 

[AZChristian]

I'm going to be in Alaska next week, and will meet some guys who know some of the folks on Deadliest Catch.  Watch me ask some questions about Elliott, if I get a chance.

[BusyOctober]

Oh pleasepleaseplease report back to us, AZChristian! I am curious if his peers think he's as big an asshole as many of here do.

[merylinkid]

Just last week on the Bait, Captain Keith said he talked to Jr. and it looked like he might not be fishing again.   This week, amazingly enough, Jr. is back fishing and looking quite healthy.   Oh Disco you sly devils you.

 

You notice how eager Elliott's crew is to break his stuff?   Also they tend to ignore anything he says.    Once his dad left, discpline on that boat fell apart.   You know Elliott would never have brought his bimbo on board if his dad was there.   Speaking of which, she is so there to get her face on tv.   It was not a coincidence that she was right at Elliott's shoulder when he was being asked about women on boats.    His crew clearly has no respect for him, and don't care if he knows it or not.   

[millennium]

The last few episodes have been terribly boring.    Tonight's episode was compounded by the cross-over with Coast Guard Alaska.   At the risk of sounding callous, I don't much care to watch the rescue of someone completely unaffiliated with the program.    Get back to the show.

 

Despite Sig's best attempt at toughlove, Mandy was coddled to the very end.   If any male greenhorn dragged as badly as she did, he would have been assailed with insults, angry commands and the crew's unfiltered disgust.   Instead, Mandy gets hugs from her uncle, a dollie, and a collective "awww" at the end.   Some things never change, lol.

[BusyOctober]

Did I miss a scene??  The episode description mentioned Andy but I never saw the TB or its crew at all.

 

I was not in charge of the remote last night so I couldn't mute the Saga scenes.  He may be captain but that little weasel hasn't got the respect of his crew.  Loved his temper tantrum on deck...his nasally squeaky voice must've gone up 3 octaves. I get that he's the owner/boss and if it were any other captain, I'd be on his side.  The crew needs to follow orders, unquestioned and with pep in their step.  But since its Elliott...HAHAHAHA!! They broke your shit!  On purpose!

 

Mandy did well to hang in there and not give up.  She was coddled (a lot compared to any male or non-relative), but she still did the work.  However, now that she had her chance to prove to herself & her dad she's capable, she should go learn more on another boat.  She was a distraction to the captain & crew and I just didn't care so much about this story.

 

Junior is a damn fool to come back so early in the healing process.  He's potentially causing more damage and affecting his future.  There's more to life and living than sitting on a boat. Could he have hired another captain to finish his season? His boat & crew would still make money (minus the hired captain's salary) right?? Or is Junior just so egotistical that HE is the only one who can do the job?

 

Does anyone know if the repeat run later on the same night as the original episode contains all the idiotic Tweets and FB posts?  I need to find a less "enhanced" version before I quit this show altogether.  I can't tolerate the "Squeee!  OMG! They caught crab!!!" pop-ups much longer.

[millennium]

Could he have hired another captain to finish his season? His boat & crew would still make money (minus the hired captain's salary) right?? Or is Junior just so egotistical that HE is the only one who can do the job?

 

Does anyone know if the repeat run later on the same night as the original episode contains all the idiotic Tweets and FB posts?  I need to find a less "enhanced" version before I quit this show altogether.  I can't tolerate the "Squeee!  OMG! They caught crab!!!" pop-ups much longer.

We wondered the same thing about Junior.   I would have found it interesting to be let in on the conversation he must have had with Mrs. Junior about defying doctor's orders. 

 

The 11 PM EST rerun had no tweets -- but for some reason it seemed to have twice the commercials.   One of the breaks was at least 7 minutes long.

[Galloway Cave]

 

Junior came back too early, of course.  I don't know why he doesn't modify the captain's chair to help him sit more comfortably with his injured back but I guess that wouldn't be macho enough for him.

I'm a river guide and I was back to work three months after my L4-5 spinal fusion (at age 51). My doc was stunned. You are right, sitting is the worse thing and is hard to do for extended periods of time. I work on the big 37 foot motor rigs and end up standing a lot in the motor well. Maybe Junior can build a modified standing post at the helm to help relieve the stress on his back.

 

I also wondered, like several of you, why he didn't hire or have a back-up captain for his boat. That was a ton of money being wasted, sitting in port. Hopefully he timed the surgery so they really only missed a bit of the season and the editing monkeys made it seem like more.

