The F/V Wizard makes its grand entrance on the icy Bering Sea in Deadliest Catch. Under the regular command of Captain Keith Colburn, this historic vessel has earned its place amongst the elite in Alaskan crab fishing. Built in 1945 as a US Navy yard oiler, the Wizard had a colourful previous earlier than it was remodeled right into a crab-catching marvel by John Jorgensen in 1978. After a quick stint as a molasses hauler and some years docked in Boston, the Wizard was reborn as a crab fishing vessel.

Colburn took the wheel in 2005, and since then, the Wizard has change into a driving drive in the Bering Sea’s crab fisheries. Now a proud member of the Alaska Crab Producers Cooperative, the Wizard and its crew are at the coronary heart of the motion. Every ship’s success hinges on its crew. Get to know the crew members who preserve the Wizard afloat and crusing in opposition to all odds.

Keith Colburn

Captain

Keith Colburn’s journey to captain will not be with out enormous gambles and dangers. In the winter of 1985, Colburn was a Lake Tahoe bum craving for a drastic change in his life. At simply 22, Colburn made the journey up north to Kodiak, Alaska with no clue what lay forward. Lured by the promise of journey and fats paychecks, Keith instantly finds himself in the center of the Bering Seas as a greenhorn on the Alaska Trader, a 135-foot crabber/tender. What began as a quest for pleasure was a full-blown profession.

Three years later, Keith had swapped his rookie standing for a full-shared deckhand position on the Wizard, absorbing knowledge from the legendary John Jorgensen. Now a seasoned captain, Keith nonetheless takes his excessive-threat, excessive-reward mentality with him, the exact same perspective he adopted when he was solely in his twenties. But as Keith matured right into a captain, he’s not simply flying by the seat of his pants. Every determination he makes is calculated, with a management fashion that mixes each a cautious method and a daring edge.

Monte “Mouse” Colburn

Relief Captain

Monte “Mouse” Colburn, the youthful sibling of Captain Keith, first bought concerned in crab fishing simply two years after his brother arrived in the Bering Sea. His introduction to the realities of the relentless trade got here on the crabber Juno, threading the icy waters off St. Paul Island in the lifeless of winter – an initiation that left no room for slack. By 1998, Monte was firmly aboard the Wizard, beginning out as a full-share deckhand earlier than transferring as much as deck boss as Keith took the wheel.

Monte’s spectacular credentials embrace incomes his Coast Guard mate’s license in 1992 and upgrading to a grasp’s license in 1995. As Keith and Monte run the Wizard full-time, Monte assumes the position of aid captain and mate. However, like every sibling dynamic, the two brothers would typically butt heads over how the ship runs issues. Despite their occasional squabbles, Keith trusts Monte and attributes him to the Wizard’s success.

Gary Soper

First Mate

Gary Soper is the very definition of a sea-weathered stalwart. Growing up by the ocean in Alaska, Soper jumped into fishing as a boy and by no means seemed again. Having labored on the Wizard for greater than 20 years, he’s a powerhouse who is aware of the deck inside out, incomes him the title of Colburn’s go-to man for all issues dependable. From his position as a deckhand to first mate, Soper has seen and accomplished all of it.

Though grizzled and quiet, Soper is known for his sharp wit and notorious for his relentless hazing of greenhorns, typically spicing up the workday with a unclean joke or two. More importantly, Soper’s in cost of driving the boat by the evening and maintaining the deck and cab pots in prime-prime form. A mainstay on the Wizard, Soper has earned the respect of his crew because of his no-nonsense perspective.

Lenny Lekanoff

Engineer

Lenny Lekanoff was raised in the rugged terrain of the Bering Sea lengthy earlier than Dutch Harbor grew to become a bustling fishing hub. With saltwater in his veins, Lekanoff seized each alternative to fish professionally, having spent greater than 20 years tackling the fierce waters of the sea and the Aleutian Islands. Joining the Wizard crew after his vessel was retired by a authorities buyback program, Lekanoff turns into the Wizard’s go-to upkeep man, overseeing every little thing from the engine room to the forespeak with out lacking a beat on deck.

Though he’s comfortable-spoken and simple-going, Lekanoff is hard as they arrive, persistently withstanding the hardest circumstances. Having skilled each Monte and Colburn’s management as captains, Lekanoff respects each of them as grasp fishermen and enjoys the freedom he receives to pursue his life as a crab fisher, all whereas throwing some good-natured sass at the different crew members.

Freddy Maugatai

Deckhand

Freddy Maugatai has all the time been all fuel, no brakes. Proud of his Samoan heritage, Maugatai reveals completely no worry of the ruthless Bering Sea. Whether it’s overlaying his physique with cod blood to rejoice the begin of the season, to diving into the icy chilly ocean to assist hook a walrus carcass (out of his personal sheer initiative), Maugatai doesn’t hesitate to go to excessive lengths. While his overzealousness will be useful on deck, Maugatai isn’t fully scot-free. The kind to behave earlier than he thinks, the deckhand generally finds himself in undesirable conditions, together with bodily brawls with greenhorns and even getting fired for being drunk.

