‘Deadliest Catch’: Mandy Hansen Takes Over as Sig Hansen Retires?
Deadliest Catch fans all recognize Mandy Hansen as the Northwestern captain-in-training. But with the crab industry struggles and health issues, there’s a chance that Northwestern captain Sig Hansen could retire. Will Mandy take over?
Deadliest Catch: The Crab Industry Is Struggling
Deadliest Catch has been hinting this could possibly be the very last King Crab season. Episode 1 of season 17 already shows the captains joining forces to find and catch crab since they endured many obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This could be the final straw for Sig. He comes from a long line of fishermen and started fishing at age 14. But if Johnathan Hillstrand could retire, then so could Sig. That means one thing: Mandy Hansen takes over the Northwestern.
Deadliest Catch fans met Mandy in 2009. At the time, she was only 13 years old. She first started working on the Northwestern in 2014 as a greenhorn. From here, she grew in her ranks to become the Northwestern’s captain-in-training.
Deadliest Catch fans learned that Mandy is like her father in many ways, even though he adopted her. She’s hardworking but also very stubborn. That means she will do whatever it takes to catch the most crab — and defeat the competition.
Sig’s Health Issues
Sig is 54 years old. While he’s not technically considered old, he does have a slew of health issues. He’s had two heart attacks, yet fans can still see him smoking cigarettes in various Deadliest Catch ads.
While 54 isn’t old, he isn’t getting any younger. Since crab fishing has a 90% injury rate, any damage to Sig will be catastrophic.
However, Mandy Hansen is only 24 years old. She has years of experience behind her belt, even at such a young age. She has also worked on the Northwestern ever since she started crab fishing. Is there a better replacement for Sig?
Deadliest Catch: A Future Northwestern with Mandy Hansen
Mandy Hansen has said in interviews she loves the water and always loved fishing. That’s what drew her to the life of crab fishing. Not only that, but the Northwestern is a family legacy. The boat belonged to her grandfather, then passed to Sig, and one day he will pass it down to Mandy.
If Mandy took over as captain, it would break barriers and she would become a legacy. In interviews, she said if she were to become a captain, she would be the first female captain of the ship.
And hey, Sig is a legend. If someone were to take his place, it has to be someone more legendary than him. Does Mandy have what it takes? We’ll have to find out when she takes over the Northwestern.
