the official home of Captain Rip Carlton & the F/V Patricia Lee

The “Patty Lee” is an American commercial fishing vessel that was built in 1978 to harvest crab in the Bering Sea. Over forty years later, the Patricia Lee is still active in the Bering Sea, harvesting Golden King crab and Snow crab under the leadership of Captain Rip Carlton.

Life on the Patty Lee

People often ask what it is like to work on the Patricia Lee. It’s all about teamwork! There are usually six or seven guys on the deck, and when we are pulling gear, there is a new pot coming up every 90 seconds. With fifty pots per string, it’s full speed ahead with no breaks for hours on end. Every pot is pushed by hand, so our crew needs to be quick, strong, and coordinated with the rest of the team to keep the flow going.

With freezing temperatures, rough seas, and a round-the-clock work schedule, attitude is everything aboard the Patricia Lee. This type of work is not for everyone, but we are proud to be part of a crew that can stay positive, have a sense of humor and work together no matter the challenges that Mother Nature may send our way.

WATCH: Captain Rip on the type of guy we have on the Patricia Lee

Captain Rip Carlton

Captain Rip has been fishing in the Bering Sea for over forty years. As Captain of one of only five boats that harvest Golden King crab, it’s no exaggeration to describe him as one of the world’s foremost authorities on Goldens. Rip is a leader in the fishery and pivotal in ensuring the cooperation between fishermen, biologists, native groups, and government agencies that make the Golden King crab fishery a model of sustainability and collaboration.

WATCH: Captain Rip’s Dispatches from the Bering Sea

Harvesting Alaska Golden King Crab

During Golden King crab season, the Patricia Lee can be found harvesting crab along the volcanic chain of the Aleutian Islands. The Patty Lee leaves from Dutch Harbor on Unalaka Island and travels to the remote stretches of the islands where Golden King crab live on the steep slopes of the Aleutian Trench. The deepest commercial fishery in Alaska, Goldens are found as deep as 300 fathoms (1800 feet) below sea level. The boat is equipped with special hydraulic equipment needed to raise the pots to the surface.

WATCH: Captain Rip on Golden King Crab

Unique Partnership &
Pioneering History

Since 2013, the Patricia Lee has been owned through a unique partnership between an Alaska Native Group, Captain Rip Carlton, and a group of long-time Bering Sea fishermen and their families.

The Patricia Lee was named for the wife of Dick Powell, who had the vessel built by Bender Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama in 1978. In the early 1980’s, Dick and the Patricia Lee helped to pioneer the Aleutian Island golden king crab fishery.

Deadliest Catch Season 18

Tune into The Discovery Channel to catch Captain Rip and his crew on Season 18 of The Deadliest Catch. With the Alaska Red King fishery closed for the 2021-22 season, the show shifts from its traditional focus on Red King crab to the more elusive Golden King crab.