Navigating choppy waters is nothing new for Below Deck alums, but when it comes to Captain Lee Rosbach and Captain Sandy Yawn’s public fallout, even Kate Chastain found herself in a tight spot.
Known for her long-standing friendship with Rosbach, the 41-year-old seasoned yachtie’s attendance at Yawn’s wedding earlier this year in May has fans buzzing about where her loyalties lie.
The spark for this drama? A Wednesday, October 9 TikTok that captured Rosbach’s candid thoughts during his Nightcap tour stop in London. When pressed to name his least favorite Below Deck cast member, the 74-year-old sea captain didn’t mince words.
Kate Chastain (L) and Captain Lee visit SiriusXM Studios on January 06, 2020 in New York City. A few years later, Captain Lee’s declaration of Captain Sandy being his ‘least favorite’ cast member leads to speculation about where Chastain’s loyalty lies.
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
“My least favorite? Captain Sandy,” he declared to an outburst of gasps from the crowd. “And we all know why. I don’t like her. Normally I don’t have to like people to work with them, I can work with almost anyone. I don’t have to like them. But if they do their job, key word, do your job. Do it properly and I can put up with almost anything. Don’t do your job, and then pretend to be something you’re not? Nah, I’m not there. So, you guys want the truth? You got it.”
After the clip hit social media, it didn’t take long for fans to enter the chat — many of whom agreed with Rosbach’s feelings toward Yawn.
“This is so real. Capt Sandy ain’t nothing but an instigator,” one person pointed out.
“I have been criticized for not liking Sandy for years …. I am completely validated,” another said.
“This man just went up on my respect meter. He ain’t lyin,” chimed in a third.
Despite Rosbach’s harsh words, Chastain’s show of support for Yawn at her wedding suggests a different narrative. This move has puzzled fans, considering her known alliance with Rosbach, who has openly criticized Yawn’s decisions on the yacht — particularly her firing of stewardess Camille Lamb during his medical leave in season 10.
“I would have fired her. but prior to that I would have notified the Captain who I was [replacing] what I was doing and why, not after the fact,” the Bravo star posted on X (formerly Twitter) after Yawn sent Lamb packing on the January 23 episode in 2023.
I would have fired her. but prior to that I would have notified the Captain who I was repalacing what I was doing and why, not after the fact. https://t.co/idp8BDU77o
— Captain Lee (@capthlr) January 24, 2023
While Chastain hasn’t made any public declarations, she has discussed being in the middle of the feud since she’s friendly with both captains.
“I think that Sandy is a really talented captain. She always has been. I think she drives the boat the best out of any captain in any Below Deck franchise,” the reality TV icon told US Weekly in an interview published Thursday, June 6. “I don’t think that any of Lee’s criticisms of her were necessarily fair [or] warranted.”
Chastain went on to explain that she’s determined to remain neutral, adding, “Just like with any other friends, I’m not going to take sides or end a friendship if that’s not how I feel.”
