The Below Deck franchise now has four series that continuously air on Bravo. All of these iterations make for great escapism sessions, filled with drama, laughs, and arguments that make us thankful to be on our couches, not dealing with these issues. Making this franchise even greater, all of these series feature a competent captain. However, certain seasons within these spin-offs have highlighted how strong these leaders are in times of distress.
Which Below Deck season had the best captain ranked
Before we detail which season each skipper shone the brightest, we have to note Below Deck Adventure is done. With only one season to speak of in this now-defunct spin-off, we will leave this series untouched. However, since this leader is now starring in a different series of this franchise, he will still appear on this list.
Each has filmed (at least) one season that highlights their abilities. If you are seeking to watch each leader at their best, here they are, ranked from their solid to superior showings on Below Deck.
Below Deck Sailing Yacht Season 3, Captain Glenn Shephard
Below Deck Sailing Yacht is five seasons in, each led by Captain Glenn Shephard. However, Season 3 of BDSY is by far the best season featuring his leadership skills.
Despite the challenges faced during BDSY Season 3, including a severe storm, a firing, and a grounding incident, Captain Glenn maintained a calm demeanor. Additionally, he trusted his department heads to do their jobs, so micromanaging was never an issue during Season 3. And when a charter guest ruined a $50k couch after a self-tanning session, he ate a huge wafer, and then he dealt with the primary, who assured him they would cover the costs. But much to their relief, Captain Glenn helped scrub this stain out, which made fans root harder for him.
Below Deck Season 11, Captain Kerry Titheradge
After jumping ship from Below Deck Adventure, Captain Kerry Titheradge stepped into the wheelhouse of Below Deck. He has only starred in this series for two seasons. Yet, it was Below Deck Season 11 that made fans take note who came aboard with a personable presence, making his team feel at ease.
When his crew experienced emotional days, Captain Kerry spoke about mental health matters, letting everyone know they were never alone on his watch. He even took one of his crew members out on the eFoil board, knowing that the salty waters and sunshine would help heal her frustrations. But when push came to shove, Captain Kerry was quick to either fire someone, or roll up his sleeves and help each department out. Below Deck Season 11 changed the trajectory of this series, and we only have Captain Kerry to thank.
Below Deck Season 6, Captain Lee Rosbach
If you have always watched Below Deck, then you likely remember Ashton Pienaar. In Season 6, a line used to tow tender boats wrapped around Ashton’s ankle, pulling him into the ocean. Captain Lee Rosbach quickly took the boat out of gear, while his crew, aided by a cameraman, loosened the tow line. Once his ankle was no longer bound, a shaken Ashton swam to the nearby tender.
Growing emotional, Captain Lee sat everyone down for a teachable moment, showing them a video replay of Ashton’s accident. Here, everyone learned that the deckhand was just seconds away from his foot getting severed by the line. This event would have seen Ashton bleeding out in the water. Below Deck Season 6 aired a stirring, quick-thinking side of Captain Lee that is proving difficult to erase from memory.
Below Deck Mediterranean Season 2, Captain Sandy Yawn
Captain Sandy Yawn excelled in Below Deck Mediterranean Season 2. During what was supposed to be a controlled anchor drop, Bobby Giancola released far more than the five shackles Captain Sandy called for. Captain Sandy, therefore, yelled for Bobby to stop. In a confessional, Bobby explained that he “sucks at math.”
“I’m not going to get down on Bobby. He already knows he screwed up, so after this charter, we’ll talk about it,” explained a very calm Captain Sandy. When the guests departed, she did exactly that, working with Bobby on translating shackles to meters.
Any other boss might have lost their cool. Bobby’s error could have caused expensive damage to the yacht. Therefore, this highly teachable moment in BDM Season 2 is one of Captain Sandy’s highest highs yet.
Below Deck Down Under Season 2, Captain Jason Chambers
Captain Jason Chambers is a fan-favorite kind of man, especially following the disaster that was Below Deck Down Under Season 2. During this season, Captain Jason received praise for how well he handled two different sexual assaults on his watch. He made it clear that there was an absolute zero-tolerance policy on unwanted advances. Then, he immediately fired the offenders, which made viewers respect him even more.
Apart from this dark incident, Captain Jason also did a solid job leading the crew during BDDU Season 2. He fired several crew members, and then he softened his voice for those in distress. He even had some interesting fashion choices, which is (really) all that needs to be said. Captain Jason wins, as proven by his exceptional BDDU Season 2 leadership.
The Below Deck franchise is streaming on Peacock. It streams on Hayu in the UK and Ireland.
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