Every captain in the Below Deck-verse is different. How would you describe your leadership style?
My intention is to always be fair and listen to both sides. Also, I’m direct. I’m not a sugar-coater; I think people respect that part. I do have compassion, so it’s a little mix . . . but fairness would be the first thing.
I’m sure you were born with certain inherent leadership skills, but were there things you had to learn, ways you had to course-correct over the years?
Absolutely. I believe if you can’t lead yourself first, how can you lead others? If I’m not correcting my character and making myself better as a human being, how can I do that for other people? And I lead by example. I show up how I want them to show up. You can’t be a dictator and just start barking orders, you have to be a part of the team. And I think that’s what makes it so successful. When you are a part of the team and you get your hands dirty, it makes all the difference. That’s how you gain their respect.
With that team mentality, does it ever feel tough when you have to discipline a problematic crew member?
I just have a conversation with them. They know they messed up. We just talk through it. Obviously they know what’s coming. Then I do my best not to make them feel worse about themselves, but to say, “Hey, how can we correct this? Do you wanna stay onboard? Is this something that you want to do?” It’s a conversation to encourage them to figure out what it is they really, truly want to do. Because if they truly want to be onboard, then they have to follow the rules and do their job and listen to what their head of department tells them to do. If there’s a conflict of personalities, then yes, OK, we could work out that problem. However, if they don’t really want to do the job, then find something you want to do in your life and pursue it with passion.
What’s your process like stepping aboard a new vessel for the first time and learning its particular ins and outs?
What I love about doing Below Deck is I get to drive a different boat every season. Whereas [normally] as a captain on a yacht, you’re on the same boat year after year. I have to go on and learn where the buttons are, we get lost sometimes, but with the crew, we figure out the boat together, and how it’s going to flow in service. Are the stabilizers good? The crew have to figure out how to carry the plates without the food being messed up, because the chef makes them so beautiful; you’ve got to get them to the table, which is usually upstairs, on a moving vessel. How do you do that?
The situations, and the guests, can get pretty wild out there at sea. Do you have a most memorable experience?
Asking Leah to marry me in Greece. That is the most memorable experience I have ever had in my life; Below Deck just happened to be there, and it was awesome. I’m glad Leah agreed to do it with the fans — because we met when I was on-camera. They saw our journey through life. We get a lot of messages and so many people were texting us and saying, “Oh my God, I just watched the wedding proposal! That was incredible!” That’s my favourite. The love that was between Leah and I . . . and the location was Greece — and Greece is all about love.
Below Deck Mediterranean, streaming on Monday, October 27 on Hayu
MEMORABLE ROLES:
Born in Bradenton, Florida, Captain Sandra “Sandy” Yawn is an accomplished superyacht skipper with over 30 years on the high seas — during which time she’s not only presided over ultra-luxe pleasure cruises, but stepped up to save lives from deadly fires and pirates. She’s now at the helm of Below Deck Med, where her firm but fair leadership has been on display to reality TV lovers since 2017.
CURRENT GIG:
Having just left port for season 10, Yawn and trusty Chief Stew Aesha Scott find themselves sailing the 147-foot Bravado off the coast of Barcelona, dealing with raging storms, a guest who turns the boat into his personal Bachelor pad and, of course, their own hard-working, hard-playing crew.