Below Deck’s Captain Lee Rosbach and Captain Sandy Yawn’s Ups and Downs Over the Years: From Bravo Coworkers to Potential Feud

Credit: Bravo(2)

Below Deck's Captain Lee Rosbach and Captain Sandy Yawn's Ups and Downs Over the Years: From Bravo Coworkers to Potential Feud

Rough seas ahead? Below Deck's Captain Lee Rosbach and Captain Sandy Yawn were friendly before their time in the Bravo franchise seemingly created a rift. Viewers were introduced to Lee during the first season of Below Deck in 2013. The reality series, which follows the lives of the crew members on a superyacht, has kept the Michigan native at the helm of the OG show since its debut. Sandy, for her part, became a household name for Bravo fans when she took over for Captain Mark Howard on Below Deck Mediterranean. The Florida native made her first appearance on the spinoff series in 2017. In 2021, the Running Against the Tide author revealed that he was on good terms with his franchise costar. "We're great," he said during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. "We just have a great time together." The following year, Below Deck season 10 gave a glimpse of the pair's interactions when Sandy came onboard as a replacement. "Thanks for coming. I appreciate you coming on such short notice. I'll do my best to get back as quickly as I can to relieve you," Lee told the Be the Calm or Be the Storm author in a December 2022 episode before he left St. David's due to health concerns. The swap marked the first captain crossover in Below Deck history, and Sandy reflected on the pressure that came with stepping into Lee's shoes. "It's never easy taking over for another Captain," she said in a confessional. "My hope is that Captain Lee feels supported. I'm here to take care of his boat and his crew until he gets back." [jwplayer muxiBDIQ-zhNYySv2] Off screen, however, the duo's dynamic took an unexpected turn when Lee questioned Sandy's leadership. The OG Below Deck star claimed that his coworker didn't tell him about stew Camille Lamb's firing after her exit aired in January 2023. "So I found out after the fact that she fired one of my crew, not before. Ok?" he tweeted at the time. Sandy called Lee after she spoke with Camille, but he wasn't thrilled about how it unfolded on camera. "Then why contact me after and tell me at all? Plenty of time to call me after, but not before. She made the right call. But lacked in procedure and respect. Just the way I roll," he continued at the time. "Had I been replacing Capt Sandy on her boat temporarily and felt the necessity to fire one of her crew, I would have called her first to let her know what I was doing and why. I agree with her decision, just not how she went about it." Sandy seemingly reacted to being called out by Lee when she shared a cryptic quote via social media, which read: "If someone treats you bad, just remember that there is something wrong with them, not you. Normal people don't go around destroying other people." Scroll down to relive Lee and Sandy's ups and downs:

Credit: Laurent Bassett/Bravo

June 2019

In response to a question about Ashton Pienaar's season 6 accident, Sandy came to Lee's defense.

"My reaction was I knew exactly how Captain Lee felt. He probably wanted to drop to his knees, just the thought of killing someone. It wasn't his fault," she explained on WWHL. "I think training, training, training, and when you have a new crew that you don't really get to train, it makes it harder. Our jobs are very difficult."

Credit: Laurent Bassett/Bravo

January 2020

Lee publicly took Sandy's side after being asked about her performance. "I am not the devil's advocate at that point. I have complete empathy for what she's going through because I know what she's going through," he explained during Below Deck's 100th episode celebration on WWHL. "And some of the situations that Captain Sandy gets put in, I see where they're just totally unfair and totally just biased."

He added: "Because she's had to endure a lot of things, because she's a female captain in a male-dominated industry. And so, it's like, I don't know what she's gone through, but I try to put myself in that situation."

Credit: Phil McCarten/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

October 2020

After Valium and a CBD vape pen were found in Hannah Ferrier's possession during season 5 of Below Deck Med, Sandy made the difficult choice to let her go.

