Jason Chambers is a quirky and laid-back presence aboard the Katina - however, he may be giving his protégé Harry Van Vliet too much rope. While Harry tries his best, he's made some significant errors, and maybe Jason's mentorship of the young man borders on favoritism.
While Captain Jason's certainly entitled to like or dislike whomever he chooses, the fact that he's in a full-blown bromance with Harry may mean that Captain Jason is overstepping.
Below Deck Down Under is supposed to have an Australian theme, as per the title, but this season was actually filmed in the Seychelles, an island chain in East Africa. However, the crew and guests do a lot more than gaze at the crystalline waters and coral reefs. The crew make mistakes, the guests are the usual high-maintenance "rich people," and Captain Jason is surprisingly flashy, donning silky robes with loud prints. Sure, that's comedic in a sense - few Captans are so wild - however, his playboy image is yet another red flag waving in the orchid-scented breeze.
Harry's Serious Thumb Injury Was Concerning
He Seems Accident-Prone
As the clip above shows, Below Deck Down Under's Harry Van Vliet was hurt when his thumbnail was ripped off when it was caught between a JetSki cradle and a JetSki. His thumb was bleeding profusely when he was brought onto the Katina, and he looked very pale, as though he might faint from the pain. While accidents happen, Harry may not be experienced enough to lead the deckhands.
Harry's young, and while he eventually recovered from his injury, it's always possible that something worse could happen. As he gains maturity, Harry may find that it's easy to perform his duties without these kinds of mishaps. Experience matters, and helps a person to stay calm and cool under pressure. Right now, Harry's easily rattled. He's still learning and doesn't really have rock-solid confidence in himself.
On Instagram, Harry went into more detail about his accident, warning his followers that the images he was including in his gallery were "gruesome." The first image in the series isn't disturbing, and is shown above. Harry said that the thumb injury was very "painful" and afterward, he stated that he'd never felt so low.
The accident came on the heels of a fun "crew night out," and Harry probably thought he'd have a great day. After the accident, he gushed about Below Deck Down Under's Captain Jason, who took care of him. Clearly, the Captain looks after the people who work on his boat. That says a lot about him. However, his fondness for Harry may blind him to the potential risks that having such an inexperienced lead deckhand can bring.
Harry's Anchor Mishap Could Have Led To Disaster
Working With Anchors Is Extremely Dangerous
On day one of his new role as the Katina's lead deckhand, Harry ran into trouble. Anchor work on yachts is fraught with peril. Anchors weigh a ton and the chains they're attached to are also extremely heavy. If a person doesn't know what they're doing, they can get seriously injured. It's even possible to die.
So, any tasks involving an anchor require the highest level of finesse. When Harry watched over new bosun Nate Salmon as he started to lower and anchor before securing it, things went awry.
No one got hurt, but Harry skipped one important step. He didn't radio the Captain to keep him updated on his progress. This is something he definitely should have done. That was an error that could have led to disaster. The Captain, when he is radioed, can offer advice that might even be life-saving.
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Captain Jason's clearly on Harry's side and that's sweet, but he needs to be stern about reprimanding his lead deckhand if it's appropriate. The steps for tasks on these boats are designed to ensure safety. White boats and their accessories, including anchors, are very valuable. To avoid costly damage, and possible injuries, lead deckhands need to follow every single step.
The anchor ended up breaking loose and that's not good. Harry wasn't ready to handle the task of supervising on his own, and if his error did lead to disaster, he might lose his job. Another scenario is that he might live with regrets because he (or another person) was hurt.
Captain Jason Is Paternal With Harry
Is This Kind Of Leadership Appropriate?
It's endearing how Captain Jason's taken Harry under his wing. A leader should try to bring out the best in their underlings. However, he may give Harry more chances than he should. Captain Jason has fired people. In fact, that the "hearthrob" Harry could meet the same fate. However, in light of the bromance between Captain Jason and Harry, it's unlikely.
Captain Jason needs to set the tone for his entire crew. Every interaction creates a sort of onboard corporate culture. When one employee gets treatment that another doesn't receive, it never goes unnoticed. In fact, these things are remarkably transparent. Everyone intuitively understands who's getting special treatment. There's nothing covert about it.
Captain Jason Clearly Loves Spending Time With Harry
However, Harry Is Not His Son
Fans at Reddit enjoy the cute dynamic between the easygoing Captain and his young charge. It's like a father-son vibe as much as a true "bromance." Above, in a thread started by thefilthysweetheart, fans of Below Deck Down Under season 3 raved about how adorable it was when the two "argued about colors." Is a certain orange-y hue salmon or coral? These two have some opinions. While having fun at work is a good thing, it's possible that the lines are getting blurred. Ultimately, the process of running a yacht during a charter boat is business.
A business is a workplace, even on the high seas, and people are supposed to conduct themselves in polite and professional ways, and everyone is supposed to receive equal treatment.
In order to showcase fairness aboard the Katine, Captain Jason needs to treat everyone the same way, even if he likes Harry the most. This can be challenging. Like a royal court, any hierarchy is about a leader in charge and others jockeying for position. It's up to a leader to set the tone that hard work and professionalism are rewarded, rather than petty games to get ahead. If Captain Jason is fair, he'll always be respected.
Below Deck Down Under airs Mondays at 8 p.m. EDT on Bravo.
Sources: thefilthysweetheart/Reddit, Harry Van Vliet/Instagram
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