Below Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5 was difficult with the show’s First Mate, Gary King, being edited out due to his poor behavior; nowwith a lawsuit looming, there are several yachties who could fill his role. Gary, who’s been part of theBelow Deck Sailing Yachtexterior crew since its second season, has been a long-time yachtie aboard Captain Glenn Shephard’s Parsifal III. While Gary has been a competent yachtie and knows his way around the exterior, his actions have often been difficult for viewers to watch and stand behind, especially when it comes to his behavior with women.
Throughout Gary’s time onBelow Deck Sailing Yacht,his behavior with women has been concerning. Primarily, Gary’s issues have been with the women on the crew of Parsifal, especially those in the interior department. Meeting different women through nearly every season ofBelow Deck Sailing Yacht,Gary’s developed an affinity for fellow yachties, but he doesn’t often treat the women he’s around with respect. ThroughoutBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5,Gary struggled in his relationship with former friend Daisy Kelliher, Parsifal III’s Chief Stew. While he wasn’t inappropriate with her entirely, Gary’s friendship felt like an incredibly difficult task.
Prior toBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5 airing,reports of Gary’s brutal behavior were brought to light by a formerBelow Deckfranchise makeup artist. Claiming that Gary was sexually aggressive with her, the crew member explained that when she brought her grievances to the production company behindBelow Deck,nothing was done. Now, Samantha Suarez and fellow formerBelow Deckcrew member Grey Duddlestonhave filed a lawsuit against Garyand the production company on several different accounts, slamming them for the behavior and the decision to hide it rather than addressing the concerns raised on the set.
With the lawsuit looming, the writing is on the wall forGary’s time onBelow Deck Sailing Yacht.While it already seemed like the show would be moving on without Gary, it’s clear that with the series embroiled in legal drama that stems from Gary’s alleged behavior, it can’t bring him back to the screen. Even having left Parsifal III in the off-season,Gary appears to be done with the franchise. WhileBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 6 hasn’t been confirmed, it seems likely that it will move ahead without the well-known yachtie, leaving room for some familiar faces aboard.
8Ben Willoughby
Below Deck
As one of the most recent deck team members onBelow Deck,Ben Willoughby could be a divisive choice to replace Gary, but he’s still a good one. Originally appearing onBelow Deckseason 10, Ben was a deckhand during his first season on the series and focused primarily on boatmances. While it was clear he had skills, he was a little more interested in the drama of the franchise than the work itself.
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Returning forBelow Deckseason 11, Ben got to know a new level of professionalism as he began working with Captain Kerry Titheradge. Ben’s abilities shined through as he moved through the season,moving from lead deckhand to bosun during the charter season. While Ben’s time aboardBelow Deckwas a bit bumpy due to his conflicts with Captain Kerry, he could find himself successful working with Captain Glenn.
7Culver Bradbury
Below Deck Down Under
While Gary has made headlines for his personal drama and questionable decision-making,Below Deck Down Under’s Culver Bradburyis known for his level-headed reliability. Proving himself easy to work with throughout the season, Culver’s experience and work ethic was exceptional throughout the charter season. Working hard throughout a tough season,Culver knew when to step up for more responsibility and when to stand down. He did a great job managing the crew under pressure when necessary, as he understood what it took to be a good leader.
On top of Culver’s abilities, he was able to maintain a fairly positive attitude throughout the charter season. While Gary sometimes let his emotions get the better of him, Culver was able to navigate crew dynamics and drama with ease. Remaining approachable, friendly, and communicative, Culver knew how to handle his own tasks and then jump in to help others. Despite struggling a bit in his second season,Culver was a quick fan-favorite who deserves another shot.
6Luka Brunton
Below Deck Mediterranean
WhileBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 8’s Luka Bruntonmay not have the same long-term experience Gary does, he’d be a great fit aboard Parsifal III with the high level of experience he does have. Working his way through the ranks duringBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 8,Luka began the season as a deckhand, moved into the leading position, and became bosunby the end of the season. With so much pressure, it was a shock to see how calm and determined Luka was to succeed in his role.
