Below Deck season 7 was sometimes unwatchable due to the antics of the Brü Crew. Their offensive actions may be the reason why Kate Chastain quit.
Below Deck season 7 was so full of problematic behavior that it may just be the worst installment in franchise history. Captain Lee Rosbach returned to the helm, along with longtime Below Deck chief stew, Kate Chastain. Season 6 deckhand Ashton Pienaar returned as a bosun for season 7, along with deckhand Rhylee Gerber, who came in mid-season to replace Abby Murphy when she quit. Newcomers Tanner Sterback and Brian de Saint Pern rounded out the deck crew, while Simone Mashile and Courtney Skippon came on as stews.
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Kate hoped that he’d be a chef that she could finally get along with, but Chef Kevin Dobson proved to be difficult in and out of the galley. Kate was less than thrilled with his culinary skills, and a lackluster seafood tower failed to impress charter guests. Captain Lee also thought that Chef Kevin needed to step up, which put more pressure on the chef. As well, Kevin had issues with Kate’s service, and the two continued to butt heads throughout Below Deck season 7.
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Why Was Below Deck Season 7 So Bad?
Below Deck celeb Kevin appeared to be quite misogynistic, due to the way that he treated women. He regularly spoke down to the interior crew, and expressed frustration when services didn’t go his way. He and Kate’s frustrations with each other continued to build throughout the season. Then, in one jaw-dropping moment, he kicked sand into her face during a crew night out. Throughout the season, Kate also had to deal with Ashton’s drunken advances, as he kissed her without asking for her consent. In a later Below Deck season 7 episode, Kate and Ashton got into an argument in a van after a night out, and the bosun punched the window in a fit of rage.
Did Below Deck Season 7 Cause Kate Chastain To Quit?
The deck crew’s treatment of Rhylee seemed to be a textbook display of toxic masculinity. Although she was a competent deckhand with experience running her own fishing boat, Ashton continually assigned her menial tasks, while favoring the male deck crew. It’s true that Rhylee was hot-headed and mouthed off to Ashton. However, the fact that the “Brü Crew” undermined her was undeniable. During a night out at a Thai marketplace, she and Kevin got into a heated argument over buying scorpions, which snowballed into a fight that pitted the guy against the girls.
Although drama was expected, Below Deck, season 7 had many internal fights. The crew members ended up in a hostile work environment. After getting fed up with the men, Kate quit, and stormed off the boat. She returned the next day, but following season 7, Kate announced that she was done with the yachting world and Below Deck. It was disappointing to see an iconic chief stew quit, and the men were blamed for making the workplace unbearable. During the reunion, Captain Lee expressed disappointment in his deck team, and stated that he would not work with Ashton again. It was a relief to see the Below Deck Brü Crew disbanded.
