8 Below Deck Franchise Alums Who Made Major Mistakes Onboard Causing Their Yachting Careers To Crash & Burn
Below Deckwelcomes yachties from all over the world who share a passion for the industry, or at the very least, the knowledge to move through a charter season with some sort of ease, but there have been many yachties who have made serious mistakes on board, costing them their careers. Offering an inside look into the high-pressure world of luxury yachting, Below Deck crew members are meant to be successful at their difficult jobs, prioritizing the guests' experience and safety. Although many crew members have a high level of experience and understanding, some struggle with their Below Deck responsibilities.
Throughout Below Deck's long run, the original show and its many spin-offs have had crew members from all over the world, some of whom have more knowledge and training than others. While it's common that a bosun would have more knowledge than a deckhand, it's often interesting to see who on the crew has the ability to move through the charter season with ease, and who struggles under the weight of the pressure from season to season. Though many yachties make mistakes, it's typically the ones who have made major errors during their time on board that wind up infamous.
Below Deck's nature typically heightens the pressures of working on a superyacht, and viewers have the chance to see the way the story unfolds regardless of the decisions the yachties make. While the drama can often be high, some of the mistakes that Below Deck yachties make wind up causing tension and difficulties throughout the season. Though some offenses can be a bit more minor and forgivable, others can cause the yachties to lose their Below Deck jobs, and in some cases, they have to make the move to another career altogether after messing up too badly on the show.
Whether it's purely unprofessional behavior, unwarranted reckless actions, or deeply personal issues that spill into their work life, Below Deck alumni can become famous for their missteps on the show. While they're entitled to make mistakes, their biggest issues are caught on camera, which can prove to make their lives even harder in the long run. Though some struggle due to legitimate issues or incompatibility with their tough lifestyle as yachties, others simply don't have what it takes to become the best possible Below Deck yachties. Many have found themselves leaving Below Deck behind for different careers after the show.
8 Danny Zureikat
Below Deck Mediterranean
Danny Zureikat’s time on Below Deck Mediterranean season 1 is remembered more for his consistent drama than how he handled his deckhand duties. Within days of the charter season starting, Danny’s immaturity and overly flirtatious behavior with the guests raised a lot of brows. His most infamous offense involved exchanging numbers and taking selfies with guests, breaching the industry's professional boundaries. Danny's behavior didn’t just irritate his crew mates, but directly undermined authority and disrupted team cohesion. Despite warnings from Captain Mark Howard, Danny’s behavior continued to escalate.
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Danny was eventually dismissed mid-season, becoming one of the first yachties in franchise history to be fired before a charter season ended. After the show, Danny attempted to start an acting career, but it didn't seem to materialize. Danny's lack of accountability and inability to grasp the serious nature of his mistakes made him a model of how not to behave. Though he expressed regret for his Below Deck Med performance, the damage was done. Danny’s downfall served as an early franchise lesson about lacking professionalism.
7 Ryan McKeown
Below Deck Down Under
Chef Ryan McKeown developed a reputation as one of the most difficult chefs to ever work in the Below Deck franchise during his time on the series. After his debut on Below Deck Down Under season 1, Ryan clashed with nearly the entire yacht crew. He was defiant and dismissive of criticism, especially from Captain Jason Chambers, who frequently brought up the quality and consistency of Ryan's meal service. Ryan ignored the captain’s feedback and antagonized Chief Stew Aesha Scott, creating unnecessary tension within the interior department.
Ryan's general unwillingness to adapt to the guests needs or cooperate with the interior staff led to major complaints about his work. Eventually, with the crew's environment growing toxic and the guests complaining about Ryan's meals, Chef Jason had no choice but to fire him for his behavior. Ryan's inability to handle constructive criticism and collaborate with the rest of the Below Deck Down Under team created disaster within his yachting career. While he's continued to have an online persona, he doesn't appear to be in the industry anymore.
6 Tom Pearson
Below Deck Sailing Yacht
Tom Pearson joined Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 3 as a deckhand, but his time aboard Parsifal III ended in complete failure after an incredibly serious safety lapse. During a tense night shift, Tom failed to properly monitor anchor drag while on watch, which is a major responsibility for a deckhand. Tom's negligence caused the yacht to drift, endangering both the sailing yacht and the crew. Captain Glenn Shephard was furious that Tom hadn’t noticed the issue with time to fix the problem or change course.
Though Parsifal III avoided any sort of collision, the incident was a massive safety issue that needed to be dealt with immediately. Captain Glenn is usually known for being cool, calm, and collected, but even seeing Tom have an emotional breakdown about his mistake didn't push him to empathize. Captain Glenn fired Tom, which he doesn't typically do from season to season, and had to make it clear to the rest of the crew that he'd committed an unforgivable offense.
