Below Deck has cast many deckhands over the years, but some are much worse than others. As the Below Deck franchise continues to unfold with tales of drama and salacious boatmances, some deckhands stand out not for their commitment to professionalism but for being bona fide disasters. On Below Deck, deckhands are responsible for cleaning and maintaining the yacht.
Below Deck, Below Deck Mediterranean, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under, and Below Deck Adventure have an extensive roster of cast members whose ineptitude and blunders have left a lasting impression. However, some deckhands stand out. Here are some of the worst deckhands, including cast members from Below Deck season 11.
Danny Zureikat was a deckhand on Below Deck Med season 1, but his stint on the show was brief due to breaking rules and getting too familiar with guests, especially a model named Morgan. This included flirting with her and even writing her a poem, which was not okay given he was a crew member. He also broke other rules onboard, including sharing photos of the female guests with other guests, which Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier had to address.
Danny’s lack of professionalism also led to conflicts with fellow crew members, notably deckhand Bobby Giancola and Hannah. Ultimately, Danny’s behavior became too problematic to ignore, leading Captain Mark Howard to dismiss him from the yacht. The captain’s decision was likely influenced by Danny’s repeated infractions and his failure to adhere to any of the expectations of a good crew member.
James Hough wasn’t the worst deckhand on Below Deck, but he deserves a spot on the list. One aspect that caused problems for him was his flirty personality, which sometimes blurred boundaries and led to complications. His relationship with Elizabeth Frankini made him distracted, which caused an issue with Chief Stew Francesca Rubi. While James wasn’t fired, it did lead to Elizabeth’s dismissal from the yacht.
Additionally, James initially found it challenging to connect with his crewmates, which may have affected teamwork and communication onboard. He even considered leaving the yacht early on but decided to stay. However, it’s worth noting James improved as the season progressed, eventually finding his stride and becoming more comfortable with his role. Regardless, he didn’t leave a great impression as a deckhand due to his overly flirty nature.
Nico Scholly appeared on Below Deck seasons 4 and 5, but he wasn’t the best deckhand. Throughout his time on the show, Nico’s personal problems impacted his performance, including breaking up with his long-term girlfriend, Melissa. The subsequent romance with Brianna Adekeye seemed to distract him from his duties as a deckhand. Nico’s interactions with bosun EJ Jansen were also dramatic, impacting the team onboard.
Sadly, the death of Nico’s younger brother heavily impacted him, which admittedly led him to use the yacht as an escape rather than a professional gateway. While this could help explain his poor performance, he was still a bad deckhand. At the season 5 reunion, Nico expressed remorse for his actions and acknowledged the need for personal growth. This indicates his desire to improve, but it doesn’t fix how terrible he was during the seasons.
Tanner Sterback was introduced as a deckhand on Below Deck season 7, but his tenure was short-lived. The disrespectful deckhand showcased a lack of responsibility during his time on the show. Despite working hard on the yacht, he also prioritized having fun and engaging in romantic entanglements with his crewmates over yacht duties. Self-proclaimed mama’s boy, Tanner frequently called his parents, but even their warnings didn’t deter his involvement in Below Deck‘s romantic drama, including relationships with crewmates Simone Mashile and ill-fated attempts to hook up with former Chief Stew Kate Chastain.
Post-Below Deck, Tanner was hit by a car while riding his electric skateboard, resulting in a fractured skull and hospitalization. Despite the accident, Tanner has reflected on his highs and lows since the show. Tanner has also started dating someone, so his philandering days are likely behind him. Unfortunately, so are his days as a deckhand.
While Below Deck season 11 continues to unfold, Dylan Pierre de Villiers has already proven himself to be a less-than-ideal deckhand. The deckhand has a serious attitude problem. He only joined in episode 8, but his outlandish comments about fellow crew member Sunny Marquis and his demands to be promoted to lead deckhand made a negative impact. However, he’s rude and disrespectful to more than just Sunny.
Despite having more experience than Sunny, Dylan’s immature behavior in spreading rumors about her has caused friction within the crew at large. To redeem himself, Dylan should apologize to Sunny and Ben Willoughby, mend relationships with the crew, and demonstrate genuine remorse for his actions. Unlike many of the other deckhands on the list, Dylan has a chance to redeem himself on Below Deck season 11. However, it’s unlikely he will, given his attitude problem.
Unfortunately, Dylan isn’t the only underperforming deckhand in Below Deck season 11. The deckhand-turned-bosun has been a controversial figure in the current season, and Ben may have been fired on Below Deck. Initially introduced as a deckhand, he was promoted to bosun following Jared Woodin’s departure. However, his rise in rank didn’t end the drama, particularly his connection with Sunny, which caused friction when Paris Fields joined the crew. Sunny confronted Ben about his behavior, but he continued to flirt with other crew members, including Paris and Xandi Oliver.
There are plenty of signs Ben might get fired after two rocky seasons. Ben also appeared in season 10, where he was promoted to lead deckhand and engaged in a boatmance with Camille Lamb, causing tension among the crew. Despite his five years of experience in the yachting industry, Ben’s disrespectful, unprofessional, and unreliable behavior makes him a terrible deckhand. It remains to be seen whether he gets fired or quits.
Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux’s time as a less-than-ideal deckhand on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 2 was marked by his wild relationship with second stew Dani Soares and subsequent actions after the season wrapped. Despite initially appearing to have a real connection with Dani, their relationship went south when Dani announced her pregnancy, and Jean-Luc denied being the father. While he eventually confirmed his fatherhood and said he’d get involved in his daughter’s life, his delayed actions and absence from Dani and their child’s life were too little, too late.
Jean-Luc’s online silence following the backlash and his return to social media after confirming paternity suggest a turbulent period in his personal life. Despite these challenges, he has continued his career in the yachting industry, albeit away from the public eye. While he wasn’t a horrible deckhand, the romantic entanglement and fallout with Dani made him a bad crew member.
Dane Jackson had the potential to be a great deckhand, but unfortunately, he was anything but. While Dane steered clear of major conflicts in Below Deck season 3, he failed to forge meaningful connections with his colleagues. He had a detached attitude towards his responsibilities as a deckhand; this was irksome for the rest of the crew. He also had an incident where he drank way too much and became aggressive. Eddie Lucas intervened and got him away from the rest of the crew, which isn’t a great look as a new deckhand.
Captain Lee Rosbach was eventually forced to fire Dane for his poor performance. Dane’s embarrassing behavior and failure to fulfill his duties led to his dismissal. However, before being officially fired by Captain Lee, Dane attempted to resign from his position. It didn’t work, and the deckhand was fired.
Pete Hunziker from Below Deck Med season 5 earned his reputation as a bad deckhand because of a racist post. He was swiftly removed from the show after the post surfaced online. Not only is Pete a racist, but Pete was also known for his disrespectful behavior towards women onboard, including inappropriate comments and hitting on crew members. It was unprofessional and unsafe. Luckily, Malia White caught on to his sexism immediately and had him demoted.
Pete’s firing was prompted by the racist post. Bravo terminated him in June 2020, editing subsequent episodes to minimize his appearance. Despite making an apology weeks later, Pete hasn’t returned to the show or reality TV. While he’s moved on from the controversy, a return to the franchise seems unlikely, given his racist remarks and lack of respect for his female colleagues.