 

I wasn't paying too much attention to the squealing monkey noises coming out of Elliot. Why did he tell them to start using the totes in the first place? That seemed to create a domino effect of "fuck you and the shitty equipment you own" that happened. So far, between Fischer and the rest of the crew, they have caused about $75,000 worth of damage to his boat this season. Well done, gentlemen.

[KMSNancy]

I am just new to your posts and appreciate them!  I also thought I missed something about Andy in the guide info on DirecTV but didn't see him at all.  Agree that lately this is boring when it didn't use to be. Have you discussed:  Isn't Mandy SIg's adopted daughter? Thanks 

[OSM Mom]

Elliott told them to use the totes instead of the funnel thing (sorry I can't remember what it's called) because he wanted to stack pots on the deck. What the hell ever, Elliott. If I never see Elliott again it will be too soon.

Mandy is Sigs daughter by marriage. Her bio dad was a fisherman who was killed when she was little. Her mom married Sig and he's the only dad she's known I believe.

[Neurochick]

 

You notice how eager Elliott's crew is to break his stuff?   Also they tend to ignore anything he says.    Once his dad left, discpline on that boat fell apart.   You know Elliott would never have brought his bimbo on board if his dad was there.   Speaking of which, she is so there to get her face on tv.   It was not a coincidence that she was right at Elliott's shoulder when he was being asked about women on boats.    His crew clearly has no respect for him, and don't care if he knows it or not.   

 

I think the only reason Elliot's gf is even with him is because she probably knows he's on TV.  She's a pretty girl and I can't see any other reason why she'd be with a jerk like Elliot.

 

To me, it doesn't matter if Many's Sig's adopted daughter or not.  Biology really isn't 100% of what makes you a parent.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Neurochick

[Shimmergloom]

 

To me, it doesn't matter if Many's Sig's adopted daughter or not.  Biology really isn't 100% of what makes you a parent.

Yes, 100% agree.

 

 

Also, Sig made a big point of reminding Mandy that she's a Hansen. I think that's especially laudable considering he isn't her biological father. He makes sure she knows that she's one of his, of his family, and the heritage belongs to her just like to a bio kid. Again, too many people simply do not do that.  So I am glad someone mentioned that she was not his bio daughter because I didn't know that and it puts his behavior and words in even a more special light to me.  She's a good kid. I just wish the whole watching of it wasn't so tiresome for me as the viewer.

 

Yes, I never got the feeling that Sig or Edgar didn't consider her a Hansen.  I never would have known she wasn't his bio-daughter if it wasn't mentioned here.  And she does seem like a good person.  She seemed very respectful and seemed to really have the heart and drive for it. 

 

I do think she was coddled, but I didn't think she wanted to be coddled. 

[Ghost Bear]

The 11 PM EST rerun had no tweets -- but for some reason it seemed to have twice the commercials.   One of the breaks was at least 7 minutes long.

 

Which means it has to be cutting stuff, as the original run ep (with all the screen crap) runs 1 hr 6 min. Which is annoying as hell.

[dustyd]

 

If any male greenhorn dragged as badly as she did, he would have been assailed with insults, angry commands and the crew's unfiltered disgust.

 

Maybe on other boats, but not the Northwestern.  They are generally unfailingly patient with greenhorns - Jake Harris in Season 8 springs to mind, even though he wasn't a greenhorn (but still a bit of a screw up).  They're not big on belittling and insulting either.  It doesn't foster a good work environment anyway.

 

Yes, she was coddled, but at the end of the day she still did a job that nobody thought she'd be able to do.  I really admire her for sticking in there and getting it done.  Maybe not the most exciting arc overall, but I will never complain about them featuring the Northwestern over the other boats.

 

However, I am annoyed that they didn't feature the Time Bandit after last week's "cliffhanger".  I really want to know what's going on there.

 

I was surprised that Junior was back this season, I thought he'd be out at least the rest of Season 10 of the show and then back for Season 11 (if there is one, which there will be, let's face it), and that they'd send a relief skipper out.  Maybe not the smartest move he could make, particularly how he was on The Bait a few weeks ago and still seemed to be in a lot of pain.  Hopefully it works out.

