Below Deck is the Bravo nautical franchise that keeps on giving. In July 2013, the original series aired with the goal of showing viewers what it was like to work and live on a luxury yacht. Along with some tight living quarters came drama even Triton himself would have to balk at. The vessel’s captain is usually the voice of reason, often dolling out workloads and punishments to their unruly guests and yachties.
Since the success of the original Below Deck, there have been numerous spinoffs, including Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Adventure. With any super yacht, there has to be a seaworthy skipper who leads the way. But who is the best captain out of all the franchises?
Captain Sandy
How could Captain Sandy Yawn not be at the top of the list as the captain of Below Deck Mediterranean? Not only is she the only woman to sail, but she is also a leader who wants to see her crew succeed, even if some fans don’t agree. She often gives multiple chances for the crew to better themselves and to try and learn new skills.
While Captain Sandy may have to micromanage just a tiny bit, her ability to lead is undeniable, with most of her crew finding her an inspiration. The Colorado native also enjoys interacting with her guests in hopes they have a good time. If we were shelling out thousands, we would want Captain Sandy at the wheel too!
Captain Glenn
With Below Deck Sailing Yacht currently airing, it is hard to ignore how happy of a man Captain Glenn Shephard is. Originally from Montreal, Captain Glenn is a true sailor in every sense of the word. During charters, fans can see how much love he has for his craft, as he has to manipulate the boat according to the wind.
The commander of the Parsifal III is more laid back than any other of the captains and enjoys being a hands-off leader. It is often pointed out that Captain Glenn enjoys handing over the reins to each department head (until this season, anyway). He never seems to want to be a burden on the exterior or interior. Even though Captain Glenn may watch from afar, he still knows exactly what is going on.
Captain Glenn loves to poke fun at himself, which often makes him relatable. In a recent episode, the skipper surprised Daisy Kelliher when he explained what an ABC (anything but clothes) party was. He noted in a confessional that he had been naked in front of people before when he was much younger. Glenn’s conversations with himself while the crew is out are also humorous, with the latest showing him excited about finding the hidden ice cream.
Captain Jason
While some followers of Below Deck Down Under were not thrilled with what they perceived to be Captain Jason Chambers undermining Jamie Sayed as manager of the deck team, the Australian native’s caring demeanor won fans over in the end. Captain Jason rocked the Bravosphere by becoming the youngest captain to operate a yacht at the age of 38. The father of one adventurous spirit helped him shine as he took guests on once-in-a-lifetime excursions, which included swimming with sharks (yikes!)
Captain Jason was fair to the crew of the Thalassa even though he had to fire two members along the way. His stern but calm leadership style really seemed to jive with how he ran his ship. While the crew would party, Captain Jason was happy to wake up early to get in a good workout. It also doesn’t hurt that Jason was one of the better-looking captains, which earned him the nickname “Captain Cutie.”
Captain Kerry Titheradge
Below Deck Adventure introduced Captain Kerry Titheradge to Bravo fans, and he took well to captaining the motor yacht. Captain Kerry hailed from Australia and had worked on boats for 30 years, just like Captain Lee. Captain Kerry’s wheelhouse happened to be yachts, as he has cruised around the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific Northwest.
Again, like Captain Lee, Kerry was not afraid to lay down the law when it came to having his crew obey him. The freshman season of Below Deck Adventure showed Captain Kerry being extremely hands-on as he looked forward to teaching his crew all he knew. The best part of Captain Kerry was he had a good sense of humor and could easily find the humor in most situations.
Captain Lee
Unpopular opinion, Captain Lee Rosbach isn’t the best Bravo captain in our books. While he often delivered some catchy, if not unorthodox, one-liners, his story got a bit stale towards the end of his run. Captain Lee was always the no-nonsense yacht captain who was never afraid to have a ticket ready to send a misbehaving crew member home.
The key to surviving any season with Captain Lee was to remember he was always right, thanks to his years of experience. There was no doubt that Captain Lee knew his stuff, especially after working for 30 years in the yachting industry. The Running Against The Tide author connected with viewers as he opened up about the tragic loss of his son. The charters, for him, were about connecting to other souls who may have suffered the same loss.
TELL US – WHO IS THE BEST BELOW DECK CAPTAIN?