5 Eddie Lucas
Below Deck
As a long-running part of Below Deck's crew, Eddie Lucas first appeared as a deckhand and returned later on the series as a bosun. While his early seasons were a great show of his abilities, Eddie’s decision-making during Below Deck season 3 completely changed his image. He engaged in a secret boatmance with third stew Rocky Dakota, which pulled him into a fair bit of drama. Eddie denied the affair to his crew mates and his girlfriend back home, only to be exposed when Rocky revealed the truth.
Eddie's affair with Rocky made him look both untrustworthy to viewers and unprofessional to the rest of the crew. While Eddie returned to Below Deck later in the series with a higher ranking role, his bad behavior was still something he was known for and caused his reputation to suffer. With such a tarnished reputation, Eddie felt the impact of reality TV in his personal and professional life and moved on from the glitz and glamour of the limelight. While he still works in yachting, he doesn't want to return to reality TV in the future.
4 Ruan Irving
Below Deck Mediterranean
Ruan Irving’s experience on Below Deck Mediterranean season 8 was surprisingly short and incredibly controversial. Hired as the bosun for the superyacht crew, Ruan had to leave the show before the first charter even got underway. After alleging he'd been a yacht captain in the past, Ruan's paperwork looked suspicious to Captain Sandy Yawn, as he only had photocopies of his necessary files, and an officer at the port said that his medical license wasn't certified correctly.
While Captain Sandy tried to accommodate Ruan, it was clear that her raising questions about his paperwork was a sore subject. Ruan became defensive and dodgy about the questions, and ultimately said he could rectify the issue in a short time, but wasn't happy about having to double back. Ruan ultimately found himself unable to get the original copies of his paperwork, and Captain Sandy had to fire him before he could even begin working aboard the superyacht. Ruan's firing highlighted how specific the yachting industry is about paperwork for yachties, who need very specific certifications.
3 Hannah Ferrier
Below Deck Mediterranean
Hannah Ferrier spent five seasons working as Chief Stew on Below Deck Mediterranean, serving as Chief Stew and becoming a fan favorite. Unfortunately, her career in yachting came to a crashing halt following her highly criticized and public firing. When bosun Malia White reported to Captain Sandy that Hannah had undeclared prescription drugs and a vape pen in her cabin, which violated regulations, things became difficult for the Chief Stew. Hannah had the prescription drugs legally, but her failure to disclose them to Captain Sandy was the problem.
Below Deck Mediterranean viewers struggled to understand the decision, and though it was clear that Captain Sandy had to do her job, some felt that her lack of understanding and foresight wasn't something they liked in her. Hannah's termination overshadowed her years of experience and service, the majority of which was high quality. While Hannah has moved into new roles, becoming a mother, getting married, and hosting a podcast, her Below Deck Med controversy is one of the most memorable.
2 Leon Walker
Below Deck
Chef Leon Walker’s brief time on Below Deck season 3 left a sour taste in the mouths of his crew mates and the show's viewers. From the moment he stepped into the galley, Leonclashed with Below Deck fan favorite, Chief Stew Kate Chastain. Leon's abrasive personality, unwillingness to adapt to the guests, and his condescending attitude made him one of the most difficult chefs to work within the franchise. When a galley fire erupted due to grease build-up in the oven, Leon took the majority of the blame.
Instead of taking responsibility for his actions with Captain Lee Rosbach, Leon deflected blame and left the yacht abruptly. Captain Lee fired him upon his return, telling Leon his attitude was toxic to the crew. While Leon defended himself post-show, calling out unfair editing from producers, his dismissive approach and difficulty to satisfy the guests sealed his fate.
1 Luke Jones
Below Deck Down Under
Luke Jones’ time on Below Deck Down Under season 2 ended in a shocking level of disgrace after the crew's safety was compromised because of his actions. Luke, who had been drinking during a crew night out, attempted to get into the bed of unconscious stew, Margot Sisson, without her consent. To ensure Margot’s safety, Chief Stew Aesha and the crew acted quickly to remove Luke from the situation. Upon being informed of the scandal, Captain Jason fired Luke without any further questions.
While some other indiscretions could've had Captain Jason asking questions and giving second chances, he fired Luke quickly and without any negotiation. Captain Jason's actions reinforced the show's zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault, though other decisions made by the series have been more questionable in the past. Luke's firing came from a difficult place, as he violated both workplace standards and moral ethics and pushed Below Deck crew and producers to a new level of discomfort.
Source: Leon Walker/X
- Created by
- Mark Cronin, Rebecca Taylor Henning, Doug Henning
- First TV Show
- Below Deck
- Cast
- Kate Chastain, Gary King, Mads Herrera, Daisy Kelliher, Colin Macrae, Aesha Scott, Lexi Wilson, Glenn Shephard, Jason Chambers, Marcos Spaziani, Sandy Yawn