 

I laughed at Elliot's moronic logic.  A woman gets hurt on a boat - and that wasn't a crab boat, either - and he says, "That's why women shouldn't be on deck."  I hate his little sex toy but she had the same reaction I did - "Because she got INJURED?"  Using that logic, NOBODY should be out on deck because they could get injured, not just women!  What an idiot.

 

I don't think anybody respects him and that's probably why he is the way he is - in his mind, he's a captain now, and everyone should be on their knees worshipping the very ground he walks on.  You have to give respect to get respect, and I don't think he gives a shit about his crew at all - so why should they have respect for him and his boat?

 

I really wish there was an episode of The Bait where Sig, Andy, Johnathan, Keith and Wild Bill just sat down and talked shit about him for the whole episode.  That would be AMAZING.  Just everyone piling on Elliot and not making excuses for him or trying to justify his behviour, just sitting there talking about what an absolute moron he is.  I went to The Captain's Tour when it came to Australia in 2011 (that was the one with Johnathan, Andy and Sig sitting on stage talking about the show), and at that time Season 7 was just airing, which I think was Elliot's first season.  Someone in the audience asked Sig what he thought of Elliot and his response was something like, "That piece of shit."  I KNOW they hate him, so I just want to hear them talk shit about him on TV!

[NJ RadioGuy]

Count me in with those who loved Mandy, in just the dose of her we got. Any more would have been too much, but the dynamic of that family is wonderful to watch. One thing that I saw very clearly in the special feature on the Northwestern they did earlier this year was how Sig was all about fishing and all about the boat from the very first. It drove his whole life and he never wavered from the path. Edgar did, and he lost some of Sig's respect (though of late--and maybe it's just editing room antics--he's gained it back in spades). Mandy has that same drive that young Sig had; Sig sees that clearly and will move heaven and earth to please her. I think Mandy will concede defeat to the Bering Sea, though, and I doubt we'll see her back again. At least for Opies--though she might be able to hack Kings full-share. Regardless, I do love the Hansens and the dynamic of their boat.

 

Elliott needs to get himself neutered for the good of mankind. Not even a boatful of Cottonelle 2-ply could clean that shitstain off the deck. It's a sad state of affairs when decent hard-working fishermen have to resort to working for a wanker like him in order to pay the bills. It would please me to no end to see him unable to crew his boat in the future, or to see his insurance pulled for his shenanigans.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

For all u Mandy h8ters:  

 

She came and she gave, without taking.

 

{ducking}

 

While I was experiencing a schadenfreude OD as the Saga crew ignored captain's orders, I was/am struck at how many idiots don't seem to want to have crabbing jobs.  Any captain would be a fool to hire any one of them.  Captain Bly was an SOB back in the day, but such was the case for the entirety of the Admiralty.  It haaaad to be that way.  Same holds true today:  A Captain has to be GOD aboard ship.  If you don't respect a given dude's ability to be a captain, stay ashore!   Once you leave the dock, you have basically put your very life in his hands.   He asks you to jump, the only acceptable response is "Aye, aye.  How high, sir?"

 

What happened to the roiled seas and promised ill winds at the top of this ep?  There were a bunch of bad edits depicting vessels with and without ice and frost within seconds of each other.   Does anyone at Disco have any pride left?  

Edited July 24, 2014 by Lonesome Rhodes

[dustyd]

 

Any more would have been too much, but the dynamic of that family is wonderful to watch.

 

They're just so interesting to me.  Sig and Edgar were so fractured, complete opposites, and every season they've slowly been building their relationship back up again.  And aside from their personal problems, they just seem like such decent, hardworking men.  I really admire them.  There's not a lot of drama and histrionics, they just do their job well and that's it.  No bullshit.

 

I'll take that any day over freaking Elliot Neese.

 

 

Edgar did, and he lost some of Sig's respect (though of late--and maybe it's just editing room antics--he's gained it back in spades).

 

No, I don't think it's the editing room - I think Sig is genuinely proud of Edgar and has gained a lot of respect for him and what he brings to the boat.  It's taken him a long time to get over his "Edgar is a screw up" mentality, but now he's realising that he can put a lot more trust into Edgar than he could before.

 

I could talk about the Northwestern all day.  Love those guys.

[merylinkid]

 

Once you leave the dock, you have basically put your very life in his hands.

