Fast Links
Although Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4 introduced new cast members, Colin MacRae has carried the season. Despite an action-packed Below Deck season 10, the show ended in disappointment as Bravo announced that there would be no reunion special. The decision denied fans the opportunity to revisit some of the unresolved issues that came up during the season. Thankfully, the network didn’t allow the fans’ discontentment to linger for too long, as season 4 of Below Deck Sailing Yacht premiered shortly after April 10.
The season saw the return of Captain Glenn Shephard alongside his trusted deputies. Chief Stew Daisy Kelliher, first mate Gary King, and Chief Engineer Colin MacRae returned. Five new faces also joined The OG cast members, including Chef ILeisha Dell, deckhands Chase Lemacks and Alex Propson, and stews Lucy Edmunds and Mads Herrera. Although it is still early, the show has given fans a fair share of drama and fun. Nevertheless, amidst all of the action, one cast member who has been winning fans over is Chief Engineer Colin MacRae.
Colin Saved The Below Deck Sailing Yacht Charter Season
With the Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4 finale close by, Chief Engineer Colin MacRae has emerged as the clear fan favorite. He first garnered huge praises thanks to his heroic showings during the premiere episode. All the excitement from fans ahead of the season premiere was quickly replaced by fear and apprehension during the first episode when the engine of the Parsifal III failed — thereby leaving the crew stuck on the docks. With the first charter guests on board, engineers determined that fixing the problem would require weeks to resolve.
The engine problem posed the real threat of the season being completely derailed before it even began. Colin swung into action and devised a workaround that caused the engine to come back on. Despite not having any engine rebuild kit, Colin touted his experience salvaging engines. The Chief engineer wanted a quick fix rather than an entire rebuild.
Colin removed the injectors and filled the engine with diesel before sucking it out later. However, after the first failed re-start, the engine came to life. Colin’s heroics earned him massive praise from Below Deck fans, with many of them hailing him as the savior of the charter season. A Twitter user Helna_Handbskt wrote:
I hope Colin gets a bonus for that valiant job of getting that motor going.. legend! #belowdecksailing #belowdeck
This didn’t surprise most fans who know about Colin’s impressive resume as a long-time sailor. He has over a decade of working experience as a Chief Engineer on superyachts before his casting on Below Deck Sailing Yacht. He also has experience salvaging engines and restored a hurricane-damaged boat in 2018.
Colin Intervened Between Gary and Chase
When Colin was not saving the season with his technical know-how, he was turning up for his friends. The engineer was quelling disputes that threatened to disrupt the harmony on the boat by displaying wisdom beyond his years. This occurred when he had to handle a challenging situation with his friend Gary King and newcomer Chase Lemacks. Gary was away from the start of the charter season, but once he got on board, he was eager to stamp his authority on his team. However, this made him constantly buttheads with Chase. The newcomer was keen to express himself and prove his credentials on the Parsifal III without any restrictions.
During the episode, Gary and Chase repeatedly clash, forcing Colin to wade into the situation. While speaking to Colin, Gary claimed Chase doesn’t listen to instructions. Despite his much lower rank, he liked acting like a “Mr. Know.” Surprisingly, Colin didn’t take sides. Instead, he tried to make Gary see Chase’s strengths and how they could be exploited for good. Later in a confessional, Colin expounds on the issue by saying,
“Chase has got huge potential. If harnessed in the right way, he’s gonna be the biggest asset on deck. But that’s gonna require some guidance and leadership from Gary.”
He ends his lengthy speech by adding,
“Gary needs to just man up.”
Colin’s Mature Attitude
Another thing that has endeared Colin to Below Deck fans is his display of maturity so far this season. Colin has kept a cool head and managed to avoid all the drama around the boat. He displayed much wisdom in handling the situation between Gary and Chase. More importantly, he has displayed a lot of restraint when hooking up with some female crew members, especially the stews. The new stews, Lucy Edmunds and Mads Herrera, came in hot this season, attracting much attention from the male crew members. However, Colin refused to look their way.
During a conversation with chief stew Daisy in episode 5, he claimed he wasn’t attracted to any of the girls. Colin won’t move near them because they are too young. Colin demonstrated his strong character in that episode by advising Alex against leaving Mads alone with Gary. He said,
“Leaving the girl you like in the hot tub with Gary is like waving a banana in front of a monkey and expecting him not to eat it.”
Fans have been impressed with Colin’s all-around display this season and have been fawning over him on social media. While commenting on a post-episode 5 discussion thread on Reddit, most of the show’s fans heaped praise on Colin and dubbed him the star of the show. Fans were particularly impressed with how he had handled himself around the stews, with one user, throwaway7845777, writing,
“Just when I thought Colin couldn’t get any more attractive, he said the stews were a little too young. That’s a man!”
Below Deck Fans Love Colin’s Romance With Daisy Kelliher
The trailer for Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 4 hinted at a potential love triangle between Colin, Daisy, and Gary. The whole idea of a love triangle involving the trio caught the fanbase off guard because of their history of friendship. More importantly, Gary and Daisy’s boatman has been a significant storyline in the last two seasons, and fans expected them to make their relationship official this season.
However, Colin’s reported split from his real-life girlfriend threw him into the mix and set the stage for a massive showdown between the friends. So heading into the season, there was a lot of excitement, and the last few episodes have shown the buildup of some sexual tension between Colin and Daisy. On the post-episode discussion thread on Reddit, most Below Deck fans expressed their delight at the brewing romance between the two. While reacting to the thread, one user, TopAsh625, commented,
“I felt true sexual tension at the moment they were discussing hookups for the first time .. it always felt more friend vibes.”
Another fan, youngrtnow, gushed,
“It’s so natural it’s INSANE. Even I blushed when he said “you” when discussing who he could hook up with on the boat.”
This is just the beginning, as the trailer hinted at much more drama between the trio as the season unfolds. However, fans’ have already pinned Colin as a clear favorite. Many are massively rooting for him to get the girl at the end of the day. However, they would have to stay glued to their screens to monitor how that situation evolves through the season.