The Strange Suitcase Superstition Sig Hansen Couldn't Let Go Of On Deadliest Catch
"Deadliest Catch" mainstay Sig Hansen has easily established himself as the most prolific captain in the entire series, having appeared in far more episodes than any other captain and consistently performing above expectations while crabbing (via IMDB). Fans online have praised the longtime cast member for his down-to-earth style of captaining, his calmness in the face of danger, and his admirable leadership aboard the F/V Northwestern — to the point where many fans have actually named Hansen the best captain in the entire series.
Yet, for all of the praise that Hansen receives for his sensible leadership, it's worth noting the highly-successful captain (like many sailors) still holds onto a few superstitions. Chances are you've likely heard some of these old sailor superstitions before: that it's unlucky to use an even number of fishing nets, that women bring bad luck on board, or that whistling too much might attract bad weather (via New Zealand Maritime Museum).
That said, one particular superstition that Captain Sig Hansen follows has actually impacted the working conditions of the camera crew — as he doesn't allow them to bring any suitcases aboard his ship.
Sig Hansen doesn't allow any suitcases on board, not even for the camera crew
During an interview with The Fishing Website, Captain Sig Hansen admitted that he is extremely careful about not bringing suitcases aboard the F/V Northwestern, as an old sailor's superstition says that bringing a suitcase on board is bad luck. "The one about suitcases we take seriously," Hansen explained. "The first camera crew tried to take a bunch of suitcases on board, but we refused, so they had to unpack everything onto the boat and leave the suitcases on the dock."
Hilariously, Hansen prefaced this statement by saying that most sailor superstitions are only good for "bar-talk" or to use as a conversation starter, and that they rarely ever stop anybody from fishing. Considering Hansen's apparent dismissal of any other superstitions, it is certainly interesting to learn that this obscure superstition actually has a direct effect on the filming of "Deadliest Catch" itself — as it forces the entire camera crew to go through several hoops in order to capture their footage.
In any case, perhaps some fans will look at "Deadliest Catch" a bit differently the next time they see footage aboard Sig Hansen's F/V Northwestern, knowing now that the camera crew has had to leave all of their luggage on the dock due to Hansen's strange superstition.