And that is why the captain has to be a competent.    He has the life of his crew in his hands.   Elliott's crew signed on, putting their life in his hands.   And what did they get in return?   A captain crying into the phone and doing drugs so he had to go to rehab.   Then when he is back, he brings his fricking girlfriend on board so he can get laid while they are working.   Then she deliberately makes one of them sick and Elliott does nothing about it.    Oh and he makes their job harder by not letting them use the hopper and has them use totes instead.    His incompetence is going to get someone killed.   

 

The guys did their job.   They were hauling gear and sorting crab.   He wasn't doing his job by actually fucking captaining the boat, instead he was actually being fucked.   At that point, the crew said fuck you.    Just like happened to Captain Bligh.   He went too far in disciplining people without also caring about their health and wellbeing.   The end result was he was set adrift in the South Pacific in a dinghy.    I don't think Elliott's crew will do that, but I can foresee and en masse quitting when they get back to Dutch.   I also foresee Elliott having a tough time getting any good crabbers to sign on with him once word gets around (and it will even without the show) about how dangerous he is out at sea.

 

You know why the Northwestern crew functions so well?   And is a consistent crew?   They know Sig has their back.   Hell, even the boat design is done to protect the crew.   The captains place (the name escapes me right now) is in the front so the waves hit it, not the crew.   Not all the time, but it offers some protection.   Sig has said they did that way on purpose for just that reason.   

Edited July 24, 2014 by merylinkid

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Elliot made not one decision which endangered his crew on this trip, at least none that was shown or discussed.

 

Whether the crew recognized, or not, he made a safety call with the hopper.  They rewarded him by abusing his boat.  

 

All that aside, each crew knew full well the tool for a captain they signed on with.  They freely chose to sail anyway.  

[terrymct]

I love the Hansens.  I really do.  They're a family with ups and downs, but they're decent people and are working hard to run a business.  Mandy did just the right thing on the all nighter.  Don't complain one bit and work as hard as you can.   I didn't realize that she isn't Sig's bio daughter.  That makes me love this family even a little bit more.  Mandy is going to end up with a college degree and as CEO of Hansen Inc.

 

On to the others.

 

I don't understand why anyone goes out to sea with Elliot.  They all know him by now.  There are other boats.  Does he pay more than the other boats?  Otherwise, they're in some kind of co-dependent fishing hell.

 

Wild Bill I'm convinced loves the drama more than he loves the fishing.  As a professional, there is NO REASON to keep that deck boss on his payroll.  Either Bill down deep needs the drama or the deck boss has something he's hanging over Bill's head.  NO other reason.

 

I can understand that Junior needs to go out to be able to keep up the payments on his boat.  I think he should have arranged for another captain to do this round, though.  It would cut into his profits a bit, but he'd still bring in money and he'd be able to heal better.  This is the winter season, it's going to be rough out there and Junior's back will be taking a lot of abuse even when he's just sitting in the chair on the bridge.   He's being short sighted.

[AZChristian]

The captains place (the name escapes me right now) is in the front so the waves hit it, not the crew.

 

The wheelhouse.

[Bishop]

I admire Mandy, I admire Sig I thought he struck just the right balance of dad and captain with her considering she wasn't a real greenhorn she was just there to 'get the crab boat experience'.  He gave her a well rounded experience. But in the end part of that experience was a no holds barred get up and do the work no matter what and he stuck to it.  That was grueling.  But she stuck it out and never complained that we saw and always had a smile and a good attitude. I really respect that.  The Northwestern is such a good environment overall. That all said, that whole story arc was sooooo boring. That doesn't take away from the good of what they really did, but watching it was not thrilling at all.

I thought the storyarc was fine because it gave us some more insight into the crew of the Northwestern, which I consider the best boat, in terms of crew and temperament.  Mandy was not a legitimate green horn.  I don't think she made a dime for her work on the Northwestern.  She was there simply to learn what it was like to be on a fishing vessel.  I was proud that she sucked it up and kept working right up to the end with no complaining.  That other guy on the Cape couldn't STOP complaining and finding excuses not to be on the boat.  I think Mandy did her family proud, and considering she is only 18, I think she did fine.  I still don't think crab fishing is a profession for women (and I am a woman) simply because it does require a lot of body strength (lifting and moving pots, chopping ice off of the ship, dragging heavy bait bags, needing to pull men on board if necessary, etc), but I think Sig was right (and fair) to at least allow his daughter to try and not shoot her down.  It was nice to see him proud of her.

