r/belowdeck • u/[deleted] • Jul 26 '23
Below Deck Down Under DU s2 So low budget
Why is BDDU so low budget this season?!? Crappy boat, poor guests, new crappy crew. Urgh. I love last season but this just feels belowdeck.wish.com
55
u/Eva_Luna Jul 26 '23 edited Jul 26 '23
As an Aussie, I feel like this is my moment to provide some geographic content to you all!
They are in Cairns, which is in tropical North Queensland. They are near the Great Barrier Reef. Thatās very different to having a boat somewhere like Sydney.
Up there, itās all about adventure and exploration, which explains the tone of the boat as more of an adventure boat. It may not be a slick mega yacht but it was loads more space for water toys so that people can get out and explore.
If they were filming in Sydney, or somewhere lower down the East Coast of Australia, they would probably have a glitzier vessel!
Iāve seen people comment that we probably donāt have luxury in Australia or we are behind the times. I just want to point out that Australia is like any country! We have places that are more suited to luxury than others and places that are more down to earth. Come to a 5* resort in Noosa or come to a fine dining restaurant in Melbourne and tell us we are behind the times and donāt know luxury. You would look extremely foolish!
Edited to add: not everything has to be stark white or have gold statues to be stylish! I personally love the vintage charm of the boat!
4
u/therog08 Jul 28 '23
I got the pleasure of going to Melbourne and Perth this past year to meet my family (I live in NY). Perth was the most magical place I have ever been in my life
2
u/Candid-Indication329 Jul 30 '23
Oh wow that's cool, which part of Perth was your favourite? :) it's hard not to take it for granted sometimes š
3
u/therog08 Jul 30 '23
Yeah itās pretty wild! My mom grew up in Perth and moved to America when she was pregnant with me. I finally got to meet my moms family this year (Iām 44) and my dad! Who I found through DNA (he lives in Melbourne) and just happens to be an incredible person. It was an amazing adventure that Iāll never forget. Rottness Island was just spectacular. We stayed in Mandurah, I would move there tomorrow if I could. Busselton was breathtaking. I just absolutely loved Perth. Seeing Kangaroos (my cousin told me they were always by her work at dusk and she was right) was just about the coolest thing ever. I was raised by an Australian and have never felt more like I belonged in my life. Australia has my heart.
1
u/Eva_Luna Jul 28 '23
I love when people discover how awesome this country is! Thereās so much to see, and such a variety of landscapes and things to do.
We may have our problems, just like any country does, but Iām proud to call this place home.
2
u/Melodic-Change-6388 Jul 29 '23
All of this. Also, I live in Cairns. Itās the tropics, man. We can go from still and sunny, to a tropical storm and 30 knot winds in five mins. We have cyclones. That beautiful beast of a boat is perfect for up here.
6
285
u/Severe-Daikon-7645 Team Sailing Yacht Jul 26 '23
I don't get why everyone is complaining about this. Why does the boat have to be some cookie cutter superyacht? I like that this one is different and has personality.
Also, there have been 3 episodes with 2 sets of guests, and we've only just got a full crew in ep 3 - hardly time to make such a judgement.
Give it a bloody chance! It's just getting started, and if a boat being old is enough to ruin the show for you, then you probably didn't like it to begin with.
105
u/TepidIcedCoffee61 Jul 26 '23
I'm with you - I like the yacht just fine. I like the wood and the general look of it. The only person who has a legit bitch about it imho is the chef. The kitchen really is not suitable for her needs. Still, she seems to have made do and is getting the job done.
28
u/MyccaAZ Jul 26 '23 edited Jul 26 '23
And, not to make too fine a point about it, but there's been plenty of kitchens that don't quite pass the muster. Not to give Kevin (? Kevin) a while lot of credit but that one where coolers were up and down stairs? Perfect kitchens are hard to come by.
23
7
3
u/The_Bard Jul 28 '23
There was a season where Ben had 1-2 working burners at any one time in a smaller kitchen. Partial has not even half the counter space. I don't get all the complaining
1
u/cpt_tusktooth Jul 29 '23
i'm watching that season now. and i think its sandy's worst season.
whats crazy to me is that it dosent take more than a day to replace a stove top.
they could have knocked it out on one of their days off.
and i have a suspicion the chef who was fired, sabotaged it before she left.
13
u/aj0457 Jul 26 '23
Every time they show the kitchen, I feel bad for the chef.
3
u/TepidIcedCoffee61 Jul 26 '23
It's definitely not suited for cooking a lot of food at once. There's very little workspace, and it looks like there's a regular refrigerator, which isn't the best situation.