Lee subsequently questioned the choice after Hannah confirmed she had a prescription. “When you have a legally prescribed medication that you’re supposed to take by a licensed, practicing doctor. Captains do not have the authority to deprive you of that privilege” he said on WWHL in 2020. "I mean, it’s just the way it is. We’re not doctors.”

Credit: Todd Williamson/Bravo

June 2021

Sandy raised eyebrows when she publicly shaded Lee for asking a guest to depart the boat. In a season 8 scene, the My Seanna captain refused to continue a charter after Delores Flora chose to take a drunken night swim without permission.

"I wasn't there, but I would never talk to a guest like that," Sandy told Andy Cohen during an interview, referring to how Lee put his foot down before Delores was removed.

Credit: MJ Photos/Shutterstock

June 2021

After Below Deck Sailing Yacht premiered on Bravo, Lee and Sandy reflected on their history during an interview with Captain Glenn Shephard.

"And Captain Lee I've known for many, many years because we were docked at the same marina — at Hall of Fame Marina — 20 years ago," Sandy said on Bravo's YouTube channel, to which Lee replied, "Sandy was on like, 67 [or] 70-footers. And at that point in time, that was still a pretty big boat."

Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo

December 2022

"Captain Lee and I go way back," the Below Deck Med star explained to the cameras after coming to relieve Lee. "So when I heard about Captain Lee's situation, I felt terrible. Who wants to leave because you can't physically do it?"

The St. David's captain noted that he was grateful for his colleague's assistance, writing via Twitter, "Capt Sandy came in an[d] bailed me out in a tough situation and I appreciate her efforts."

Sandy replied, "It's what we do. So glad to see you in much better health now. Stay Well my friend."

Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo

December 2022

"She really did me a solid. I'm grateful she was there," Lee said during an interview with People amid his onscreen absence. "That's a very difficult situation that I put her in. You're taking over somebody else's boat and somebody's else's crew. That's hard enough as it is — now add on top of it the fact that you're also filming a TV show and you've got me over here saying, 'By the way, I may or may not be back. It's open-ended, but I'll do my best!' I recognize how hard that is."

He continued: "The fact that she was willing to jump in; that she sucked it up and came on board and did what I asked her to do? I owe her big time for that. For her to step forward and take it on says a lot about her."

Credit: Astrid Stawiarz/Bravo

January 2023

After watching Camille's firing unfold on screen, Lee questioned why he wasn't kept in the loop. "Not at all, [Camille] deserved what she got. That was never my issue. So many people can’t see that, and I’m sorry for that," he wrote via Twitter. "I didn’t want [Sandy] to ask permission, just wanted the update, that quick call you mentioned, good manners."

Lee also broke down his choice to air out his issues online, replying to a fan, "She did it on tv in front of how many people with out consulting me. That doesn’t sound very private to me at all."

Credit: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

January 2023

Eagle-eyed followers noticed that Sandy shared a cryptic quote one day after Lee's complaints made headlines, that seemingly responds to the drama. "Hurt people hurt others, but luckily, healed people heal others. Safe people, shelter others," her message read. "Free spirits, free others. Enlightened people, illuminate others. And love always wins. So shine your light of love on all who may cross your path in life, because what you do matters."

Credit: Laurent Bassett/Bravo

February 2023

After Sandy claimed she didn't have "the time to keep up" with news of the feud, she threw major shade at her costar.

"I have to say this. When they go low, we go high," she told SiriusXM’s Reality Checked. "I told Lee [through a Twitter post]. I was like 'Hurt people hurt people' right? So, I don't know. I haven't ever hurt him — but I think when you spew that kind of stuff it's inward and I feel bad for the guy."

The Be the Calm or Be the Storm author also said that Lee was "definitely not acting" his age amid the drama.

Credit: Chris Haston/NBC/NBC

February 2023

"I tried to call him," Sandy exclusively told Us about her attempt to mend the rift between her and Lee. "I'm not in his shoes. I don't know what's going on mentally. I can only imagine."

The Below Deck Med star noted that she wasn't able to get in touch with her fellow Bravo star.