Biggest ‘Below Deck’ Feuds Ever — and Where the Relationships Stand Today

Credit: Broadimage/Shutterstock; Laurent Basset/Bravo

Biggest 'Below Deck' Feuds Ever — and Where the Relationships Stand Today

Rough seas! Viewers have had a front row seat to some of the biggest reality TV feuds since the Below Deck franchise debuted in 2013. The show's spinoff series Below Deck Mediterranean shocked viewers when Hannah Ferrier and Captain Sandy Yawn's inability to see eye to eye turned into the most memorable firing to date. Since the captain joined the show in season 2, the OG chief stew struggled under the pressure of pleasing her boss. Following several onscreen ups and downs, Hannah and Sandy's issues reached their peak when Malia White reported the Australia native for having Valium and a CBD vape pen in her cabin. During season 5, the captain made the controversial decision to fire Hannah due to Maritime Law. At the time, Hannah called out Malia for misrepresenting the fact that she didn't have a prescription for the Valium. “I like Malia’s arranging skills,” she tweeted, referencing the photo that her castmate took on camera. “So that’s prescribed Valium, CBD (which is legal in Spain), a lighter (not sure what this has to do with anything) and my passport holder... And for anyone who’s interested the prescription is on the other side of the box as shown... #belowdeckmed.” Amid backlash for the surprise firing, Sandy addressed Hannah's claims that there was one-sided competitiveness between them since they met. [jwplayer Yy5OiF8v-zhNYySv2] “That’s not true. I’m a real captain and I expect a level of service,” Sandy told Showbiz CheatSheet in April 2021. “Hannah was there for the camera. I was there as a captain. Two different things. I actually care about yachting. And I care about my job. I’m a captain and she waits tables." Hannah, for her part, wasn't shocked by Sandy's comments about their different positions in the yachting industry. "This is the thing, nothing that she says like that takes me by surprise because I've known for years that's her view on the interior and on people who work on the interior," she exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2021. "So it came as a shock to other people, but it didn't come as a shock for me because I've always felt very second rate to deck crew and things like that when I've worked with her." Sandy later noted that she didn't have any issues with Hannah following their difficult time on Below Deck Med. "She's still angry. It's so hard because for me, it wasn't personal. It's about my career," the Florida native told Us in September 2021. "When a crew member shows me something and three other crew members are copied on it, my hands are tied. Yeah. I can't." One month prior, Malia also addressed her decision to report Hannah after they had a fight. "I don't regret doing my job, but I do regret how I handled it," the bosun, shared with Us, noting that she could have "handled it a lot better." For Malia, watching the show back offered her a new perspective on how she could have approached the situation. "I would have maybe tried to stay out of it a little bit more [because] as a bosun you don't want to get involved with crew things. But ... you're in that spot where you are directly under the captain," she added at the time. Scroll down for all the most memorable Below Deck feuds throughout the years: [podcast_block]

Credit: Broadimage/Shutterstock; Laurent Basset/Bravo

Hannah Ferrier and Sandy Yawn ('Below Deck Mediterranean')

Following several seasons of professional issues, Hannah left the Below Deck franchise after Sandy fired her for having Valium and a CBD vape pen on board. Even though the Ocean Academy Training founder showed her prescription shortly after leaving the boat — Hannah made the choice not to return.

Where They Stand Now: After arguing during the season 5 reunion, Hannah and Sandy have continued to keep their distance from one another.

Credit: Laurent Basset/Bravo; Newscom/Mega Agency

Malia White and Adam Glick ('Below Deck Mediterranean')

Viewers were taken for a ride when Malia's connection with Adam Glick and Wes Walton got more complicated when the chef revealed his past with the then-deckhand. During the season 2 finale, Adam called Malia out for stringing him along and lying to Wes.

Where They Stand Now: After Malia left the show she rekindled her romance with Wes before the duo called it quits for good. During season 3, Adam revealed that he hasn't mended fences with Malia since their time on the show.

Credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock; Courtesy Leon Walker/Twitter

Kate Chastain and Leon Walker ('Below Deck')

The hit Bravo series mixed things up with Leon Walker replaced Ben Robinson as the chef for season 3. Unfortunately Leon and Kate Chastain quickly started to butt heads over service and the food. After a fire broke out in the gallery, Leon was fired for refusing to take responsibility and expecting Kate to get fired.

