Below Deck has been known for its steamy boatmances, the show’s version of a showmance, between the yachties, even though some of them don’t work out once they try things out on land. Boatmances, the romances that blossom between crew within the shows of the long-running franchise, are sometimes the most important parts of the season’s narrative, tying things together and creating fun, flirty drama. Boatmances often face hyperspecific pressures that people in relationships on land wouldn’t see, as the parties involved are working aboard a superyacht and serving guests, which changes the stakes for the couples.

With yachties dealing with luxurious superyacht charters daily, the crew are often coming into a charter season with different experiences that only other yachties would understand. It’s understandable that, more often than not, yachties come into the charter season and connect with one another quickly. Bonding over their working environment, shared experiences, or other the ways they interact with other yachties, the crew who get into boatmances often find common ground early in the charter season. While sharing so much working together, the yachties often wind up interested in each other romantically.

The dynamics that wind up appearing between yachties that fall into Below Deck boatmances can vary. Some find themselves emotionally connected to one another, while others find themselves physically attracted to each other. The rare few find both in a Below Deck boatmance, but those who are able to make their connections strong aboard a superyacht sometimes bring them back into their day-to-day lives. Crew aboard Below Deck superyachts are consistently working long hours and spending a ton of time together, so their connections build quickly and tend to stay strong through the charter season.

While viewers often get to watch the yachties connect in a positive way, their relationships can be fun to see over the course of a season and even in the aftermath. Seeing the couples come together, Below Deck viewers are often interested in seeing more from the boatmances if they stay together outside of the show. While some are successful, others find that the transition from boat life to real life often can be challenging. Life aboard a superyacht, even working as part of the crew, can be a lot different than life on land for the yachties.

8 Malia White & Tom Checketts

Below Deck Mediterranean

As Below Deck Mediterranean season 5 commenced, Bosun Malia White was working on her second charter season on the series, this time as a higher-ranking position than the first. While the first half of the season featured Chef Hindrigo "Kiko" Lorran, a favorite for Below Deck viewers, his departure midway through the season left an open spot for a new chef. Malia’s boyfriend, Chef Tom Checketts, came in to fill the open position, but working together wasn’t great for their relationship. As Tom and Malia started the second half of the charter season together, the pair struggled personally and professionally.

Things began to unravel for Tom and Malia as the crew got to know the chef and understood that he wasn’t an easy person to work with. As Malia got in the middle of more and more of Tom’s arguments with the rest of the crew, it became clear that their dynamic wasn’t healthy, and Tom’s behavior wasn’t something Malia should have to answer for. After the charter docked for the season, Tom and Malia left The Wellington together, but they broke up after the difficult season’s end.

7 Jenna MacGillivray & Adam Glick

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Throughout Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 1, Chef Adam Glick and Chief Stew Jenna MacGillivray were both new to the franchise and each other, but their connection was exciting for viewers to watch. While the pair’s flirtation started quickly, their romance spurred just as fast, coming into play within the first episodes of the season. As Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 1 got its bearings, the Chief Stew and the Chef had a full-blown showmance, complete with moments of intimacy and heated arguments about their lives aboard the sailing yacht.

The issues in the couple’s boatmance were quick to appear, as Jenna and Adam had very different temperaments. While Adam was somewhat sensitive, taking criticism personally and finding his moods changing consistently, Jenna was a jokester who tried to keep the mood light as often as possible. Jenna’s personality was difficult for the rest of the crew to handle, changing the dynamic entirely and pushing Adam away. Jenna & Adam faced scrutiny from fellow crewmates, who questioned if they were just look for an escape the high-pressure environment in each other. The pair fizzled out after the season.

6 Rocky Dakota & Eddie Lucas

Below Deck

Below Deck season 3 welcomed new stew Rocky Dakota and brought back Bosun Eddie Lucas for another season, creating a whole new set of crew dynamics as they moved through the charter season. Eddie, who’d appeared in the first two seasons of the series, was known to have a girlfriend back home during the charter season, but his relationship didn’t stop him from pursuing a romance with Rocky. As one of the most dramatic storylines of Below Deck season 3, Eddie and Rocky’s romance was a shock to viewers of the series.

While Rocky and Eddie engaged in a secretive boatmance, things unraveled quickly as rumors spread throughout the rest of the crew, implicating both of them in the scandalous affair. Their quick and ionate connection was tough for the pair to hide, but turned hostile quickly, especially as Eddie tried to downplay their relationship to others. Rocky and Eddie had some incredibly heated arguments, bringing high-stakes and high-emotions into the Below Deck universe.