But as with age, in addition to his household again house, Maugatai has grown right into a extra mature determine on the F/V Wizard. As the years go by, Maugatai’s work ethic has change into even sharper, and he ensures that his fellow crew maintains a excessive stage of self-discipline always. He will be extraordinarily harsh on the greenhorns, however that’s solely as a result of he needs them to be ready for the worst outcomes that might presumably occur at sea. Always one to make his emotions identified, each the good and unhealthy, most of the time, Maugatai supplies good vibes to the ship’s tense work surroundings.

Roger Schlosstein

Deckhand

Roger Scholesstein’s rise aboard the Wizard first began when has taken on the position of greenhorn throughout the document-breaking 2012 Opies season. Manning the bait station with the abilities of a professional, made an impression on the ship’s crew along with his effectivity and drive. Receiving a nod of approval from Colburn and an indication of respect from the normally cantankerous Lenny, Roger instantly rose by the ranks from a mere rookie to 1 of the Wizard’s most coveted lengthy-time period property. A former salmon fisher, his previous expertise laid the basis for his work ethic. Whatever job that requires him, whether or not it’s tending to the engine room or counting crabs, Roger is keen to study all of them.

Robby Schlosstein

Deckhand

Robby Scholosstein joined the Wizard crew in 2013 after Captain Colburn determined to interchange the struggling greenhorn Dane Tebo with a well-recognized face. Following in the footsteps of his older brother Roger, Robby stepped aboard with enthusiasm, although with restricted crab fishing expertise. Despite this, his bodily power and unwavering spirit rapidly made a robust impression on Colburn and the relaxation of the crew.

Robby labored diligently throughout the Opie season, showcasing his stable work ethic and constructive perspective regardless of the harsh climate circumstances. After efficiently surviving and tending to a full season of crab fishing, Robby lastly earned his spot amongst the Wizard’s seasoned crew. To today, Robby remains to be studying the ropes and honing his abilities below his captain’s efficient steerage.

Kevin Stafford

Deckhand

Kevin Stafford had his first style of the world of crabbing throughout the 2011 Oplio season. While he’s skilled in different fisheries, he’s a comparatively new face on the crab boats. But it didn’t take lengthy for Stafford to get ahold of the ropes. Upon noticing Stafford’s fast studying skills, Colburn took Stafford below his wing. When he’s not crab fishing, Stafford has been identified to tackle daring questions, together with a solo voyage to Polynesia in a 28-foot sailboat. With his grit and guts, Stafford has the supreme makings of a future captain, however the deckhand is maintaining issues gradual and regular in the meantime.

Tyler Gateman

Deckhand

Tyler Gateman is the epitome of grit and perseverance. After proving himself as a stable deckhand and a hardworking bait boy, Tyler’s now much more decided to earn the crew’s respect. Unfortunately, Gatemen’s life was nearly put on-line when the Wizard was engulfed in chaos. Although Colburn normally maintains an impeccable security document, the Wizard by accident caught fireplace. More frighteningly, Gateman was nowhere to be discovered. The crew realized that Gateman was trapped behind a raging wall of fireplace.

By the time he was rescued, Gateman was coughing closely and on the verge of shedding consciousness. Despite accusations of the present being staged for dramatic occasions, this incident was removed from actuality. If something, it’s one of the present’s most stunning testaments to the realities these seafarers face every day, and the way Colburn nearly misplaced his greatest pal’s son over unexpected circumstances.

​​​​​​​Pascual Ganuelas

Deckhand

Pascual Ganuelas is a deckhand who encountered a stunning well being scare throughout Season 19, Episode 15 of Deadliest Catch. While on deck, Ganuelas suffered extreme chest ache, prompting an pressing journey to the clinic in Dutch Harbor. Upon analysis, it was determined that he wanted additional medical consideration, resulting in his medevac transport to a hospital in Anchorage. While not a lot is revealed from the hospital to the manufacturing crew, Colburn has his suspicions that it may very well be a minor coronary heart assault.

Although Ganuelas seems higher by the finish of the episode, his situation requires the younger man to take as a lot relaxation as doable earlier than he can ever set foot on the Wizard once more. While Colburn is devastated that he needed to let go of one of his crew members, fortunately, the captain managed to discover a seasoned substitute, enlisting Tracy Paola, a veteran with 20 years of fishing expertise.

Robert Get ‘er Done Sanders

Deckhand

Robert Get ‘er Done Sanders stays true to his nickname. Whatever the climate, no matter the storm, Sanders all the time will get issues accomplished because of his hardworking spirit. Originally from Washington, Sanders has acquired all the crucial abilities of an skilled outdoorsman, making him a dependable asset on the Wizard.

Todd Gateman

Greenhorn

Todd Gateman serves as a greenhorn for the Wizard. Just like the different crew members on the deck, Gateman skilled an unlucky circumstance that just about took away his alternative to work on the boat. When a wall of water as excessive as 35 ft hit the ship, Gateman’s proper leg was crushed by a 400 lb coiler that was ripped from its bolts as a consequence of the influence of the wave. What was alleged to be a promising season for Gateman, ended up being a dire state of affairs that just about value him his life.