Captain Sandy Yawn, the first female superyacht captain on Bravo's Below Deck: Mediterranean , has made tough calls throughout her 30+ years in maritime. In an interview with Newsweek , Yawn explained that a difficult part of her job is firing crew members—a decision she doesn't take lightly and often makes with input from her lawyer. Below Deck and its spin-offs capture the high-stakes, drama-filled lives of yacht crew members and the challenges of the demanding industry.
Yawn's leadership style has gained both praise and criticism from fans, but her years of surviving literal and figurative storms have taught her lessons in resilience, leadership and the importance of setting clear boundaries and expectations for her team. Sitting down with Newsweek ahead of an appearance at Hayu FanFest in London, the reality star revealed how she approaches firing crew, even if it will be an unpopular decision amongst audiences. Yawn referred to the firing of former Below Deck star Hannah Ferrier as an example.
During Season 5 Episode 12 of Below Deck: Mediterranean , Ferrier was let go after Yawn discovered she had valium onboard without a prescription present, violating maritime law. "I always defer to my lawyer. So, I will tell you this: I took years to get my maritime license.
It's not something you just go sign up for and take a couple of weeks of; it's a federal license with the U.S. government.
OK? That's a big deal," Yawn told Newsweek . "Every decision I've ever had to make, wi.
