How Much Did Josh Harris Sell The Cornelia Marie For

Okay, let’s talk about one of the most famous boats in TV history: the Cormelia Marie.

You know her. She’s the green-and-white star of Deadliest Catch, the boat that carried the legendary Captain Phil Harris and now his son, Captain Josh Harris.

But there’s a question that’s been buzzing around the crab docks for years: How much did Josh Harris sell the Cornelia Marie for?

Spoiler alert: It’s not a simple number, and it involves a lot of drama, a little bit of heartbreak, and a whole lot of crab pots.

First, you have to understand the history. After Captain Phil passed away in 2010, the boat wasn’t just a piece of floating metal—it was a legacy.

Josh and his brother Jake inherited the boat, but they also inherited a mountain of debt. Think of it like inheriting a really cool sports car that’s also on fire and missing a tire.

By 2015, the boat was sitting idle in a boatyard in Seattle, covered in dust and covered in liens. It was a sad sight for any fan of the show.

That’s when Discovery Channel and a group of investors stepped in. They formed a company called Cornelia Marie Fishing LLC to buy the boat out from under the Harris boys.

So, how much did Josh get for it? The official sale price, filed with the Coast Guard and public record, was $590,000.

F/V Cornelia Marie, CAPTAIN CASEY MCMANUS & CO-CAPTAIN JOSH HARRIS

Wait, put your coffee down. Yes, you read that right. $590,000 for a boat that was once the most famous fishing vessel on television.

But hold up—that number is a little deceptive. It’s like saying you bought a mansion for $1 because you took over the mortgage.

Remember all that debt? When Josh sold it, the $590,000 wasn’t money that went into his pocket. It was basically the amount needed to pay off the banks and the mechanics who were owed a fortune.

Josh walked away with nearly nothing from that initial sale. In fact, it probably cost him a lot of emotional capital. He went from being the owner of his dad’s dream to being an employee on the boat for a few seasons.

But here’s where the story gets good. And ironic. And a little bit triumphant.

Fast-forward to 2019. Josh Harris, after years of paying his dues, working his tail off, and proving he could be a captain, decided he wanted his boat back.

Dutch Harbor Shipyard

He didn’t just want to fish on it—he wanted to own it again. And so, he did something that sounds entirely insane: he bought it back.

How much did he pay the second time? Are you ready for this? He reportedly paid around $1 million to re-purchase the Cornelia Marie.

Wait, so he sold it for $590k (and got nothing), then bought it back for $1 million? Yes. And that’s not even the kicker.

The actual cash he had to fork over? About $200,000 of his own money. The rest was financed and wrapped up in business partnerships. But still—$200k is a lot of coin for a guy who never wanted to sell it in the first place.

Why would he pay more for a boat that was, at that point, older and more beat up? Because it’s not just a boat.

To Josh, the Cornelia Marie is his father’s ghost. It’s the smell of diesel and coffee. It’s the wheelhouse where Phil yelled at the crew, laughed with them, and nearly died. It’s home.

Captain Josh Harris Cornelia Marie

So, the real answer to “how much did he sell it for” is: he didn’t really sell it at all. He just loaned it to the universe for a few years.

And then, the universe, being a fan of good stories, let him have it back. For a million bucks. Ouch.

Let’s not forget the non-monetary costs. When you watch the show today, Josh talks about the financial pressure of owning a boat in the Bering Sea. It’s not just about crabs.

It’s about insurance, fuel, repairs, and crew salaries. The Cornelia Marie cost thousands of dollars a day just to stay afloat. Literally.

So, if you’re keeping score at home: he sold it for $590k (to pay debt), bought it back for $1M (with his own cash), and now he’s still making payments. The math is not pretty, but the heart is.

That’s the thing about the Cornelia Marie. She’s not a good investment on paper. She’s a terrible investment, actually. But she’s an amazing investment in memory.

Cornelia Marie, Season 14, Deadliest Catch, Josh Harris, Casey McManus

Josh could have walked away. He could have bought a shiny new boat, slapped a different name on it, and called it a day. But he didn’t.

He wanted the green hull. He wanted the wheelhouse where his dad’s coffee cup stains are probably still embedded in the wood. He wanted the soul of the boat.

So, next time you see the Cornelia Marie on TV, remember: you’re looking at a boat that was sold for peanuts, bought back for a king’s ransom, and is now being steered by a son who never gave up on his father’s dream.

And here’s the uplifting conclusion: That boat might not make Josh Harris a millionaire in dollars. But it makes him a millionaire in meaning.

Because you can’t put a price tag on carrying your dad’s legacy through the waves. You can’t sell the memories of a million crabs, a thousand storms, and one perfect father-son handshake on the docks.

So, how much did Josh Harris sell the Cornelia Marie for? Who cares. The real answer is: He sold it for a second chance—and he bought it back with a heart full of love.

Now, go hug your dad. Or your boat. Or just go watch an episode of Deadliest Catch. The wind is cold, the ocean is mean, but the Harris family is still out there, chasing waves and proving that some things are worth every penny. Even if it takes a million of them to get back what you never really lost.