 

I did love Elliot's crew trashing his stuff. They are so over that little shit. It was wrong, they should not have done it, but it was still fun to watch only because it was him.  The season is almost over so I have no idea how they are going to salvage it now. By 'they' I mean Disco. Between the ships and stories they focused on and the tweets etc I think they ruined the TV season pretty much

I can't stand Elliott.  I FF through all of his stuff because his whining, and his pity-parties are beyond annoying.  His crew is right to disrespect him.  I still remember when he left them hanging waiting for him and he was getting drunk in town.  

 

While that is true I cannot tell you how many men I have met in my life who simply treat the older children of their wife's earlier relationship like shit. So I love that Sig isn't that guy. Also, Sig made a big point of reminding Mandy that she's a Hansen. I think that's especially laudable considering he isn't her biological father. He makes sure she knows that she's one of his, of his family, and the heritage belongs to her just like to a bio kid. Again, too many people simply do not do that.  So I am glad someone mentioned that she was not his bio daughter because I didn't know that and it puts his behavior and words in even a more special light to me.  She's a good kid. I just wish the whole watching of it wasn't so tiresome for me as the viewer.

I didn't know that either, and you're right, it makes Sig even more loveable.  I agree that too many people call out their "step" kids AS stepchildren.  Basically:  "Is that your kid?"  "No, that's my stepdaughter."  Sig never did that,and I would never have known at all from Sig's behavior that Mandy was not his daughter.  I had no idea.  See, now I love Sig and the Northwestern even more. Edward was just as wonderful. Edited July 24, 2014 by Lisin
Fixed quotes

[merylinkid]

AZChristian, thank you.   I really should have know that because duh it is where the wheel is housed.   My only excuse is that it was 3 a.m. and I wa suffering horrible insomnia and knew I had to be up at 6:30.

[ShellSeeker]

I didn't know that either, and you're right, it makes Sig even more loveable.  I agree that too many people call out their "step" kids AS stepchildren.  Basically:  "Is that your kid?"  "No, that's my stepdaughter."  Sig never did that,and I would never have known at all from Sig's behavior that Mandy was not his daughter.  I had no idea.  See, now I love Sig and the Northwestern even more. Edward was just as wonderful.

 

Well, it does depend on the individual situation. My husband and I got married when my stepdaughter was 7. Her mom was (and still is) in the picture, and there are issues all over the place. When we got married, I always went out of my way to introduce her to people and refer to her as "my stepdaughter." Not because I didn't think of her as my own child, because I do, but because I never wanted her to get the idea in her head that I was trying to take her mother's place. Kids at that age can get all sorts of crazy notions -- I sure did.

 

But in this situation, since Mandy's biological father died years ago, then Sig did become her father.

[NJ RadioGuy]

At that point, the crew said fuck you. Just like happened to Captain Bligh.He went too far in disciplining people without also caring about their health and wellbeing. The end result was he was set adrift in the South Pacific in a dinghy.  

 

Interesting to bring up Bligh. I've read a few historical accounts that he was actually a somewhat lenient commander. He'd confine men to quarters rather than have them flogged, have them flogged rather than hanged for more serious offenses and was known to be lenient on shore leave, etc. It was said that the crew of Bounty increasingly took advantage of his (relative) leniency and when he tried to impose actual discipline they rebelled. When you move the goalposts during the game, the players won't be happy. I'd rather work for a known tyrant that pays well and disciplines fairly than someone who's great one day and an asshole the next.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Interesting to bring up Bligh. I've read a few historical accounts that he was actually a somewhat lenient commander. He'd confine men to quarters rather than have them flogged, have them flogged rather than hanged for more serious offenses and was known to be lenient on shore leave, etc. It was said that the crew of Bounty increasingly took advantage of his (relative) leniency and when he tried to impose actual discipline they rebelled. When you move the goalposts during the game, the players won't be happy. I'd rather work for a known tyrant that pays well and disciplines fairly than someone who's great one day and an asshole the next.

You are quite correct, but I did not want to fight that fight in addition to my other assertions.  I thank you!

 

Bligh was nowhere near the tyrant that so many in the Admiralty were.  Now, by modern standard, the guy was horrible.  But, we can't judge the past by imposing today, eh?

 

The bottom line point, which does hold to this day, is when you embark on a distant mission, it is a life and death matter that command be maintained.  In a micro-community e.g. a crabbing vessel, a unified command is absolutely vital.  If you have more than one chief, you have no chief.  Some things never change in human behavior and this is one of these.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Lonesome Rhodes

[Sean]

Did anyone else notice Elliot (he doesn't deserve to be called "Captain") kicking the crab on the deck during his little temper tantrum ?

