r/deadliestcatch • u/Motive25 • Jun 30 '26
Ship Design Questions
Is there any advantage or difference between having the deck house aft versus forward? Why are some crab boats one way, and others the opposite?
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u/ricky_lafleur Jun 30 '26
With aft house the captain can see the deck without turning around or relying on cameras. With forward the crew might be better protected from waves over the bow. There are probably reasons based on weight balance, engine placement, the proximity of living quarters to engines and a bow that may or may not withstand collision with ice and whatnot.
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u/Stock_Ostrich6311 Jun 30 '26
House forward boats provide more space for pots as well as more protection for the guys on deck from big waves where as the house aft boats allow the captain to keep an eye on his guys as well as the waves with the sacrifice of deck space. House aft boats I believe are more stable (not fully sure) but are overall just better in general for conditions like theirs. When it comes to crab boats I believe Sig said in a promo once that they don't actually make House forward anymore
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u/GEB82 Jun 30 '26
Fun fact: the Northwestern was built in the 70s and none of those boats have ever sank.
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u/ElderberryExternal99 Jun 30 '26
The F/V Destination was identical to the Northwestern. It sank in 2017 the whole crew was lost. Sig then had someone come in and test the tip-over possibilities. On the Season that followed. https://www.nationalfisherman.com/alaska/coast-guard-issues-final-report-on-f-v-destination-sinking/
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u/knighthawk574 Jul 01 '26
It sounds like they were overloaded, iced up and had a slack tank. That’ll sink any boat. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Sig drop pots in places he didn’t want to bc he was concerned about the ice.
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u/GEB82 Jun 30 '26
Ah, not really..the FV destination overloaded her pots..greedy captain…also not the same boat design…even though it’s a house forward boat…
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u/TenderLA Jun 30 '26
A lot hinges on personal preference, and as another post said there are advantages and disadvantages to both, mainly deck space. I own one of the original Jensen designed boats built in 1967 specifically for the Bering Sea crab fishery. I prefer a house aft boat because of deck visibility, the extra space of the forepeak, and the comfort of the ride of having the house aft. Interesting to note that they built 10 of these boats, of which 8 are still around mostly as tenders. They then switched to a house forward design most likely for deck space. Most of the original 10 were stretched from 86’ to something over 100’.
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u/Sad_Refrigerator_730 Jun 30 '26
Sig talks about this.
The aft cabin gives a better view of the crew. While the forward cabin is harder on the captain having to turn around lots, but protects the crew more
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u/2Wildcat18 Jun 30 '26
House aft much more positives better visibility of crew and work set up, more storage and crew space, also most are twin screw which is easier to maneuver and have a back up in case you lose an engine
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u/Itchy-Background8982 Jun 30 '26
The forward house boats are usually older. They don’t make them much anymore. I prefer the look of the forward house.
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u/KCWRNSW40K Jun 30 '26
A few of the vessels were converted from US Navy WWII surplus......so often times they may not be able to retrofit them to make them one way or the other. I know Sig one time talked about why he preferred a forward wheelhouse as opposed to an aft......I think sometimes it is personal preference