Edgar Hansen of the F/V Northwestern held a live chat on the Discovery website almost two weeks ago and it was recently posted on the Deadliest Catch Wiki. As you probably already know, Edgar is the youngest of three brothers who are all first-generation american from a family with super-strong Norweigan ties. As one of the most often featured fishermen of Deadliest Catch, Edgar is pretty much unforgettable. He’s known as the man with the greatest sense or humor, the man who’ll eat anything, and he’s known as a deckboss who works right alongside the crew and does anything and everything he can to keep up their spirits as they tackle the untiring, unfeeling Bering sea. He is one-third owner of the F/V Northwestern and is everybit as much a proprietor of the family business as his older siblings Sig and Norman Hansen. Check out what he has to say…It’s guaranteed not to be boring!
(photo courtesy of Discovery)
Edgar Hansen: Thank you for joining us at Discovery.com. At least you’re here and not watching Jerry Springer.
Donald: When you bite that herring do you swallow any of it? That is real sushi.
Edgar Hansen: It tastes like sushi, but it would probably hurt coming out. So, no I don’t eat any of it.
The Galway Girl: We all know you love to pull pranks on fellow crewmembers, especially greenhorns, but what’s the best prank you’ve ever had pulled on you?
Edgar Hansen: Best one? Was probably from Phil on Cornelia Marie, the one where he put a 20 foot piece of pipe on our pot. That was a classic. It was a good thing we know our stuff so we knew how to deal with it quickly.
djdebsing: Hello Edgar, just a wondering do you have a desire to take over full time for big brother Sig?!?
Edgar Hansen: Not full-time, but eventually if we get more quota I’m sure we’ll just take turns running the boat.
Love This: Do people really steal from each other out there or was tonight’s episode a rare event?
Edgar Hansen: No, people take other people’s stocks all the time. It is illegal; you’re not allowed to take the crab but people do it. If they’re just getting out there and have a full load of gear on often times you’ll see people check pots just to see if there’s life in the area. We don’t do that, we don’t need to!
ducky: How’s the head after getting hit by the hook?
Edgar Hansen: I’ll be pleased to say I didn’t knock any corners off this Norwegian head (that’s why they call us square heads). It did hurt; it rattled my teeth.
Northwestern 4 Evr: After the season has ended and everyone has gone their separate ways, what do you do in your free time? Do you have any, or do you have a job?
Edgar Hansen: I have a full-time job being a dad and a husband. My part-time job is staying as far away from Sig as possible. <laughing>
The Galway Girl: Do you think there will be another generation of crab fisherman in the Hansen family?
Edgar Hansen: The only males left in the family are my two boys and I don’t see them fishing any time soon. I’d rather see them go to college and be somebody. And live a normal life.
Torie Rene: I’ve always wondered how you guys stay awake…they never show you guys sleeping or resting at all!
Edgar Hansen: It’s adrenaline, that’s a big one. Greed is the second biggest. And just sheer willpower, you force yourself to stay awake and work. You go through your first and second winds and then you end up coming on your third and fourth wind, and so on and so on. That’s what separates us from the average guy, being able to work through the pain and the sleep deprivation, and starvation. And still come out shiny.
ducky: Do your wife and kids watch the show or do you prefer they not watch it?
Edgar Hansen: We all sit down and a family and watch the show, if we’re home while they’re airing it. Sometimes we’re fishing when the shows are coming out. The kids are into it for about 10 minutes, then after that it’s just a good reason to stay up late.
Crystal Lee: What do you think of your greenhorn and how his attitude changed from last season to this one?
Edgar Hansen: Is this Jake?? Ha Ha! He has come a long way in a very short time. Only ’cause he’s got good teachers. He’s got something, he’s got what it takes to be a really good full-share deckhand. But it does take time and experience. And he needs to check his feelings at the door when he goes on deck. Because the kid’s just too damned sensitive. Other than that, he’s going to be one hell of a deckhand.
Master Captain: Hey Edgar, a few questions. What is the top speed of the Northwestern, the engine builder and the amount of horsepower?
Edgar Hansen: Top speed was 12 knots when she was first built at sea trial. The main engine is a 3512 Caterpillar Twin Turbo. And it’s 1250 horsepower with 4500 feet of torque. She’ll basically pull a building.
djdebsing: Would you recommend this job to your own child and/or relative?
Edgar Hansen: To my children? No. Only because it’s no life for an average human being. A relative, sure, because I hate ‘em all! LOL Just kidding!
Shirley: What are brown crab used for?
Edgar Hansen: Brown crab is essentially the same as a red King Crab, but they are usually a little smaller and they’re sold cheaper on the American market.
Northwestern 4 Evr: Edgar, do you ever stay in touch with any of your other shipmates after the season’s over? Do you guys ever meet each other and have a few beers and talk about past, present, and future crabbing experiences?
Edgar Hansen: Well, right now, the boat is in the shipyard so we will be seeing a lot of each other. Because we do have to go work on the boat: painting, etc. etc. And Matt lives just down the street from me, so we do see one another quite often. It’s usually him coming to borrow tools.
Wizette Mystic: Hi Edgar…thanks for chatting…can you tell us where you get your incredible sense of humor?
Edgar Hansen: Well, I didn’t get it from my bigger brother, that’s for sure! It’s one of those things, you have to have a sense of humor to work on these boats. If you didn’t, you’re just doomed. You have to be able to laugh about something, whether it’s good or bad.
gabber310: When was your greatest season on the Northwestern?
Edgar Hansen: Greatest season? Was probably three King Crabs ago. In 80 hours I walked away with a $40,000 check.
