Following a never-ending pattern of missteps onboard, Captain Kerry Titheradge had no choice but to fire bosun Caio Poltronieri from Season 12 of Below Deck. As experienced as Caio was, his actions failed to exemplify his resume.
Yachts are beautiful, but they are also dangerous. Therefore, all leaders must carry solid communication skills, alongside the ability to hold themselves accountable while on the clock. Unfortunately for Caio, neither of these skills has been mastered. As much as Captain Kerry tried to speak truth to Caio, Caio failed to understand that he was the problem on his team, a fact that was starting to make his deckhands cringe whenever Caio tried to school them on how they all needed to improve.
Thankfully for them, Captain Kerry did more than cringe. And now, Below Deck Season 12 is without a bosun.
Who should replace Caio as bosun on Below Deck Season 12?
So now that Caio is gone, who should take over his role as a bosun on Below Deck Season 12? Collected from seasons and franchises past and present, these are the three main yachties that I could easily see stepping into the role of a department head this season on Below Deck.
As an aside, all three of these yachties have ties to this current cast. These connections would make their transitions onto this season as effortless as when Fraser Olender recently transformed himself into a Dominant server during a BDSM-themed dinner service. Fraser nailed that role, just as these three stars would nail this open bosun position on Below Deck Season 12.
Jess Theron
Sometimes, this franchise makes me pause, wondering if production planted certain crew members on board to help bolster ratings. Below Deck Season 12 contains one of these instances, as there were two bosuns hired on the superyacht St. David. One was Caio. The second is Jess Theron, a wholly personable bosun, who seemingly accepted a rank cut to join this season as a deckhand.
Jess did not complain when she learned that she was going to be a deckhand this season. Instead, Jess kept her head down and worked hard, doing everything Caio asked. But when she saw her fellow teammates struggling, Jess rose to try and be their voice, like any natural-born leader would.
When Jess realized that members of the deck team were exhausted, she spoke up. Caio was not scheduling breaks for anyone on his team, which could eventually cause safety and emotional problems for his crew. Thankfully, when Jess spoke, Caio (mostly) listened. Her communication skills are top-notch, which her team is already appreciating.
Therefore, it would make sense for Jess to receive a promotion into the bosun spot that should have been hers all along.
Sunny Marquis
Fraser and Kyle Stillie are both returning cast members for Below Deck Season 12. Fraser has starred on Below Deck since Season 9, whereas Kyle first appeared in Season 11. Starring alongside these two men in Season 11 was Sunny Marquis, a deckhand who deserves another shot on this series.
During Season 11, Sunny became entangled in a romance that overtook many of her storylines. When she received a promotion to lead deckhand, many assumed that it was because she was (somewhat) dating her then-bosun. Proving everyone wrong, Sunny thrived, showing that she is more than capable of stepping into a leadership role on Bravo.
As Sunny shared, she wants to grow in this industry. She also has ties to many members of this cast, which would make her an excellent hire to help finish out this season. However, what I can mostly see happening is Jess grabbing the promotion, and then Sunny comes onboard to take over her spot as a deckhand. Additionally, a quick look at who she follows on Instagram will also show that Sunny follows several new members of the Below Deck Season 12 cast.
Mzi “Zee” Dempers
Though this might feel like a long shot, we would love to see Mzi “Zee” Dempers returning to filming on Bravo. Zee starred as a deckhand during Seasons 6 and 7 of Below Deck Mediterranean. His kindness and ability to get along with everyone made for many lighthearted scenes, which viewers always appreciate in a series that often gets sh*twrecked by its chaotic stars.
Following Below Deck Med Season 7, Zee remained in the industry, working hard to obtain certification as a Yacht Master. In a proceeding interview with The Daily Dish, he noted that he was now looking for a bosun role. And a bosun is precisely what we now need on Below Deck Season 12. Could Zee cross over to star in another series in this franchise?
Maybe. But even if not, I would love to see Zee back on our screens at some point. Bonus points if Courtney Veale returns at his side.
Below Deck is streaming on Peacock. In the UK and Ireland, Below Deck streams on Hayu.
TELL US – WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE STEPPING INTO THE BOSUN ROLE THIS SEASON ON BELOW DECK? DID YOU AGREE WITH THE FIRING OF CAIO?