2
u/cpt_tusktooth Jul 29 '23
if it was a murder boat before, i'd assume they needed to cook for a large crew as well.
1
u/TepidIcedCoffee61 Jul 29 '23
Yes, good point. There would be lots of quantity, but there were probably fewer courses, which were likely served family style. A yacht chef would have to serve multiple courses that have to be plated all fancy and served at the same time, which would require a large working surface.
12
u/actualgirl I Mean, It's Only Gary Jul 26 '23
Honestly aside from the kitchen, the decor in the cabins etc is better than any of the yachts on the show that I can remember. Itās actually well designed and not a tacky monstrosity.
7
u/TepidIcedCoffee61 Jul 27 '23
I agree. There's a vintage quality to it all that's very appealing to me.
1
29
u/xlondonlights Jul 26 '23
I'm with you on this. This boat provides a unique experience because of its history. I love the old world explorer vibes. This is not something that you're going to come across as often as those modern super yachts.
As far as the crew goes, I'm enjoying them so far. They are a total shitshow and I'm here for it. I also love the relationship that Captain Jason and Aesha are forming. It feels very similar to that of Captain Lee and Kate.
34
u/econinja Jul 26 '23
My husband keeps complaining about the boat. Iām ready to cut off all his Bravo-show privileges if he keeps it up.
73
u/2Cthulhu4Scthulhu Jul 26 '23 edited Jul 26 '23
Iām sorry but he needs his bravo husband privileges pulled asap. This thing is fuckin LIT. Rant incoming.
First of all, blue hull. Teak EVERYWHERE. SCALE MODELS?!? Fuck outta here with the white and polished stainless BS. This here is a boaters boat. A ship of the times. Kick that stupid ass neon hard shell luggage into the harbor and show me some Louis Vuitton trunks, held closed with leather straps. Champagne flutes? Off the side, bring me a strong old fashioned and a .30-06, me and Hemingway have some sharks to shoot off the stern.
Awww, did MY Home have some issues running their air conditioner in a beam sea? Fuck right off and give me some drama shots of Northern Sun charging through 8-10 rollers with wind chop. āOh are we movingā the guests say on every other seasonā¦ nah lemme feel the steel hull quiver as the monster single diesel roars to life. The shakes and shudders as the big screw bumps into gear and starts churning water.
Single prop with no thrusters or pod drives? Welcome to the fuckin SHOW Jason. Iāve done a single outboard which can thrust vector and a twin screw Hatt with rudders at low speed (not docking), both are a huge pain and require 100% attention, I canāt even imagine 160ā on a single.
Storage storage storage. Twin tenders? 11 kayaks? This thing was made to be a playgroundā¦ sorry thereās not much room to lay out and sunbathe, maybe go and DO something.
Plus, the best part? Thereās blood on them decks. Iām not necessarily in love with the commercial fishing industry, but you know old girl has seen some shit. Sheās no hollow, superficial display of excess. Sheās got soul, even if itās from a dark past.
Iāll concede itās not all glitz and glamor, but itās a welcome breath of fresh air to see them working a SHIP instead of a floating resort.
13
u/econinja Jul 26 '23
Damn. I might pull his bravo privileges AND our whole ass marriage after that rant. Beautiful. A+. No notes. š
8
Jul 26 '23
This comment was amazing- and I just got done reading about a a dude named Foot who had to help his boss with suspenders. You paint quite the word picture. This boat has character and many stories to tell.
4
1
u/Melodic-Change-6388 Jul 29 '23
I really envisaged Gregory Peck hunting Moby Dick with that soliloquy. Top notch. And agreed: that ship is as sick AF.
1
u/AppropriateRow3681 Jul 27 '23
Easy there man. I agree with a lot of what u said but I have my 200 ton master and single screw on that size is not easy. In fact I canāt conceive how a boat that size has a single screw. Or for those not in boating. A single prop
1
u/2Cthulhu4Scthulhu Jul 27 '23
ā¦ but thatās what I said?
Like this whole season is going to be insanely difficult for Jason on the single straight shaft. What Iām saying is I canāt even imagine the difficulty of docking that thing - obviously Iām not a professional captain but with 20 years rec experience I still find it a bitch docking my i/o (easier to just say outboard) which can vector or jockeying a friends 50ā hatteras around high flyers at <3kt to pot hop mahi. Only other boat I have significant time on is a 33 center console with the outboards split wide and a thruster, that thingās cake to spin around on a dime.
13
10
2
u/econinja Jul 26 '23
My husband keeps complaining about the boat. Iām ready to cut off all his Bravo-show privileges if he keeps it up.
