For those coming to Alaska to fish

[karfar]

Originally Posted by daytripper

I still remember back in the early 80's over 4th of July weekend we were down ( I believe it was Whiskey Gulch) and our friends had a new boat (they were so proud) all rigged up with hydraulics for Halibut..they asked us if we wanted to go out but I had to head back to town later that day and we said no thanks. They said to meet them back at the beach later and they's have some fish for us. We came back to the beach ...but they never did...
they found 2 of the three floating face down about 1 mile out. never found the 3rd guy or the boat. One was Richard McDowell of Anch and his cousin
(Shaun McDowell?) I don't remember the 3 rd guy it's been so long.

Man, how lucky for you that you weren't on that boat, but that's tragic for your friends, I'm sorry to hear that.

[Marty Van Diest]

Similar thing happened to my brother in Dutch Harbor. He was 18 and just walking the docks trying to get into crabbing. He got a job on a boat in the harbor just gearing up. Tieing lines, mending pots etc. He was offered a chance to go out, but after working on the boat for a few days he didn't feel the boat or crew were safe so he declined. That boat went down later that season with all hands lost.

He ended up working on one of the "sea" boats for 6 years.

[RMD3819]

What is a "sea" boat?

[Marty Van Diest]

Originally Posted by RMD3819

What is a "sea" boat?

Arctic Sea, Bering Sea, North Sea...I think there were more. Highliners at the time. As I remember, they were all owned by a family company in Seattle.

[karibear]

Originally Posted by RMD3819

What is a "sea" boat?

There were and still are a bunch of boats owned by a company or family that all have similar names or are referred to as [family] fleet. One I can think of right now were the 'dog' boats - the Boxer, the Airdale, and a couple others. And some I won't mention because the family's name is still known well enough to identify them.

And still others are named after family members. I can't even begin to remember how many fishermen/owners named their daughters something appropriatet for a boat's name, usually Dawn - like Crystal Dawn, Markayla Dawn, Dawn Treader, etc. That way they didn't have to worry about tweaking wives and mothers by naming a boat after one or another, or whose name came first. I know one man who named his boat after his deceased mother, and I don't think his wife ever spoke to him again.

[nukem419]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

One of the most dangerous jobs in Alaska is commercial fishing, and every now and then a ship goes down. The result is a few dead fishermen every year. Here is a new one, off Dutch Harbor:
adn.com | Alaska News : Four dead, one missing in sinking of fishing boat off Dutch Harbor

Yes, it is dangerous. But I believe that the majority of accidents out at sea are either due to poor seamanship or a poorly maintained vessel. If your in rough seas with all of your hatches open, running parralel to the wave fronts your just asking for trouble. You would be suprised the **** that you can put a boat through if you handle it right and take care of it. You do not want to **** with the ocean though thats for sure, I've seen 50-60+ foot swells while I was onboard the USS pennsylvania, and even in a beast that long with a 38ft draft it was like a rollercoaster (on a submarine at PD). I would not want to go through something like that in a trawler, but then again if your looking at weather reports, using good charts, and have a good skipper you can for the most part tuck tail and run before things get way out of hand.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by nukem419

Yes, it is dangerous. But I believe that the majority of accidents out at sea are either due to poor seamanship or a poorly maintained vessel. If your in rough seas with all of your hatches open, running parralel to the wave fronts your just asking for trouble. You would be suprised the **** that you can put a boat through if you handle it right and take care of it. You do not want to **** with the ocean though thats for sure, I've seen 50-60+ foot swells while I was onboard the USS pennsylvania, and even in a beast that long with a 38ft draft it was like a rollercoaster (on a submarine at PD). I would not want to go through something like that in a trawler, but then again if your looking at weather reports, using good charts, and have a good skipper you can for the most part tuck tail and run before things get way out of hand.

Well, I don't know the details of why so many people die while commercial fishing in Alaska, but I do know that if you fall in the water around Florida or CA, you can stay alive for a long time if you find a way to float. That's not the case in Alaska's waters. In fact, if you don't wear a survival suit and fall in the water, ten of fifteen minutes later yours legs and arms are numb from the cold. Winter fishing requires the use of steam to remove the ice that build-up on the rails and decks.