 

I know it's just a crab, but I'm sure there are regulations that say that they need to either be harvested (if legal size) or otherwise returned safely to the water.  Not crushed because it makes some man-child feel better.

 

I know it's not the same thing, but for recreational fishing in my state the rule book says that game fish have to either be harvested, or returned safely to the water -- you can't just waste them. Non-game fish (like shad) can be used for bait, or wasted, but have to be disposed of properly.

 

It's just a good thing nobody was standing behind him when the threw the iron bar -- I can see why he has such trouble with crewing his boats, no good crabbers would want him as their captain. He needs his dad back aboard to give him a little bit of adult supervision.

Edited July 25, 2014 by Sean

[NJ RadioGuy]

He needs his dad back aboard to give him a little bit of adult supervision.

 

Actually, I think he needs his dad back aboard to give him a spanking and send him to his rack without supper. And to toss the trollop over the rail with the rest of the dirty crabs.

[walnutqueen]

As great as I still think this post was, now I can't get the song outta my head!  Sigh.

 

See, I started with that and quickly progressed to wondering why Barry Manilowe did THAT to his face, and by the time I got through with all the bad plastic surgery images in my head, I WANTED to sing Mandy again.  :-)

[SweePea59]

Well, there's always that song from White Christmas...

 

Mandy
There's a minister handy
And it sure would be dandy
If we'd let him make a fee
So don't you linger

Here's the ring for your finger
Isn't it a humdinger?
Come along and let the wedding chimes
Bring happy times for Mandy and me
 

[kassa]

 

Oh and he makes their job harder by not letting them use the hopper and has them use totes instead.

 

I think he had a legitimate reason for that -- they were changing tanks and would have had to take it all apart soon anyway?  He explained it at the time and it made sense -- it wasn't an arbitrary thing.

 

Loved seeing Casey give Josh a lesson... and Josh actually ACCEPT it.  Sort of the same reason as above --- whether you think he's a dick, or you think he's being too generous, or whatever you might think when you're on deck, the essential contract of working on a fishing vessel is accepting that the captain knows more than you!  And if you truly think he doesn't (see Elliott on the phone ignoring the crew in previous seasons) you should save yourself and walk away.

 

I don't know if we'll ever get a real answer about how much Mandy actually did, but she's physically bigger than Jake Harris was and he could do it.  Obviously upper body strength is a big deal, but that's something she could develop in the off season, and she seems driven enough to do it.  She was dragging those bait setups across the deck, but she had the strength to get them into the pot, something we've seen bigger guys struggle with.  

 

Enough to pull off a full share on a non-family boat?  I'd have to say probably doubtful, for a wide variety of reasons.  Enough to make a decent salary within the family business?  Wanting to be there, not wimping out at the grind, willing to do all the pre-season pot work and salmon tendering while learning the business side of the business?  They've discussed preferring a four man deck to having some unknown 5th person.  I can see them working Mandy and Edgar's son into the mix and paying them good wages to take the pressure off the older crew.   Especially if they'll cook!

 

I was surprised on the Bait to see how openly Wild Bill explained that Nick was his successor.  Yes, there are obviously issues (booze), but I don't blame him for not cutting loose somebody who he feels is destined to be a captain.  The Hansens keep taking Matt back out of a sense of family obligation (and acknowledgement that he's a major asset when sober).

 

On a completely shallow note, Neal Hillestrand has put on a lot of weight and it really suits him.  He always looked like a wizened old fella, and I was stunned at how much better he looked!

[MelinaBallerina]

 

I was surprised on the Bait to see how openly Wild Bill explained that Nick was his successor.

 

Is it really up to Bill, though?  He doesn't own the boat, he's just a paid captain, right?

[kassa]

He may be hired.  I remember Charlie (?) McLashan on an early season of Deadliest Catch, maybe even one of the pilot shows.  Sig introduced him as a friend of his father's, and I got the impression that it's a family that's been around forever.  So whether Nick is that man's nephew or grandson or son, no doubt he's been around so long that he has major connections to get hired.  Maybe less so now that his behavior has been shown on tv, but then again, it's not like that sort of stuff would have been a secret in that small society anyway.