Captain Lee's Replacement Has Below Deck Fans Majorly Disappointed

When fans saw Captain Lee Rosbach early on in "Below Deck" Season 10, they could tell right away that he wasn't at his best. The normally robust captain was seen limping and using a cane for support. He revealed that he had back surgery prior to coming on this season and was on the mend. However, as the season progressed, Rosbach had difficulty moving around the boat and told cameras, "My injury, it's getting worse. The left side of my body, I don't feel anything. I expected a lot more progress than I'm experiencing, and the most frustrating part about it is, I can't do a goddamn thing about it, and it's hard," per Bravo.

As Rosbach's ability to do his job affected the safety of the boat, he had to make a tough decision. In "Below Deck" Season 10, Episode 4 ("The Thunder from Down Under"), he sat the crew down for a meeting and told them, "As you guys know, I've been struggling with my mobility ... so I've made a decision to leave the boat." Fans watched as the crew received the news with tears in their eyes. Their "boat daddy" told them that he had every intention to come back, but everyone already had one big question on their minds: Who was going to replace the inimitable captain?

In "Below Deck" Season 10, Episode 5 ("His Watch Has Ended"), fans learned that Captain Lee Rosbach had called upon Captain Sandy Yawn to take his place for the time being. "Captain Sandy came in [and] bailed me out in a tough situation and I appreciate her efforts," Rosbach tweeted, following the airing of the episode. "It's what we do. So glad to see you in much better health now. Stay well, my friend," she replied.

Fans of the "Below Deck" franchise will no doubt recognize Yawn from "Below Deck Mediterranean." Notably, Yawn has been criticized in the past for being too hard on her crew. In fact, longtime viewers will likely remember her tumultuous relationship with Malia White in Seasons 2, 5, and 6 of the spin-off series. Given that history, the decision was not met well with fans. "Just when I thought the worst part of #belowdeck was gonna be Captain Lee leaving the boat ... Captain Sandy joins the crew," a fan tweeted. "I cannot believe Captain YAWN is on the regular Below Deck and took over for Lee. So disappointed ... I won't watch now. So sad. The downfall of #BelowDeck," another wrote. 

The good news is "Below Deck" viewers can expect Rosbach back to finish out the season. "I made a promise to the crew before I left that I would be back before they were done, before the season was over, and I would walk on board by myself unassisted. I'm happy to say that I was able to fulfill the promise," the so-called "Stud of the Sea" shared with People. Until then, viewers will just have to make do with Yawn.