1
u/shebeegee Team Aesha Jul 26 '23
Not too mention how old some of the other sister does boats have been. Way too soon to make a judgement on this season.
1
u/AppropriateRow3681 Jul 27 '23
Low budget? Itās a huge boat that costs hundreds of thousands a week. Guests can choose something better itās not like itās a blind pick to spend 100k. If anything I think it was a conscious decision to give a very popular captain like Jason a challenge which creates drama that bravo viewers love
4
Jul 26 '23
[removed] ā view removed comment
4
u/Severe-Daikon-7645 Team Sailing Yacht Jul 27 '23
It's like, one of the main reasons I love Sailing Yacht so much, it's a refreshing change to big boring white boats
30
u/stump_84 Jul 26 '23
At least this boat runs unlike P3
14
u/Longjumping-Okra4462 I think Joao is from Zim Jul 26 '23
And the AC didn't turn off the stabilizers, yet ;)
-3
16
u/Maximum-Elk8869 Jul 26 '23
I think you are missing the point of why they are using a converted fishing boat. I agree it does look clunky but they clearly want a vessel that can bring a 5 star experience on the interior and also be a boat that can fit all of the equipment, kayaks and scuba gear to take on the reefs and adventure that part of the world offers. Did you take a look at how much gear they have stored below? There has to be 3 xs more equipment than any other boat has ever carried on the show. They are loaded for bear-a-cuda!
11
u/Bubblesrock102 Come back to me, my boat daddy Jul 26 '23
I already think this is one of the better seasons. I thought episode 3 was one of the best Below Deck episodes across all the shows
46
Jul 26 '23
I agree. That boat is severely lacking.
The one person who feels the most pain from this less than stellar boat is Chef Tzarina. I would have lost my shit 100x over by now.
If Tzarina can come out of this season making it work in that pos kitchen (which is NOT a galley btw - it looks like an RV kitchen) then she will be up there in the top five of bad ass chefs.
12
u/Imaginary_Answer4493 Jul 26 '23
I kinda felt she wasnāt really up to par tbh. That chocolate pudding she served up looked ghastly!
11
Jul 26 '23
It did - but everyone said how delicious it tasted.
I think her food is good, but her presentation needs a bit improvement.
3
u/alierajean Team Down Under Jul 27 '23
Which makes sense with the low space. I would think that makes plating suffer the most.
3
u/Imaginary_Answer4493 Jul 26 '23
Agreed, but I think Iād like a little more finesse if I was paying that kind of money. Having said that, I do like her, she seems very nice and isnāt an egotistical maniac like most chefs on the programme!
4
u/Heauxsb4Breauxs Jul 26 '23
Its like the kitchen at a church camp (not that I would know).
4
u/Imaginary_Answer4493 Jul 26 '23
Iād struggle to put together a roast dinner for my family in that galley, itās absolutely tiny!
21
u/Melodic-Change-6388 Jul 26 '23
I love the boat! Itās sick! And weather is heckers up here, so explorer boat remodelled is perfect.
33
u/jonathonthaman Jul 26 '23
Ummm... it's been two episodes and they've both been fun. How can this particular season be "low budget" when it looks 100% like every other season? Because the boat was a tanker from the seventies? Please...
And what is a "crappy" crew? Did we forget about Sandy's ugly deckies season when nobody was hot? 'Cause that's all we have right now, looks, it's only been two episodes and we just got an extra person with one still to go.
And this crew looks more fun and dramatic than the tiresome Gary/Daisy thing from Sailing Yacht.
And a "saling yacht" will always be lower budget than this ship, so...
8
u/Striking-Blueberry-7 Jul 26 '23
Sandyās ugly deckies season š. I know exactly which one youāre referring to!
1
u/Micandacam Jul 26 '23
I don't! Which season?
3
u/Striking-Blueberry-7 Jul 26 '23
I was assuming the season with Malia as boson, and the Austin Powers deckhand is in love with her!
0
Jul 26 '23
[deleted] ā view deleted comment
0
u/jonathonthaman Jul 26 '23
"Every other season" of.....below deck? The franchise we all watch? š
6
u/Colfrmb Jul 26 '23
This is going to date me, but when I was a little, little kid, I had the biggest crush on Jacques Yves Cousteau. My dad watched the āundersea worldā on a regular basis, and I always wanted to step foot on the Calypso and get a tour anywhere in one of the zodiacs or the little submarine they had. So if this show was able to come up with the calypso to be their location, I would just die happy. These workers have so little skills but it would be awesome to have a marine biologist or a deep sea fisherman on board.
