Over the years, fans have seen a lot of Sailors flounder when it comes to
Over the years, fans have seen many sailors struggle when it comes to distributing responsibility to the crew. But none of them seem more capable of taking on the responsibility than Ian McKellenThe quiet Ares causes Captain Sandy Yon great concern with his hands-off approach to the business. The South African would rather mingle with the guests than lend a helping hand. And while Ian can tell distances, he can’t seem to spot a hand on the beach when he needs it most. Needless to say, under the surface of the mediterranean sea Fans think twice about Ian.
Ian McKellen lacks leadership
There’s no question that Ian needs to work on his leadership skills when it comes to his commanding skills. The outdoorsy man doesn’t give directions well and often takes any form of feedback personally. These two traits don’t make for a good, well-rounded leader. The three sailors, Gayle Cameron, Joe Bradley and Nathan Gallagher, do their best, but Ian struggles to earn their respect. The latest episode of Below Deck Mediterranean highlighted how nervous Gayle, the only female sailor, was about sharing an idea about offloading guests. Captain Sandy eventually sided with her, but Ian seemed almost offended by the suggestion.
It doesn’t help that Captain Sandy doesn’t approve of Ian’s decision to appoint Joe as the chief mate on the deck. According to Ian, if you don’t name a mate on the deck right away, “you end up fighting people and creating tension.” Another major red flag is Ian’s cavalier attitude toward safety. Captain Sandy was not pleased after learning that the chief mate had allowed Gayle to go down on a three-hour break when she was the only mate on the swim platform. Ian’s performance as a manager was subpar at best.
Ian passes the blame
The South African can’t hold himself accountable. Any good manager knows that in a position of leadership it is important to admit when you have made a mistake. There were more than one occasion when Ian tried to avoid responsibility. Between letting Gail go on holiday and losing a guest at sea, which led to an uncomfortable moment during a car ride, Ian had little room for error.
The cherry on the cake was when he left the battery on the tender all night. When asked how this happened, he stumbled over his words and tried to defend himself. Captain Sandy became aware of his actions when he failed to plan any beach activities for his friend, GG, an Olympian. Despite being warned several times, he ignored the preference sheet. In the end, Gail had to rush to pack up the toys and ended up saving the team’s asses.
Captain Sandy on Ian McKellen
Captain Sandy gives plenty of leeway when it comes to push and pull. But she’s not exactly forgiving, and she won’t go easy on anyone. The Colorado native has noticed some red flags when it comes to Ian’s work, and she brings them to his attention. The captain invites Ian to the bridge for a chat and is very surprised to learn that he has already chosen a chief deck mate without consulting her first. This is strictly forbidden in the industry and shows that he has no respect for his boss. Although Joe has never been a chief deck mate, Ian feels he is good at managing the team.
Captain Sandy was stunned when she said, “I didn’t know you were chosen. I had no idea. Nate is running circles around Joe. I think you need to reevaluate the experience.” In her confession, Sandy said, “This is clearly an oversight on Ian’s part. He should have told me before I made this decision. Joe, I always have to correct him. If Ian had taken the time to read the resume, he would have seen that Nathan has a lot more experience than Joe. That’s a red flag.”
Ian has a red flag or two flying high above his head. Between not being nice to his crew, lack of leadership, blaming, just playing around and not doing anything, I think Ian has a lot on his plate. Who knows, he might be the first person Captain Sandy decides to fire.
Tell us – do you think Ian is doing a good job as a seaman?
