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Discovery: Welcome to the first chat in our weekly Deadliest Catch chat series. Our first guest is Blake Painter, greenhorn captain of the Maverick. Ask him about his rise from deckhand to captain and life aboard to Maverick.
Blake Painter: Hello everybody, I'm happy to be here. I appreciate all the positive feedback over the last couple of years. I'm hoping to answer any questions I can. Shoot away.
badandy53: When did you find out that you would be captain for the king crab season?
Blake Painter: At the end of last king crab season I was told by Rick after last season it would be mine from now on if I wanted it.
Rico: What is the main difference between being a deckhand and a captain?
Blake Painter: Being a captain puts 100% of the responsibility for the crew members and their families' ability to survive on you. It's basically 100% - crew safety, boat safety, and whether we're successful is on your shoulders. As opposed to being on deck, where you're responsible for your duties.
echoman: Hey Blake--just watching the premiere of the season...wanted to know if you were as nervous as you seemed on the show for your first time as captain? Despite the nerves, what a thrill it must be and I wish you and everyone the best and safest of luck.
Blake Painter: Thank you for the good wishes. It was, in fact, nerve-wracking. Any time being in charge of a boat is that, but it was also exciting at the same time. I don't believe I was quite as nervous as it seemed, but apparently some things come across different on TV than they are actually in real life.
NMoline: Blake, how hard was it to gain respect from the crew this being your first time as captain?
Blake Painter: The crew on the Maverick this year for the most part are guys I've known for at least 10 to 15 years. We've grown up together. They know I've run boats since I was 18 and that I've been a fisherman all my life. So I think that along with friendship I earned their respect long before the season.
Bridget: What do you enjoy most about running a crab boat?
Blake Painter: Personally, I enjoy the responsibility and the pressure. I think, myself, I thrive on it. Knowing that my crew members rely 100% on me to put the money in their bank account that supports their family. Something about being the responsible one in the midst of the craziness that is crab season makes me thrive on it.
LynH: What drives someone to endure the cold, the risk, the long days? It has to be more than a payday.
Blake Painter: I think crab fishing is just something that's in your blood. Most guys that are established crab fisherman have been doing it for a long time. Due to mostly they don't want to do anything else. The guys that can't endure the cold and the risk and misery generally quit after their greenhorn season. There's just something about being in the most miserable position of all positions you can be in, knowing that there's nowhere else you'd want to be but where you are.
