To Wicked Tuna Captain Britton Shackelford, his boat might not be all that “plush,” but it certainly is comfortable. Easily spotted on the Outer Banks for its sage green color, the Doghouse is Shackelford’s pride and joy. So, naturally, he had to take fans of the show on a tour through its parts.
On the Wicked Tuna boat, space certainly isn’t an issue. The 61-foot custom Carolina boat can carry up to 24 passengers and often does for charter trips when Shackelford isn’t filming for the show. In a past clip, Shackelford showed off his pride for his vessel, taking the camera around the boat, room by room, showing what exactly makes it so special to him.
Inside one of the front rooms, Shackelford shows off his tackle box and benches that double as lifejacket storage. Meanwhile, on the deck, the Wicked Tuna captain showed where his first mate, Bo, sets up his rod. He adds that Bo’s “station” is actually the tackle station, where he keeps all the “goodies” that end up on the hooks.
There’s even a bit of luxury on the Doghouse, too. In front of the cushioned benches is a flat-screen TV in which the Wicked Tuna Captain can “pipe in” the information from his top monitor for rother crew members to take a look at the weather and fish conditions of the day.
Down on the lower level, Shackelford keeps all of his rods in impeccable shape. They’re hanging from nearly every wall as he tells the camera, “It’s a lot of tackle” with a chuckle. Next up is the “stateroom” with beds and then the upper deck with more storage. He shared that one of the fish boxes is the perfect size for when he takes guests out on charter trips.
A Typical Day on the ‘Wicked Tuna’ Vessel
Back when Shackelford and his Doghouse crew first joined Wicked Tuna, they wanted to be sure they could keep up with the other dominating bluefin vessels in the Graveyard of the Atlantic. So, when the captain’s son, Austin, decided to try his hand at tuna fishing, Shackelford didn’t give him any special treatment. Instead, he treated his son like he would any other member of the crew so that together, they would make a successful team.
“I feel pressure 24/7,” Austin shared on a Wicked Tuna episode. “He’s a tough guy, you know. He’s not going to go easier on me.”
When a bluefin latches on to one of their hooks, Austin shows that he’s ready to man his station to bring it onboard. Unfortunately, the tuna was too small to count, so the Wicked Tuna crew had to throw it back. Regardless, the close call still served as good practice for the young angler.
See the Doghouse crew in action in the clip below.
