Crew Overboard! ‘Below Deck’ Cast Members Who Were Fired During Their Charter Seasons

If there’s one thing Below Deck franchise fans have come to know, working aboard a super yacht is a high stress, high pressure environment filled with 15 hour plus workdays. For some cast members over the years, the job proved too overwhelming, while for others, it was being stuck aboard a boat with coworkers they didn’t get along with that was their downfall.

The most controversial firing in the show’s history didn’t fit into either of those categories. Hannah Ferrier, who was the Below Deck Med chief stewardess from seasons 1 through 5, was let go for having prescription valium aboard the yacht. It wasn’t discovered until she had a panic attack and her bunkmate, bosun Malia White, realized Hannah was in possession of anxiety medication.

Malia cited “maritime rules” for the need to document Hannah’s valium and a CBD vape pen and forwarded the photo to Captain Sandy Yawn. Because Hannah hadn’t “declared” the valium among her items before charter season got underway, it was deemed illegal, with Sandy controversially telling Hannah several times that she had brought “drugs” aboard her boat. The two had butted heads in the past, but this proved to be the captain’s chance to break ties with the Aussie fan favorite, firing her and replacing her with second stew, Christine “Bugsy” Drake.

For other crew members, it was a lack of enthusiasm and strong work ethic toward their jobs that got them in trouble. Below Deck season 8 deckhand Shane Coopersmith came aboard the yacht quite inexperienced, and when first mate Eddie Lucas tried to teach him the responsibilities of his position, he appeared to lack interest.

Instead of cleaning the ship when other crew members were away on a beach outing with guests, Shane decided to go swimming and play in the water. He got in trouble for ducking away to take a long nap in his cabin while the rest of the deck team was hosing and scrubbing down the vessel. Shane also had problems with missing his alarm and turning up late to his shift.

“A lot of people underestimate the amount of work that gets put in here. I don’t have time for you to catch up,” Captain Lee Rosbach told Shane when letting him go, adding, “Unfortunately, the time has come for us to part company. You’re just not getting it done for me.”

Scroll down for the Below Deck stars who have been fired and the reasons why they were let go.