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‘Deadliest Catch’: Summer Bay Crew Races to Fix Ship After Catastrophic Failure

It only takes a moment for a successful day of fishing to turn into an absolute disaster on Deadliest Catch. While battling rough waves, freezing temperatures and tight deadlines, “Wild” Bill Wichrowski and the Summer Bay crew have only a matter of days to bring in the last of the cod to satisfy the season. Wichrowski hoped the extra fishing season would give him a cushion of revenue before the start of Opilio crab season. At first, the Deadliest Catch captain thought he might have another big finish to add to his career. The deckhands pulled pot after pot out of the water, full of huge, glistening fins. Just when the night started to look promising, though, chaos ensued.

After the crew threw the hook for the next pot, the arm of the davit, the small crane supporting the crab block, suddenly snapped, nearly taking crew member DJ Campbell with it.

“Definitely a close one,” Deadliest Catch star Campbell said. “That could’ve been really bad. Could’ve killed me.”

Watch the terrifying moment in the clip below.

The crew wasted no time reflecting on the near-fatal accident and instead began working to secure what was left of the davit onto the deck. Once they assessed the damaged equipment, they discovered that the davit rotted from the inside out, rendering it “paper-thin” and incredibly weak. When Deadliest Catch captain Wichrowski asked if it was repairable, the crew clarified that this was not an in-field operation. So, the Summer Bay had to abandon its promising number of fish and head back to town for some intense repairs.

‘Deadliest Catch’ Captain Mourns the Loss of Former Deck Boss

As the crew navigated towards the shore, Deadliest Catch captain Wichrowski couldn’t help but think that he almost lost two deckhands within the past sixteen days. Prior to their cod-centered trip, the crew suffered the tragic loss of deck boss Nick McGlashan, who died from an overdose of drugs. McGlashan was a strong leader and skilled welder. Perhaps if he was still on board with the Summer Bay crew, he would have been able to fix the davit.

“I just wish – I wish Nick was here,” Wichrowski admitted. “Nick would take charge on deck on these – I don’t feel like there’s anybody out there that wants to take charge or necessarily can take charge.”

Meanwhile, fellow crew member Landon struggled to prove that he could fill the hole that McGlashan left. Despite the fact that his boss didn’t think him capable, Landon seemed determined to lead the rest of the crew.

“I think I’m definitely ready to be a leader on this boat,” Landon shared. “I’ve got no other choice but to be the leader.”