Signs Ben Willoughby Fails As Bosun (He Doesn’t Have What It Takes)

Below decks season 11’s Ben Willoughby has been promoted from Lead Deckhand to Bosun after Jared Wood was fired by Captain Kerry Titheradge, but it looks like he can’t handle the job. Ben, who was first introduced Below decks season 10 as Deckhand, spent most of his first charter season feeling insecure about his performance and trying to chase a boat that wasn’t working. When he returned Below decks in season 11, didn’t have high hopes for what his time at St. David’s would look like, but captain Kerry gave him a chance.

After working as a Deckhand for a part Below decks in season 10, Ben was promoted to Lead Deckhand on the St. David. Returning for the show’s current season, he returned to his role, but clearly felt he was working at a higher level than Bosun’s Jared, who he has consistently used to fix the series. After Jared was fired from the latest episode Below decks in season 11, Captain Kerry asked Ben to take over as Bosun. Although it may only be temporary, Ben can’t handle the position.

Ben is overconfident

He’s not that experienced

In his time Below decks season 10, Ben proved to be overconfident and has continued this season from the series. Ben’s attitude has been hard to come by at times as he is a very personable, laid back member of the crew. His charm and charisma make his false confidence hard to detect, but it’s clear that there are moments when Ben is simply too big for his St. David’s strings. All during his time Below decks season 11, Ben has been convinced that he can do a better job than Jared.

With only about five years of boating experience, Ben has been working hard to improve his skills so he can be at the top of his game. While Ben clearly has potential, his confidence in his work is sometimes overshadowed by his lack of time in the industry. Although his work ethic is good and he seems to be able to complete the basics with ease, Ben still has some learning to do in the world of superyachts, and his overconfidence that he could handle being the Bosun of St. David’s may cost him.

Ben’s relationship with Sunny clouds his judgment

His boating leads to mistakes

all the time Below decks in season 10, Ben was going to have a boat because he had found himself attracted to Deckhand/Stew Camille Lamb. Even though Ben wasn’t looking for anything serious, his attraction to Camille surprised him and felt real in the moment. The pair met after the charter season when Captain Sandy Yawn dismissed Camille and began a relationship that ended. At the beginning of Below decks season 11, Ben said he wasn’t interested in getting into another boating classbut that was before he met Marie “Sunny” Marquis.

Ben and Sunny’s relationship has grown slowly over the first several episodes Below decks season 11. While Sunny is working on the outside with Ben, things have heated up inside St. David’s between the two. After a recent crew night, Ben and Sunny ended up spending the night together in her bed, but after her promotion, things could change between the pair. While their relationship may not be something either of them take seriously, Ben and Sunny’s connection can cloud his judgment and cause him to make serious mistakes As a bosun.

Ben lets leadership go to his head

He has been given more power than he can handle

While Ben is excited at the prospect of significant responsibility aboard the St. David, his leadership is sure to get to his head. Ben has spent his career as a yachtsman working under a manager, not just a captain. The ship’s captain is the crew leader, while Bosun and Chief Stew handle the rest of their staff to keep things running smoothly. Throughout his sailing career, Ben has been either Deckhand or Lead Deckhand. This means that even though he has been the main character of the Deck team, he has had no managerial experience.

Bosuns not only need to have leadership experience to manage a crew, but they also need to be able to perform the duties of a captain so they can spend the night on board while the captain rests. Ben, who has had some experience working with Jared and others in navigation, is completely unprepared to take on the responsibility of the entire superyacht and charter guests. Despite what he looks like, he can succeed, Bfi is not ready to be responsibleand the fact that he is an interim Bosun gives him another layer of false confidence.

Ben gets caught up in the internal drama

He doesn’t need to be part of their problems

Although Ben works primarily in the outdoor spaces of St. David’s, he has been known to take part in the drama that ensues between stews indoors. Ben, who rarely has drama on deck with his colleagues in the Deckhands, has been embroiled in indoor stew drama more than once in his time. Below decks. Throughout the final season of the series, Ben had a hard time separating himself from the drama between Camille and Alissa Humber, which was butting heads with Fraser Olender’s direction. Meanwhile Ben was not directly involved, he stirred the pot often and made it clear that he had invested.

During Below decks season 11, Ben has already been involved in the drama between Barbie Pascual and Cat Baugh. Although both women have appeared to have overcome their problems and Cat has now left St. David’s entirely, Ben was an early stirrer in their drama when he told Barbie that Cat had been talking about her behind her back. Fraser tried to talk to Ben about his behavior, but it’s clear the interim Bosun simply wants to be involved in the drama. for Below decks‘s Ben, his meddling could get him into trouble in his new role.

Credit: Ben Willoughby/Instagram