5 Dani Soares & Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Both appearing for the first time in the franchise on Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 2, Dani Soares was a stew looking for an exciting charter season, while Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux was a deckhand hoping to improve his skills on deck. The pair’s whirlwind romance was a shock to Below Deck viewers for a few reasons, one being the pair’s nearly seven-year age gap. Though Dani and Jean-Luc had a sweet boatmance during the season, things became difficult as they continued with the charter season aboard Parsifal III.

As the cracks in their relationship appeared, Jean-Luc began to have doubts about the future with Dani, expressing a fear of commitment as they got closer to the end of the season. While there was some speculation about the legitimacy of her claims, Dani announced she was pregnant to the Below Deck fandom, who was floored. The couple, who were already spirlaing out of their relationship by the time the announcement was made, struggled to deal with the controversy. In one of the most contentious post-show contreversies, Dani and Jean-Luc had a public paternity battle that shocked Below Deck viewers.

4 Ben Robinson & Emily Warburton-Adams

Below Deck

Although Chef Ben Robinson had been a fixture on Below Deck through its first seasons, his time aboard superyacht Valor in Below Deck season 4 was different because of second stew Emily Warburton-Adams. A notable charmer, Chef Ben had been sweet and complimentary toward Emily throughout the early stretch of the charter season, with the pair sharing a more understated and amiable relationship. As the pair fell for each other aboard Valor, the rest of the crew were dealing with other issues, giving Ben and Emily the time and space to genuinely get to know one another.

The pair’s relationship was a major positive for both Ben and Emily, who were excited about what the future would hold as they moved through the final stretch of the season. The couple stayed together after Below Deck season 4, with Ben even moving in with Emily in London. While the pair tried to make things work as time went on, their lifestyles began to shift and their priorities changed, leaving them on two different pages before their split.

3 Aesha Scott & Jack Stirrup

Below Deck Mediterranean

Before Aesha Scott found her soon-to-be husband Scott Dobson, she was in a boatmance during her inital time on Bravo's Below Deck Mediterranean with deckhand Jack Stirrup. Aesha, who was coming into her first season of Below Deck Med as a second stew, was excited to get to know the rest of the crew, and quickly connected with quirky deckhand Jack aboard the charter yacht. The pair’s playful romance was a surprise for viewers, and though it was short-lived, many it fondly. Getting to know Aesha’s bubbly personality, viewers got the chance to see her with a laid-back deckhand.

Aesha and Jack hit it off quickly during the charter season, sharing flirtatious banter throughout the first charters of the season and allowing things to stay lighthearted rather than getting serious. While their chemistry was electric, the pair kept things casual and offered a break from the traditional style of Below Deck boatmance drama. Though there were some issues in their relationship throughout the charter season, like Jack’s lingering feelings for his ex, he and Aesha enjoyed their time together, even if it didn’t last long-term.

2 Paget Berry & Ciara Duggan

Below Deck Sailing Yacht

As one of the only pre-established couples to ever the franchise, Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 1’s Paget Berry and Ciara Duggan came into the series in a relationship. While they were part of the inaugural season of the show, Paget and Ciara ed the Parsifal III crew with an excitement for their work and a mostly solid relationship. Both working on the exterior team, Paget was the First Officer aboard the sailing yacht, while Ciara was a deckhand looking for more experience. Getting the opportunity to work together seemed dream-like, but the couple’s issues quickly became apparent.

As the couple moved through the charter season, Paget became more difficult to work with while Ciara began to resent his management aboard the sailing yacht. The high-pressure elements of Below Deck Sailing Yacht began to plague the couple, whose relationship began to falter. With issues in their communication and keeping their boundaries with one another, Paget and Ciara struggled through the end of the charter season. Though they stayed together at first, the pair split up after Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 1.

1 Ben Willoughby & Marie “Sunny” Marquis

Below Deck

Although Below Deck season 10’s Ben Willoughby wasn’t the most enjoyable yachtie on the series, things changed for him as he approached Below Deck season 11. Sharing that he didn’t want to get into any boatmances after things fizzled out with the previous season’s Camille Lamb, Ben didn’t expect to meet Marie “Sunny” Marquis on Below Deck season 11. The couple quickly became flirty after noticing their connection, and though Sunny adamantly didn’t want a boatmance, the pair began to hook up aboard St. David.

The couple’s drama, mostly surrounding commitment and exclusivity, was peppered throughout the season, but Ben and Sunny seemed like a good match as they moved through the charter. Leaving the superyacht together, Ben and Sunny announced after the season finale that their relationship was still in tact after nearly a year. Spending time together in secret, the pair were happy to be out in public, but things didn’t stay solid. The pair shared news of their breakup in late 2024, after Ben was spotted with another Below Deck villain.

Source: Bravo/YouTube