Luka was able to work through crew issues smoothly and had a genuine sense of leadership aboard Mustique, which made him a great leader for the exterior team. While Gary’s drama dictated a lot of what happened with his crew,Luka didn’t let anything that was happening to him outside of his job impact his leadership. Dealing with high-pressure situations with ease, Luka would be a great fit to take over.
5Nathan Gallager
As a recentBelow Deck Meddeckhand,NathanGallagher became one of the most interesting and hardworking yachties I’ve seen in a while during the last season. While he only has a bit of experience working aboard superyachts, Nathan joinedBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 9with the hopes of learning more and finding his place. After Captain Sandy Yawn shared she would’ve named him lead deckhand as opposed to who her bosun chose, it was clearNathan had a high level of skill when it came to the exterior.
Nathan’s charming personality was a bonusthroughoutBelow Deck Medseason 9, and as he’s been one of the confirmed cast members to return toBelow Deck Mediterraneanseason 10, it’s exciting to know he’ll be coming back for another charter season. Despite the fact that Nathan was distracted for part of the season by a boatmance, his relationship with fellow deckhand Gael Cameron wouldn’t keep him distracted onBelow Deck Sailing Yacht.With a high level of skill and the ability to stay calm in a crisis, Nathan would be a great choice.
4Malia White
As one of the best bosun’s the franchise has ever seen,Malia White made history with her time onBelow Deck Mediterranean.Working as the first female bosun of the franchise, Malia was a capable yachtie who knew how to handle the exterior tasks and her team with ease. While Malia had to be stern in a way that often rubbed people the wrong way, she knew that to be a woman in the yachting industry, she had to work twice as hard as the men in her place.
Malia’s ability to overcome adversity was admirable throughout her seasons onBelow Deck Med.While she did have some drama to contend with on the series in more than one way, her feud with Hannah Ferrier and her relationship with chef Tom Checketts wouldn’t be a problem for her anymore, especially on another series.Malia could be a great person to take over for GaryonBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 6.
3Chase Lemacks
Below Deck Sailing Yacht
As one of Gary’s crew members throughout the last two charter seasons on Parsifal III,Chase Lemacks would be a fantastic choiceto take over for the long-time First Mate. While Chase came in late onBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5 to fill in for fired yachtie Emma Crouch, his abilities were clear from the start. Making it obvious that he’s in-the-know,Chase worked hard to ensure things ran smoothly for Parsifal III’s charter season, even when the water was rough.
Having worked with Gary in the past,Chase understood that there were some difficulties with his bossthat he didn’t often indulge in. Though he’d had a hard time with Gary in the past, Chase appeared to get along with the First Mate throughout the season, which helped him move through his own tasks more consistently. Though Chase may have spent some time struggling, he eventually found his way and learned his place onBDSY,which makes him a good fit to step up.
2Wihan Du Toit
As the newestBelow Deck Down Underexterior crew member,Wihan Du Toit may not be as familiarwith the franchise, but he’s doing a great job as the bosun aboard Katina. Working with Captain Jason Chambers is quite different than working with Captain Glenn, butWihanhas been able to show off his abilities throughout the tough charter season, which makes it clear he’d be able to handle more.Wihan’s no nonsense attitude and ability to let stress roll off his shoulders is admirable, and would be great for Parsifal III.
As one of the new crew members aboardBelow Deck Down Under’screw,Wihan has been able to acclimate to the stress of having a camera crew following him in his work with ease. Though he’s had some difficult moments thus far onBelow Deck Down Underseason 3, he’s been able to navigate them with a skilled intensity. Wihan would be a great, knowledgeable replacement for Gary.
1Keith Allen
As another member ofBelow Deck Sailing Yachtseason 5’s crew,Keith Allen would be a wonderful choice to replace Garyfor a few reasons. Throughout the most recent charter season, Keith was able to make it clear that he had a lot of knowledge about yachting, which made him a major asset to Gary and Captain Glenn. As someone who’s not fresh on the scene, Keith would be able to navigate the role of First Mate easily.
Keith also has a great attitude surrounding his workand the rest of the crew, which would make him easy to work with overall. With a great rapport with Captain Glenn, Keith would be able to keep lines of communication open, which would make his work easier. It was clear that theBelow Deck Sailing Yachtcast enjoyedKeith’s quirky personality and fun sense of humor, which makes him a great choice to take over Gary’s role on the show.
