Below Deck may be a reality TV show, but the captain and his crew are genuinely working aboard a high-demand, multimillion-dollar yacht, navigating some of the world’s most exotic destinations.

Now in its twelveth season, the show has seen captains fire multiple crew members for various reasons — from lack of experience and failure to meet the yacht’s high standards, to outright misconduct. Working on a yacht in the middle of the sea is not as easy as some might think.

In the latest season of Below Deck, Captain Kerry Titheradge makes the ultimate decision to fire a member of his crew that has one of the most important jobs on deck.

Captain Kerry Titheradge Fires His Bosun Caio Poltronieri On Below Deck Season 12

Caio Had Questionable Leadership Skills

It’s never easy to fire a member of the yacht crew, but when it’s someone in a key leadership role — like a bosun — it’s crucial they demonstrate strong leadership skills and clear communication with their deck team. Unfortunately, bosun Caio Poltronieri fell short in these areas, leading Captain Kerry to make the difficult decision to let him go, which fans watched on Episode 5.

According to his Bravo bio, the Brazilian native has 4 to 5 years of experience in the yachting industry, but Caio may need to take a few lessons on learning how to be a better leader and communicator. Although fans only saw Caio in his role for a few charters, including a grueling 5-day charter that left a lousy tip, he often appeared overwhelmed and struggled to establish a proper schedule for his team.

On multiple occasions, viewers watched as he forgot to send his deck team for breaks and even meals. In fact, he even forgot the guests’ luggage back on the dock during the crew’s very first charter. The captain also gave him a second chance even after he made a “huge error” that could have damaged the yacht.

“Safety is first. Safety is before everything else. I have no choice but to apply full pressure. He’s got one last chance. So, going into this charter, he’s gotta pull a rabbit out of a hat to stay on this vessel,” Kerry said.

It appeared that the turning point for Captain Kerry was witnessing just too many “schoolboy errors.” In Episode 5, Caio struggled to communicate with him as he was docking the St. David. The captain could be heard calling Caio an “idiot” several times as he attempted to dock the massive yacht in narrow passageways.

“With Caio, I’m running out of excuses on why he’s not getting his job done right. He’s let me down. He’s letting his team down. It’s too much for him,” Captain Kerry shared in a confessional.

Unfortunately, all of Caio’s mistakes were adding up, and Captain Kerry called him onto the bridge where he ultimately fired him. “I’ve really wanted you to succeed here. The thing is is we keep having these little errors that keep adding up. Each time I think that we got to a place of no more errors, we get another error, and the problem with that [is] I’m losing confidence in you,” he tells him.

“The expectations of the job on this boat and what I need, you’re not there yet. So, I gotta let you go, mate,” he added.

How Did The Crew Feel About Caio’s Firing?

The Crew Had A Few Issues With Their Bosun

Fans weren’t exactly surprised by Caio’s firing. Throughout his short time on the show, viewers witnessed numerous mistakes and a clear lack of leadership — both of which are unacceptable in such a high-pressure environment.

From poor communication to inconsistent management of the deck team, it became increasingly clear that Caio was not suited for the responsibilities of a bosun. In the end, Captain Kerry made the right call by letting him go, and it seems that his deck team agreed.

Prior to his firing, the deck crew were unhappy that their bosun were blaming them for mistakes aboard the St. David. It was also getting too much for the deck team when Caio would tell them how they needed to improve.

“I think it’s bulls***,” lead deckhand Jess Theron shared. “I’m tired of Caio putting the blame on everybody else. What you want to see from a leader, you want them to take responsibility. If the first thing you’re gonna do is point fingers, that’s not someone I want to work for.”

One of Caio’s major shortcomings was his inability to establish a consistent and effective schedule for his team. When Jess spoke to Caio directly about it, he wasn’t happy with his response. “I’m really pissed off. I’m starting to think that Caio’s not cut out for this anymore. My respect for Caio is declining rapidly,” he said.

Caio Wasn’t The First Crew Member To Leave The St. David

Chef Lawrence Snowden Could Not Handle The Pressue

Although Caio was the first crew member fired by Captain Kerry, he wasn’t the first to leave the St. David. As fans may recall, Chef Lawrence Snowden departed earlier after facing challenges in the galley, particularly with the added pressure of cameras constantly in his face.

Despite earning praise for his food, Lawrence struggled to find his footing on the yacht, ultimately leading to his early exit.

In fact, Captain Kerry urged him to stay, believing that he would eventually get use to the galley. However, he wasn’t going to beg him after Lawrence made it clear that he as ready to pack his things and go. “If someone’s willing to quit so quick, I can’t have that. I need someone I can trust,” he shared.

Before Lawrence left, he decided to stay aboard for a few days to help out his replacement, who so happened to be Chef Anthony Iracane — the chef who was fired by Captain Kerry last season. He saw this as his “redemption” and was ready to prove to the captain that he could get the job done.

“I’m not a loser and I can be a winner. And I can make all my family proud. It’s going to be showtime. It’s going to be the Tony show.”

He added, “It feels really good to be home. … I’m ready. I feel fresh. I will do my best for sure.”

So far, Chef Anthony has made one serious mistake—serving shellfish to a guest with a shellfish allergy—but overall, he’s managed to impress the charter guests with his culinary skills.