'Deadliest Catch' Fans Learn the 'North American' Has Been Deemed "Unsalvageable"

In Season 4 of Deadliest Catch, fans were given a brief glimpse of the F/V North American, a 91-foot crab fishing vessel captained by Sten Skaar. The beautiful boat made a short but memorable appearance, joining the ranks of several other guests featured on the show.

Now, that was back in 2008 — 16 years ago! So, what has become of the North American since its time on Deadliest Catch? We've dug deep to find out what happened to this iconic vessel and where it is today.

In May 2024, the F/V North American sank at a dock at the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Seattle. According to The Maritime Executive, the 91-foot crab fishing vessel was found partially submerged alongside a pier on the south side of the canal, just east of the Ballard Bridge. The Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received the distress call at 7:30 a.m. that morning.

In response to the incident, Seattle Fire crews quickly deployed a containment boom around the North American to prevent any potential fuel pollution from spreading. A dive team also worked to seal off vents and minimize the risk of additional fuel leakage, and a second containment boom was installed as a precaution to further contain any potential slicks from escaping the area.

At the time of the sinking, the North American had the capacity to hold up to 32,500 gallons of diesel, though it was unclear how much fuel was aboard when the incident occurred. Thankfully, there were no reports of wildlife harm, and efforts to contain the fuel appeared to be successful.

Fast forward nearly six months to November 6, when a close friend of the family who manages the North American shared an update on the boat's status on the Deadliest Catch subreddit.

According to the post, a thorough investigation into the cause of the sinking revealed that a leak had developed in one of the double-bottom tanks on the port side of the vessel. This tank, which is located at the bottom of the boat and typically holds fuel, began to leak water after it was filled for the tendering season. The leak caused water to flood into the engine room through a cracked bulkhead connected to the shaft alley.

Unfortunately, the financial burden of repairing the vessel was too great, and the North American was deemed unlikely to be salvageable.

"It really hurts me to say that," the OP wrote.

The boat was also declared a total loss by insurance, and the family simply couldn’t afford the extensive repairs needed to get it back into service.

In the post, the OP expressed deep gratitude for the support they and Captain Sten Skaar had received from the Deadliest Catch community, acknowledging how difficult it was to part ways with a boat that had been such a big part of their family legacy.

"Unfortunately, the two of us are going to have to move on from the North American, as much as it is a family Legacy boat and is a beautiful boat. We don't have much of an option the finances just are not there."

One of the top comments on the thread that the North American had been listed for sale through Dock Street Brokers, leading the OP to speculate that it might have already been sold.

However, the OP clarified that after the insurance company took ownership of the boat, they received very few updates about its status.

"I'm guessing it was probably purchased by some Corporation or company out of the states," the OP said, adding that one of the major obstacles to restoring the boat was the prohibitively expensive cost of shipyard work.