Is Mandy Hansen Ready To Take Over Sig Hansen In Deadliest Catch?

The face of passing down the torch to a younger generation is a momentous occasion within a family. It has been quite some time now that we have been looking forward to it happening in the Hansen family, where Mandy Hansen finally takes over her father’s captaincy of the fishing vessel Northwestern. The recently premiered brand new season 17 of the show may finally be the time that all of it finally goes down, as there is a strong chance that Sig Hansen will be retiring.

Things are already not easy for not only Sig Hansen but every other fisherman in the Bering Sea this season. The COVID pandemic made Sig’s struggle complicated enough, but we also saw all the cast members struggle on the first episode of season 17. Sig calls in friend and former co-star Jonathan Hillstrand, captain of the Time Bandit, to return to help him out and hopefully make a profit for both parties. The first episode, with Sig’s retirement beginning so hectically, could be a sign of worse things to come further down the season. Perhaps Sig Hansen may not be able to hold his own this time around or maybe only barely survive the end of the season and decide to finally retire.

We are in no way diminishing Sig’s capabilities, as we are well aware of his life story. His father, Spears Hansen, was the captain of the Northwestern before him, and Sig began to work full-time on the FV since he was 14 years old. One day, he overtook his father as captain. But the man is currently 54 years old, while still not necessarily old enough to throw in the towel, but certainly old enough to consider doing it.

Fans know well enough that age is not the only factor why we expect him to retire. Over the years, Sig Hansen’s health has gradually declined, and he has faced serious health problems while aboard the Northwestern. We are talking about the two heart attacks he suffered years apart, the first being in March 2016, which was caught on camera and featured in season 13. He had to be rushed to the hospital but was back to resume his position as captain before the season ended. Similarly, over two years later, he would suffer a second heart attack in October 2018, which was later discovered to be caused by a severe allergic reaction to antibiotics. Both were scary moments for Sig Hansen, only topped by the relatively recent cancer diagnosis of his wife, June Hansen, in June 2019.

Mandy Hansen

Sig has not just his own health but also June’s health to think about here. Mandy Hansen may be Sig’s adopted daughter, but she is exactly like her father in many ways. We met her back in 2009 when she was only 13 years old, but it wasn’t until she returned in 2014 to work for her father on the Northwestern that she actually got recognition. Since then, she has worked diligently and quickly climbed the ranks from a greenhorn to captain-in-training, a position she has held for years awaiting her father’s retirement.

Conclusion

Even if Mandy was not Sig’s daughter, she would still be a top candidate to take over the captaincy of the Northwestern. The Hansen family legacy means just as much to Mandy as it did to Sig. She even got married back in 2017 to co-star and deckhand Clark Patterson in front of the family FV. We know for a fact that one should quit while ahead, and Sig has done well for himself. Most importantly, he would have made his father proud, and now must step down so he can provide the same opportunity to his daughter, Mandy, to make him proud. At only 24 years old, Mandy will certainly have a lot more to learn, but mistakes will make her stronger. She will also have her father to always consult for help.