The FV Cornelia Marie is one of the commercial crab fishing boats featured on the Discovery
Channel series Deadliest Catch.
The boat was formerly owned by Cornelia Marie Devlin and prior to his death, Phil Harris.
Phil's son, Josh Harris, recently purchased the boat and began fishing with it during
the 2014 Opilio Crab season.
The FV Cornelia Marie returned to the Discovery Channel's program "Deadliest Catch" in the
8th episode of the 10th season.
Her current home port is Kodiak, Alaska.
History The Cornelia Marie was built in 1989 in Bayou
La Batre, Alabama on commission from original owner Ralph Collins; she was one of the last
boats built by Horton Boats.
Named after Ralph's wife, co-owner Cornelia Marie Collins, she is 128 feet long, 28 feet
wide, and carries 28,500 U.S. gallons of fuel and 3,000 U.S. gallons of fresh water.
The Cornelia Marie fishes for King, and Opilio crab, and also does Salmon and Herring tendering.
She features an aquamarine and white paint scheme with yellow banners bearing the ship's
name.
Ralph and Cornelia Marie divorced, and Cornelia Marie took ownership of the boat.
She eventually sold partial share to captain Phil Harris.
His share is currently in possession of his estate.
The ship was seen in background footage for the two pilots of the Discovery Channel series
Deadliest Catch.
It was selected for a camera crew for Season 1, in the 2004 opilio crab season, as partner
vessel of featured vessel Maverick.
The ship took part in the rescue efforts for the Big Valley, which sunk on the first day
of the opilio crab season off Saint Paul Island, losing all but one crewmember.
It became a featured vessel beginning in the second season, joining Maverick, Northwestern
and Time Bandit, and later Wizard.
Captain Phil Harris Captain Phil Harris died February 9, 2010.
He had suffered a stroke on January 29, 2010, while in port off-loading at Saint Paul Island
in Alaska and subsequently died on February 9 from a pulmonary embolism.
Alaskan songwriter Britt Arnesen wrote a eulogy-in-song for Capt.
Harris, released on the Cornelia Marie website.
Post-Harris era Derrick Ray finished the remaining Opilio
season after the death of Phil Harris.
Jim Wilson skippered the Cornelia Marie for their 2010 spring and summer tendering contracts.
He was among those being considered to run the boat for the rest of the 2010 opilio crab
season before Derrick Ray was selected.
The FV Cornelia Marie participated in the 2010 King Crab season with the same crew from
the latter half of the 2010 Opilio season.
Before the King Crab season started, the crew of the Cornelia Marie spread Phil Harris's
ashes in the Bering Sea.
The ship had a crew change for the 2011 Opilio season, including the replacement of skipper
Derrick Ray with Tony Lara.
The Cornelia Marie returned for Season 7 of Deadliest Catch.
The FV Cornelia Marie returned to Kodiak, Alaska in late October 2011, under the command
of Capt.
Tony Lara, following a spell in dry dock to undergo maintenance and to be repainted.
The Cornelia Marie, while still fishing under the classification of a "Trawler", was not
featured on Season 8 of Deadliest Catch.
Josh Harris was featured as a crew member on the FV Time Bandit and Jake Harris was
featured as a crew member on the FV Northwestern.
The Cornelia Marie was shown tied-up and unpowered in Kodiak, Alaska in the Season 9 Opener for
Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch.
The vessel was filmed in October 2012.
In March 2013 captain Johnathan Hillstrand announced during the taping of the Artie Lange
Show that Josh Harris bought the Cornelia Marie.
On April 25th, 2013 Josh Harris confirmed in an interview on Rock 105.3 "The Show" in
San Diego, CA that he has bought the Cornelia Marie.
On September 13th, 2013, Josh Harris announced on his personal Facebook page that the Cornelia
Marie was not optioned by the Discovery Channel for Season 10 of Deadliest Catch.
The Deadliest Catch F/V Cornelia Marie Facebook Page announced on March 14th 2014 that while
the Cornelia Marie will not be on the King Crab episodes she will be on for Opilio.
See also Deadliest Catch
Alaskan king crab fishing References
External links F/V Cornelia Marie Official site
F/V Cornelia Marie Twitter Page F/V Cornelia Marie Facebook Page