I am a big fan of Captain Sandy Yawn, but I’ve learned over the years that my opinion is in the minority. For me, it has been a joy to watch a woman at the helm who knows her stuff. She stands up for herself unabashedly and genuinely wants others to succeed in the yachting industry. She has overcome addiction and often outstretches a hand to those around her who are flailing.
However, some Below Deck Mediterranean fans feel she is a bit pushy and micromanages too much. The amount of hate that Sandy often receives is excessive and feels very personal. Other captains can be cruel, fire someone without hearing an explanation, and be ignorant of the goings on of the interior, but they often are given passes. Some fans love to hate Captain Sandy without even really focusing on what she has taught us.
Captain Sandy Knows How To Manage
To me, Captain Sandy has always been one of my go-to leaders, and if you actually take the time to evaluate the Bravo star, you could learn a lot from her. Whenever she steps onto a new vessel, she makes sure to send a strong message but in a humane way. The work that yachties do isn’t always safe, and the charter guests pay a ton of money for their experience. Captain Sandy makes sure to lay down the law while also bringing warmth and kindness to her boats.
The Colorado native is a pro at making sure that each of her workers understands their roles and what is expected of them. The Bravolebrity is big into hierarchies, which helps with communication and decision-making skills when it comes to any problem she encounters.
She Isn’t a Hothead
Captain Sandy has been forced to keep a cool head during multiple seasons when something goes wrong. For example, in a recent episode, while helping out on deck, she fell and possibly broke her wrist. Instead of freaking out her crew, she quietly left and had her limb evaluated.
The skipper often shows compassion to those on her ship and, more often than not, takes the time to hear them out before making any final call.
She Sets Healthy Boundaries
Like any good captain on a million-dollar vessel, Captain Sandy has made sure to set boundaries that can’t be crossed. Sometimes, these rules do cause drama, but Captain Sandy makes sure not to let that rattle her. She has also set standards of behavior for everyone on the ship, which often means that anyone acting out will be spoken with accordingly.
Captain Sandy makes sure to engage with everyone on her team and learns their names. Yes, this means she is often very involved, but you can’t really fault a leader for wanting to know what is going on and sticking to her principles.
Captain Sandy Is a Great Motivational Speaker
Captain Sandy has an optimistic light about her that often shows just how great of a positive thinker she is. More often than not, she comes across as a cheerleader for those struggling on her ship. Fans just saw her talk with Natalya Scudder and convince her not to leave the boat over a crappy boyfriend. It is obvious Sandy wants to propel people to success.
For all intents and purposes, Captain Sandy is an excellent listener and takes the well-being of her crew very seriously. When Hannah Ferrier had her panic attack during Season 3, Sandy was by her side and encouraged the chief stew to be open to love. Once Hannah was on the mend, the captain explained that Hannah should never let her personal life affect her job.
Captain Sandy Takes Chances
Almost every season, there is a crew member that Captain Sandy takes under her wing because she sees a bright future for them in the business. She is known to give her best crew members more complex tasks in order for them to grow. Season 3 showed João Franco starting out as a deckhand, and after taking the job seriously, he was promoted to bosun for Season 4.
TELL US – WHY DO YOU THINK CAPTAIN SANDY DOESN’T DESERVE ALL THE HATE?
