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TV show- "Below Deck"

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by ychtcptn, Jul 26, 2011.

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  1. kkreicker1

    kkreicker1 Senior Member

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    Darn… I would have been on of the guest then! As stupid as it sounds, I did watch the show. And knowing Bravo, it will have the same story line again.
  2. YachtNewbie

    YachtNewbie New Member

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    That is a show that would be a must watch! What a great idea! If I only had a boat! Maybe in three years.
  3. rhinotub

    rhinotub Member

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    A grotesque, lazy TV production with zero-to-nil substance or entertainment value outside of the staged guests, and rote Reality TV 101 crew story lines.

    Nope.

    Breaking Bad.

    Less of Below Deck.
  4. Lowtech

    Lowtech New Member

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    Actually got so angry on that show i looked up some of those in the show on FB and tried to talk to them about... well how stupid everything in the show was... And they actually seemed even worse in real life..
  5. curiouspeter

    curiouspeter Member

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    Are the yachties on the show real or are they paid actors? I watched a few minutes and I felt they were (over-)acting.
  6. Capt Bill11

    Capt Bill11 Senior Member

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    Real for the most part. The head stew on the show was one of its creators I believe. If true, sadly I'll bet she is proud of that fact.
  7. Opcn

    Opcn Senior Member

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    I watched an episode. The key to making it through the whole thing was to watch it in VLC, and turn the speed up to about 1.7. That way the cringe inducing moments pass too quickly to cause any serious bodily harm. Sam was totally a good looking woman, which was nice. I have no other comments.
  8. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    Home alone this weekend, scrolling through the onscreen guide and saw that S04E05 was on... what the heck, nothing else to do this evening.

    Overall, not as awful as I'd imagined it could be after reading this thread a few years ago. :p

    Lots off nautical eye-candy, which wasn't so bad, but in terms of "characters" it's pretty much what you'd expect. (Also, the British crew having a hard time understanding the Manc was hilarious, I'll admit.) I'll echo the sentiment from elsewhere in this thread and admit that I'm kinda' surprised the guests permit themselves to be filmed... you'd think some of these people would have a little more class and self respect.
  9. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    They're not exactly the classiest guests! :D
  10. Rodger

    Rodger Senior Member

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  11. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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  12. SeaEric

    SeaEric YF Historian

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    It looks like "Silevr Queen" was a Huckins.
  13. Fletcher500

    Fletcher500 Member

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    My wife and I love the show, and take it for what it is worth..entertainment. It is also fun to see nice boats and the interiors.

    The crew quarters are much nicer than the oil tankers I sailed on in the 80's.

    I remember a quote from the second engineer back then...oil doesn't talk back.
  14. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    After watching a good chunk of season 4 I've noticed that all these charters are really just one person inviting all their friends a long for a few days on a yacht. I've come to the realization that I need to find a better income bracket of friend. :D
    Last edited: Mar 26, 2017
  15. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    Season 3 of the Mediterranean edition just started last week... with some guests that could easily be ranked among the show's worst ever. Hannah summed it up by saying that in her experience, she preferred working for the Russian mafia over the women they had aboard for the first 2 days of the season. o_O

    As usual, it's good for some laughs, as well as some incredulous face-palming.
  16. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    A lot of chartering seems to be someone splurging and deciding to invite as many friends as possible, to get maximum benefit from their dollars. Typically on a boat that size, they'd have many more. Of course with the group this week, I doubt those women have any more friends to invite or even acquaintances who would join them.

    We all watched it from the boat last night after the Celtics-Cavs game.

    Food preferences was perhaps the best humor as right after saying they'd requested no starches, they ordered spaghetti. Then the one who said she did like shellfish rejected lobster bisque because she didn't eat fish and followed that up by not knowing why she wasn't served lobster like the others.