Boston Bruins40: So do you really like eating bait or just like screwing with the other guys LOL
Edgar Hansen: I don’t enjoy eating the bait, or the herring, but I do love to screw with the other guys. The main reason is for good luck. It’s usually at the opening of the season, and it’s just become a staple in our tradition.
Lhiiiz: Edgar, you always seem to have a lighthearted bend on situations…how long did Jake have to wear the cod fish?
Edgar Hansen: As long as it took for him to learn to wear a damned knife belt.
Torie Rene: How long are you guys out to sea for each crab season and how does your family feel about your profession?
Edgar Hansen: Each season? I was gone 9-1/2 months last year. But that’s with cod fish and salmon tendering. So, my family appreciates the hard work that goes into putting a roof over our heads and food on our table. And getting crab in your salad.
Paula R: Did you ever have a cod hung on your knife belt like you did to your greenhorn?
Edgar Hansen: No, I think I’ve had a knife belt on from day one. I’ve had other things done to me when I was younger. I learned from older guys that have been here for years and years and years. So, there wasn’t the happy, youngster banter that goes on today. It was either you did or you didn’t, and shut your mouth either way. That’s how I learned.
ducky: I know you did Trading Spaces and redid your wife’s sister’s kitchen. Would you ever consider doing Trading Spaces with Sig or anyone else on the Northwestern?
Edgar Hansen: No, because they would literally screw up my house. I just got done putting two years work into my addition, and nobody is going to touch my house.
Northwestern 4 Evr: Have you picked up any weird habits that you gained through doing something repetitively in the season such as throwing a piece of line out? (i.e. weird baseball pitch)
Edgar Hansen: I say ‘Roger that’ to people at the grocery store. When I’m helping somebody working on a house or a car, whatever it may be, I tend to work like I’m working on a crab boat and they tend to look at me like I’m crazy. Like “What do you mean you want to eat lunch? What the hell is wrong with you??
DeniseG: My son is interested in crab fishing, any advice for him?
Edgar Hansen: Yeah, stay in school! It depends on how old he is. The chances of getting a job nowadays are pretty slim to none. But if he is serious about it, and you love your son, don’t let him go.
Northwestern fan: Your brother Sig, in the role of captain of the boat, plays a big role in what direction the boat will take. What changes would you make if you were captain?
Edgar Hansen: He actually asks our input sometimes on which way to go or what we’re going to do. But he usually follows his own instincts. If I was to run the boat, I’d just go with my gut. Obviously, we have the same blood so that’s all you can do is go with your gut. And try to stay on crab.
NyxMCPS: Has a fan sent you anything? If they have, what was the funniest, or the weirdest?
Edgar Hansen: Well, this is family Discovery… One of the funniest, there were bottles of KY Jelly and self pleasuring tools. That was by far the funniest. The strangest, we received two boxes and it literally contained everything you would need to survive a month on a boat. i.e., paper plates, forks, knives, placemats, magazines, coffee. It was like they walked through the grocery store and dumped everything into the cart. And it cost them a fortune to get it up there. But it doesn’t go unappreciated. So, keep sending them!
mnakdib: If the Time Bandit had filled its quota, why wouldn’t they share the hot spot with others?
Edgar Hansen: Some guys do if they’re done fishing and they’re headed in. They will literally tell someone, a partner boat, about the spot they just had. It’s still a gentleman’s fishery, but when you’re out there gloves are off and every boat for itself.
Kaia from Bergen: How’s Sling Blade doing?
Edgar Hansen: When you say Sling Blade, you’re referring to my brother Norman. And he’s in Yakima at his new property, fixing his driveway. Other than that, he’s doing just fine. Uh huh!
The Galway Girl: What’s the best thing about working with your brothers?
Edgar Hansen: I didn’t realize there was a best thing! I would say, we have a lot of respect for each other as workers, to say he’s the best at what he does and I’m the best at what I do. Together, it works, but other than that we butt heads.
Lhiiiz: Edgar, you’ve eaten some pretty atrocious things on the show…anything ever actually made you sick?
Edgar Hansen: Until now? No, but I can tell you that when I ate the cod heart, I ate three in a row, and they didn’t sit very well in my stomach. Because they were beating inside of me! But other than that, no, we’ve got some strong bellies. Mind over matter.
mnakdib: Is it hard to get a greenhorn to work on these boats?
Edgar Hansen: Good question! No, because you can usually tell right away how you need to manipulate him into getting the work out of him. And if you can’t do that as a boss then you don’t know your job. You can’t squeeze blood out of a turnip. So, some guys just can’t handle the work. As a boss you should be able to see that right away so you just don’t push the issue. Or you just ride him to make him cry like a little girl!
(photo courtesy of Discovery)
monkeys in motion: How did you feel when you first found out that you were going to be filmed for a TV show? Did you think the show would become as popular as it is? This is me and my sons’ favorite show, we haven’t missed one episode and my sons think you are the greatest. Thanks for sharing your fishing with us!
Edgar Hansen: Thank your boys for me, and tell them hi! When we first heard we were going to be filmed, I don’t think any of us liked the idea. We were just regular guys, and not used to having cameras stuffed in our face. But, I think it took a season before we started to get comfortable with the whole thing. We’re still not used to it, but after hearing things like what you said from your boys, it makes it all worth it.Rusty Coleman: Do you ever eat any King Crab while on the boat?
Edgar Hansen: Of course we do, just not as often as you would think. Literally, you’re in such a zone that you forget you have the capability of cooking and eating this wonderful product. Besides that, we’re just too damned tired.
Read the rest of this entry »
