What Does a Deckhand’s Day Look Like on ‘Below Deck?’
One thing is certain on Below Deck. No deckhand is thrilled when it is time to deploy the giant blow-up slide. The slide looks harder to assemble than toys on Christmas morning. Plus twice as heavy and cumbersome.
The life of a deckhand looks physically challenging. Not only are crew members constantly lifting and moving heavy toys or equipment, but they are also endlessly shining, scrubbing and cleaning the yacht.
Sometimes deckhands are the unfortunate recipient of the guests’ fodder (sorry, Ashton Pienaar). And deckhands also leap in and help the interior crew whenever needed. Aside from what the viewers see on Below Deck, what is a day in the life of an average deckhand? While every day doesn’t go like clockwork (Chandler Brooks) this is what a day could look like.
Bright and early
Deckhand Rylee Gerber protested to getting up early after a night of partying. But a 6 am wakeup start time seems to be appropriate, according to Fresh Yacht. Hopefully, if Chef Adam Glick decided to feed the crew, breakfast is available first.
Then deckhands raise the flag and begin wiping down the outdoor space. All chairs, tables, flooring, and surfaces must be completely not only for the guests’ enjoyment but safety too. Deckhands also lay out towels and create an inviting outdoor space.
Deckhands also start washing and drying the yacht in the morning. This task takes all day but is usually done in segments to give guests their privacy.
Midday
Deckhands might take a quick break while guests are noshing on breakfast. They may also review plans for the day, which could include deploying the dreaded water toys or arranging for an excursion. While guests are on an excursion or lunching, the deck crew grabs some food. The yacht chef is in charge of ensuring the crew is well fed, which seemed to be an issue for Glick on Below Deck Med.
After lunch deckhands can either maintain the yacht or assist the interior crew with lunch if the guests hadn’t eaten. They also prepare for another guest activity. Deckhands are encouraged to get in the water with guests for swimming or snorkeling. When one crew member is in the water, another is on the tender. The third deckhand remains on the yacht to attend to any remaining guest needs.
Evening
The entire deck crew doesn’t eat at the same time. Instead, they have dinner in shifts so someone is always available to help with guests’ needs. While the guests are having dinner, deckhands could be ensuring water toys are secured properly. Or the deck crew could assist the interior staff with the guests’ dinner if necessary.
Typically, the crew will do a final review of the exterior space before going to bed at about 10 pm. However, one deckhand usually pulls an all-nighter, called anchor watch. On Below Deck, it appears that one lucky sucker gets to be on anchor watch for an entire night. However, rotating the times among crew members may produce a better result, according to Sport Fishing. The crew should be on alert to respond to an emergency, start the engine or at least alert enough to wake the captain.
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