    Two or three interesting side topics, I thought. The new stew (well, she's done lake tour boat work before) who gets seasick. Not all that unusual and why smart chief stews make sure new stews are given meds the first few times. But still there are some who go through the courses, land a job and find they can't boat without getting seasick. We hired a stew recently who had never been on a boat (other than a fishing boat in inland Mississippi) and had that fear. Fortunately, she's fine. I've known couples to buy boats only to find out one of them can't overcome getting seasick. I wonder what percentage of people just cannot tolerate any coastal or offshore boating.

    Then as to food preferences and allergies. Boating led us in the direction of gathering that information for our friends and family and we also use it on land. Very useful and not just for charters.

    Now on a charter, when does the captain step in on difficult guests? Talking to long time captains and chief stews, there was consensus that if safety became an issue then always, but what about when it was just rudeness and ugliness toward crew or sexual harassment of crew. In one manner of speaking it's how much will you figuratively prostitute yourself and your crew to protect a potential tip. Another reason we don't offer any boats for charter.
  17. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    I have to add one thing... Joao is not doing himself, or his country any favors. Acting like a bellend and then saying "well I'm from Zimbabwe so that's how we act" is almost as bad as the last guests. :rolleyes:
  18. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    No one on the show does their country any favors. Well, occasionally they do. There seems to be one decent stew and one decent deck hand on each show. Of course, the drinking changes even that. Unfortunately, the drinking and partying between charters and the fights that develop out of it are quite common on some boats. A lot of crew that make good money and has none left.
  19. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I havent wat he any of this since trying to make it thru one entire episode a few years ago, must have been first season.

    I find it hard to believe that customers who charter boats that size would be such guests from hell. 10 years of running 70' and now 84' charters and we ve never had issues with guests like they seem to portray in that show.

    Do any captains that run charters have encountered such behavior?

    I saw a news piece today about a captain from that show being about to publish a tell all book depicting routine orgys, drug use etc... sounds like all BS sensationalism to me


    So much for "reality" Tv
  20. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Not a charter captain, but...

    These guests definitely play it for television. However, everything you can imagine happens on larger charter boats. From talking to our crew and especially our Chief Stew, the conclusion is that the majority of guests are good guests, appreciative of the service. However, even among the nice guests the drinking and partying can lead to some very difficult situations. There are guests who charter just to have a huge party as opposed to those who want to enjoy the incredible scenery and locations with their family.

    Just like anywhere in society, you see it all. You do see wealthy men who charter and bring aboard an array of young, well compensated females for their time aboard. They engage in orgies sometimes.

    Drug use is a problem which most captains will put an end to immediately. Doesn't mean people still don't bring it aboard, just that when they decide to use the dining table to prepare it, they are stopped. It's long been a concern of whether a well written charter contract is enough protection and while I don't know anyone doing it, various charter groups have talked about using drug dogs. Turning a boat around after finding drugs is not an every day event but it does happen. Think a moment of nice hotels. Rest assured they all have drugs in some of their rooms. However, the hotel owner and employees are not at the same risk the yacht owner and crew are.

    While not yacht chartering, the legalization of marijuana in several coastal states has created a risk to boat owners as there are more people who carry marijuana with them on a daily basis and if not warned might come on your boat while carrying it.

    Sexual harassment of crew is a very common challenge. Again you're often talking about charter guests who are doing a lot of drinking and easily get carried away.

    The most disliked charter guests appear to be the girlfriend's of the wealthy charterer who want to act like they're in charge.

    Have you been on a flight that got delayed or redirected because of weather? Most of the passengers would be fully understanding but typically one or two who were furious and out of control. Same in charters that can't go to the planned destinations. Still more understanding than with mechanical issues.

    We're read several books by yacht stews and some give more balanced views than others. Julie Perry's is excellent. Alene Keenan and Courtney Pienaar are pretty much "how to" books. Now, the most recent is Kate Chastain's and it is much like you'd expect. Captain Lee from Below Deck has also written a book. More written about sailing.

    Most chartering goes well. Crew learns to handle the mild problems and issues, keeping in mind the tips they're hoping for. But some charters are miserable for crews.
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