Where They Stand Now: Leon refused to show up to the reunion and Katie continued to stand by him being at fault for their issues.

Credit: Courtesy Ashton Pienaar/Instagram; Courtesy Rhylee Gerber/Instagram

Ashton Pienaar and Rhylee Gerber ('Below Deck')

The deckhand's issues with her team originally started when she joined the franchise during season 6. Although she ended on good terms with Ashton Pienaar, things didn't stay the same when she returned one year later.

Ashton made it clear that he was only tolerating Rhylee Gerber — which caused the rest of the deck crew to alienate her.

Where They Stand Now: The bosun apologized for his behavior after receiving backlash from fans for being misogynistic throughout season 7. Rhylee was still angry about how she was treated — but the duo haven't crossed paths since.  

Credit: Karolina Wojtasik/Bravo; YouTube

Kate Chastain and Caroline Bedol ('Below Deck')

During season 6, Caroline Bedol found herself struggling to befriend her boss and coworker Josiah Carter. Following Chandler Brooks' departure, Caroline handed in her 2-day notice because she claimed she felt bullied by the interior team. Kate and Josiah, for their part, denied Caroline's accusations which they felt came out of nowhere.

Where They Stand Now: Caroline, who was not invited to the Below Deck reunion, has continued to accuse Kate and Josiah of mistreating her during their time on My Seanna.

Credit: Courtesy Francesca Rubi/Instagram; Courtesy Elizabeth Frankini/Instagram

Francesca Rubi and Elizabeth Frankini ('Below Deck')

The chief stew couldn't make her professional relationship with Elizabeth Frankini work due to the third stew's brief romance with James Hough. After Elizabeth disappointed Francesca Rubi several times throughout season 8, she was fired for being too distracted and for sleeping in a guest cabin with the deckhand.

Where They Stand Now: Francesca and Elizabeth weren't able to work things out during the reunion. For Elizabeth, she felt like she wasn't supported by Francesca after previously receiving praise for her work.

Credit: Courtesy Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux/Instagram

Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux and the Rest of the Cast ('Below Deck Sailing Yacht')

After filming wrapped on season 2 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Dani Soares revealed that she was expecting a baby with Jean-Luc Cerza Lanaux. The deckhand, for his part, requested a paternity test before taking responsible for the little one, which didn't sit well with any of his costars.

Where They Stand Now: Even though Jean-Luc later acknowledged Dani's daughter as his, many of his former coworkers questioned why it took him so long. Daisy Kelliher and Gary King have been very vocal about their displeasure when it came to how Jean-Luc handled the news.

Credit: Courtesy Hannah Ferrier/Instagram; Courtesy João Franco

Hannah Ferrier and João Franco ('Below Deck Mediterranean')

João Franco rubbed Hannah the wrong way as soon as he joined the Talisman Maiton boat. His connection with Brooke Laughton only upset the chief stew more because of how he spoke to Hannah during their crew nights out.

Where They Stand Now: The bosun returned for season 4 and revealed that he had split with Brooke but patched things up with Hannah. João and Hannah continued to work well together on screen, but off screen it seemed as if the South Africa native struggled to stay friendly with the interior team — specifically Aesha Scott.

Credit: Laurent Basset/Bravo

Lexi Wilson and the Rest of the Cast ('Below Deck Mediterranean')

During season 6, the second stew argued with several of her cast mates amid their nights out together. After Lexi Wilson found herself at odds with Malia, Mathew Shea and Mzi "Zee" Dempers, the Bahamas native left the ship.

Where They Stand Now: Lexi didn't show up to the reunion, and her costars noted that none of them have stayed in touch with her after things turned physical during her last night out with them.

Credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

Captain Lee and Captain Sandy ('Below Deck')

After Sandy took over for Lee during season 10 of Below Deck, the costars hit a rough patch off screen. In January 2023 — while new episodes of the Bravo series were airing — Lee questioned Sandy's decision to let an employee go without letting him know beforehand.

The Below Deck Med star, for her part, argued that she gave Lee a courtesy call after she fired the deck stew.

Where They Stand Now: The Be the Calm or Be the Storm author initially denied her rift with Lee before calling her coworker out.

"I have to say this. When they go low, we go high," she told SiriusXM’s Reality Checked in February 2023. "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."