This season of Below Deck Down Under has witnessed significant turmoil stemming from Bosun Wihan du Toit’s antics onboard the motor yacht Katina. His ongoing unprofessional conduct raises questions about his tenure, and many speculate that his termination may be imminent before the season concludes. Hailing from South Africa, Wihan made his reality TV debut in Season 3 of this series, taking on the role of Bosun, where he leads a deck crew composed of Harry Van Vliet, Johnny Arvanitis, and Adair Werley.
Wihan’s disruptive behavior has cast a shadow over the crew’s experience, affecting not only him but also his fellow team members. Similar to previous cast members like Gary King and Ashton Pienaar, Wihan struggles to balance his responsibilities with his evident desire for enjoyment aboard the yacht. His self-centeredness not only increases the workload for his colleagues but also places them in discomforting situations.
Wihan’s Love Triangle Causes Tension
Romantic Entanglements with Crew Members
From the outset of Season 3, Wihan’s romantic pursuits have been front and center, particularly his interests in Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph and steward Marina Marcondes de Barros. After initiating a kiss with Tzarina, Wihan went on a date with Marina, which included another kiss. Chief Stew Lara Rigby expressed concern about his distractions, emphasizing that mixing work with such romantic episodes could lead to complications.
Ultimately, Wihan abandoned both Tzarina and Marina on the same night but later reignited a kiss with Tzarina after encountering her in a corridor while intoxicated. Lara’s frustrations grew as she felt Wihan was leading Tzarina on, despite his claims that it was all in good fun.
Wihan’s disregard for professional boundaries has forced his colleagues into awkward situations. His self-absorbed nature risks not just his own career but also the dynamics of the crew, prompting speculation about whether Captain Jason will take action against him in the coming episodes.
Lack of Respect from His Team
Harry Steps Up to Fill the Void
Throughout the series, Wihan’s capability as a leader has come into question. His focus on romantic interests has distracted him from effectively performing his duties, and this has not gone unnoticed by the crew. Even Captain Jason Chambers intervened, cautioning Wihan about the necessity for him to establish discipline among the team, who were struggling without strong leadership.
Deckhand Harry has been particularly vocal about Wihan’s shortcomings in this area. He highlighted the absence of clear schedules, which led to confusion about who was responsible for various tasks. Harry famously remarked, “This isn’t The Bachelor, it’s a yacht,”underscoring that their primary focus should be on their work, rather than personal relationships. When Harry raised concerns with Captain Jason about Wihan’s leadership failures, Wihan responded defensively, claiming Harry lacked loyalty.
Despite ongoing conflicts with team members, Wihan appeared oblivious to the team’s morale issues. In a particularly telling moment, he suggested that “someone needs to take control”when confronted by the crew, illustrating his disconnect from the situation.
Amidst their back-and-forth conflicts, Harry proposed a solution by asking Wihan to document their schedules more clearly to avoid misunderstandings. However, Wihan dismissed the request, asserting that it wasn’t “rocket science,”showing his annoyance at having his authority questioned. Interestingly, Harry isn’t the only crew member who has held Wihan accountable. Tzarina expressed her concerns gently, while Lara addressed him more bluntly, stating outright that he had lost the respect of his team.
The confrontation left Wihan momentarily stunned as Lara articulated the truth he was resisting, prompting him to deflect blame onto others instead of acknowledging his missteps.
Inappropriate Conduct Towards Adair
Crossing Professional Boundaries
Perhaps Wihan’s most troubling behavior has been his pursuit of Adair, who is not only a member of his crew but also his subordinate. After his romantic endeavors with Tzarina and Marina fizzled out, Wihan shifted his focus to Adair, making his advances even more inappropriate given their employer-employee relationship.
When Wihan expressed his feelings for Adair during a work shift, she attempted to maintain professionalism, politely declining his advances. In a private confession, Adair humorously noted that Wihan wasn’t her type, which only complicated matters further.
“Oh my god. Wihan and I are a great team, but he just doesn’t really seem like my type of guy. I want my guy to have a nice southern accent and drive a big lifted truck. Do you think Wihan’s gonna pull up and roll the window down in the lifted King Ranch? No. Wihan drives a Mini Cooper.”
Despite Adair’s attempts to clarify the nature of their working relationship, Wihan continued to escalate the situation by writing her a love letter. In this letter, he awkwardly blended work with personal feelings, making matters even more complicated.
“Adair, while country music is playing in the background, clearly those beautiful green eyes and beautiful smile has taken over and all I’m thinking about is the next time I’m seeing you again… Adair, I know we are working together and spending a lot of time together. I want to keep it professional at all times, but I won’t lie and say I don’t have feelings for you.”
Though Adair perceived the letter as “sweet,”Wihan’s actions still placed her in an awkward position. This favoritism has the potential to disrupt crew dynamics, as most team members are focused on their jobs and not on personal relationships aboard the yacht.
Wihan’s relationship with Adair has already yielded negative consequences. He opted to hang out with her and attend to cabin cleaning instead of fulfilling his dinner service responsibilities. Consequently, they missed crucial radio calls from the rest of the crew. In contrast, Harry stepped up to support the service and even contributed to a game designed for the guests, embodying the leadership qualities that Wihan has neglected.
Unless Wihan can refocus on his leadership role, both the crew’s success and guest satisfaction are at risk. If his poor conduct continues, Captain Jason is likely to take decisive action, as maintaining high performance standards is essential for a successful charter experience.
Don’t miss new episodes of Below Deck Down Under, airing Mondays at 9 p.m. EDT on Bravo, and available for streaming the following day on Peacock.