Below Deck Season 11’s Dylan Is Jealous Of Ben (He’s Going For His Position & His Boatmance)

Summary

• Dylan joined the St. David crew late and filled an empty slot after Jared’s firing, causing some tension with Ben.
• Ben’s promotion to Bosun made him Dylan’s boss, which Dylan struggled with as he felt he deserved a leadership role.
• Dylan’s jealousy of Ben’s decisions regarding Sunny and the lead deckhand position caused tension and led to a rejected pass.

Below Deck season 11’s newest deckhand Dylan Pierre De Villiers seems like he could be jealous of bosun Ben Willoughby after he got snubbed for a promotion and by Ben’s boatmance. Dylan, who joined the St. David crew after Captain Kerry Titheradge fired the original Bosun Jared Woodin for some incredibly dangerous mistakes, has been in the yachting industry for years, but hasn’t been aboard the superyacht long enough to prove himself. While Dylan has been able to get along with the rest of the St. David’s crew, there have been a few moments where his ego has taken over.

In one of the most recent episodes of Below Deck season 11, Dylan found himself irritated after Ben chose to name Marie “Sunny” Marquis the next lead deckhand instead of him. While Sunny has been part of the exterior crew since the beginning of the charter season and has been consistently learning new parts of the job surrounding the exterior crew, Dylan believed that since he’d had more experience in the industry, he deserved the position more. Dylan’s issues go beyond his disappointment with Ben and Sunny professionally, which he proved in the most recent Below Deck season 11 episode.

Dylan Joined The St. David Crew Late, Filling An Empty Slot

He Came Into The Crew Mid-Season

After Jared’s firing from Below Deck season 11, Captain Kerry had some difficult decisions to make about the structure of his exterior team. First, he chose to promote Ben from the Lead Deckhand position to the Bosun. After watching Ben throughout the earliest parts of the charter season, Captain Kerry understood that Ben could handle the pressures that came with being Bosun. Understanding the more mechanical aspects of the ship and knowing how to guide it appropriately, Captain Kerry felt comfortable with Ben taking charge. He knew, though, that he needed another deckhand if he promoted Ben within the crew.

Captain Kerry brought in Dylan, who has years of experience on superyachts and appeared to fit in well with the rest of the crew. Dylan shared that though he may not have had as much experience as others on superyachts, he knew what he was doing well, and didn’t shy away from speaking up. Dylan quickly won over the rest of the St. David’s crew, sharing his knowledge and making fun of himself with some quirky behavior as he got to know everyone a bit more. Dylan clearly understood the St. David’s hierarchy, as well as his place in it.

Ben’s Time As Bosun Made Him Dylan’s Boss

He Was Still Navigating Becoming A Manager

Although it may not have felt like it initially, Ben being promoted to Bosun of the St. David made him the leader of the exterior team. In the same way that Fraser Olender leads the interior team as Chief Stew, Ben is the leader of the exterior team, taking charge and helping them delegate all the tasks they must complete throughout a charter. In becoming the Bosun, Ben would have the responsibility of naming St. David’s next lead deckhand. He was happy to do so, as he’d been excited to be given the honor of becoming lead in the past.

Ben & Sunny’s Relationship Complicated His Decision On Lead Deckhand

Their Boatmance Has Had Its Ups & Downs

Throughout Below Deck season 11, Ben and Sunny have developed a connection that has taken them from friends who flirt to full-blown boatmance. The pair met during the early phases of the charter season, first getting to know each other as coworkers on the exterior team. Having quickly understood their attraction to one another, Ben felt that he wasn’t interested in getting into another boatmance after his experience with Camille Lamb on Below Deck season 10 had gone considerably wrong. Still, he couldn’t fight the connection he had with Sunny, and she was openly interested in him as well.

Ben and Sunny quickly moved from just friends to something more, getting together during one of the first crew nights out on Below Deck season 11. The pair were happy to keep things casual, working together and bunking together, checking in with one another whenever they could. Though there have been some moments of confusion between the two about what they are or if they have any sort of label, they’ve mostly been on the same page throughout the charter season. Ben and Sunny seem to have an easy understanding of one another, and their relationship has been sweet to watch.

Dylan Felt He Had Earned The Lead Deckhand Position

He Wasn’t Happy About Getting Snubbed

After it became clear to Dylan that he was on the exterior team with Kyle Stillie and a boatmance, he understood that things may not be as easy to come by in terms of promotions, especially with Ben making the decisions alongside Captain Kerry. While Ben and the Captain discussed his options surrounding who would become the next lead deckhand before he made the decision, Dylan still complained about the idea that it wasn’t him getting the opportunity to take charge. He felt that Ben made his choice because of his relationship with Sunny, rather than her skillset on board.

After Dylan & Ben Ironed Things Out, Dylan Made A Pass At Sunny

She Tunred Him Down Quickly

After Ben gave the lead deckhand position to Sunny, Dylan’s complaints got back to both the Bosun and his lead, irritating both of them. Sunny felt Dylan was undermining her skills, while Ben felt Dylan was undermining his leadership. Dylan decided to apologize to Sunny, sharing with her that he wasn’t coming at her, but instead being critical of Ben. Sunny, though irritated, accepted his explanation. Things got worse, however, when Dylan asked if she was taken, knowing things were casual between her and Ben. When she said she was, Dylan made a pass at Sunny that she immediately rejected.

Is Dylan Jealous Of Ben’s Role On The St. David?

He May Not Realize His Stance

While Ben’s decision may have been skewed by his favor toward Sunny, his decision wasn’t the wrong one, and it appears that Dylan may simply be feeling some jealousy about his role aboard the St. David. Unfortunately for Dylan, his time on the superyacht has been shorter than other members of the crew, and it’s likely that his time on the ship hasn’t been long enough for him to be considered for a leadership position. Dylan’s obvious attraction to Sunny and his desire for a promotion that he hasn’t yet quite earned proves he’s jealous of Below Deck‘s Bosun Ben.

Below Deck

airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo, then streams the following day on Peacock.