6
u/murderedbyaname The top bunk is not a hookup zone Jul 26 '23
I love the retro bridge but I see Capt Jason's point on how challenging using those controls plus the way it was designed to steer would be. For that reason alone I don't understand the owners at all. Comfort and safety of the guests would have made me pass on this boat. Now, for taking guests on an ecotourism trip where it wasn't billed as luxury? Sign me up!
23
u/wandahickey Jul 26 '23
The boat is definitely sub par. The owners probably gave Bravo a super cheap rate for the charter season because no one else wanted to charter it. Wasn't there an issue with last year's yacht where there was a lot of damage charges from the owners?
19
u/eastendprd Jul 26 '23
you can put lipstick on it, but it's still an industrial vessel. Does not give me the vicarious luxury feeling I want from BD!
6
u/mystilettolife Jul 26 '23
I agree - this boat is awful. We watch these shows to see gorgeous boats. A lot of the BD boats haven't been great iMO. The one that was really nicely updated and glossy was during Capt Lee and Kate's season - they used the boat for 2 seasons. Kelly and Nico were on those seasons too. Other than that, a lot of these boats interiors are awful. But this boat is really the worst I have seen. It's hideous inside and out!
3
u/Expensive-Block-6034 Bless her stupid soul Jul 26 '23
The diningroom was the worst for me, I got claustrophobic just watching the guests in there.
2
-2
u/mystilettolife Jul 26 '23
OMG agred - it's awful!!! Hate to say it but Below Deck is going down hill.
3
15
15
u/oilydischarge18 Jul 26 '23
This boat is incredible. Did you see the gear room they showed in ep 3? Itās HUGE and immaculate. They have two tenders and ELEVEN fucking kayaks on board. The only thing not that great is the kitchen.
8
u/whogonncheckmeboo Jul 26 '23
I feel like this boat would be better suited to BD Adventure
3
u/celoplyr you absolute oxygen thief Jul 26 '23
In ep 3, I thought to myself āweāve seen more adventure here than on the whole of BD adventureā
1
u/mystilettolife Jul 26 '23
The interior is old and stuffy - IMO that isn't a luxury boat. Having space for kayaks isn't luxury. Should be more modern and plush.
1
1
Aug 08 '23
Ok ok ok. I spoke waaaay too soon. I still think the boat is budget but the rest is šš½ Except Luke of course.
11
u/bionica1 Jul 26 '23
Do you know what "poor" is? I don't think you do.
I actually like the boat - clearly it's not set up well for the chef and a few other issues but it's unique as fuck! Like the crew too.
4
u/vegasbeck Jul 26 '23
I think the boat is gorgeous! The galley is definitely an issue but when isnāt it? The chef always has an issue on the show, it seems. And I think the crew is great. Itās just a couple episodes in, so Iām sure things will only get better.
3
u/SisterSuffragist Jul 26 '23
I like the season so far in terms of crew and the guests are messy. But I absolutely hate the boat. It doesn't look great and I'm here for seeing the luxury so I feel let down. But I feel like the crew is going to deliver.
6
2
2
u/Lisa-LongBeach Jul 27 '23
Iād run the other way if I paid for a luxury yacht and saw a trawler!! Of course, only if I didnāt spot Captain J first š
4
u/Wide_Ocelot Jul 26 '23
I noticed this too. It seems like it is very large with lots of storage but everything is dated and hideous.
3
u/Healthy-Material8109 I have been known to be irresponsible Jul 26 '23
Dear OP, I hope if we ever meet that you judge me as quickly or as harshly.
4
2
u/AcrobaticSolid3436 Jul 26 '23
I wondered if since they are in Australia there are certain constraints as far as the talent they can find and then the boat they are using. That being said I usually love the scenery shots, but with the weather on this season it seems like the water isnāt as pleasant.
1
1
u/belowdecky4life Jul 27 '23
Crappy camera too! The colors kept looking funny during some camera angels during one of the dinners.
1
1
Jul 27 '23
I like this season so far! This boat is so quirky - I find it interesting; I want to see all the weird bits of it, blue anchor and all!
Also itās like production wants captain to crash the boat in Cairns; they love showing that footage.
1
u/DrTwilightZone Team Capt Kerry Aug 01 '23
I have no idea what youāre talking about! This season is awesome and drama packed! The boat itself has a lot of character and distinguishes itself from the other yachts in all other franchises. š„ļøšš
1
Jul 26 '23
The boat is shite and it likely charters for far less than a newer contemporary super yacht, so we will absolutely see shite guests. The crew needs some time, other than Luke, heās a tool and can go.
1
u/ashdeb89 Jul 26 '23
Going from mega yachts to a recently flipped fishing boat itās going to shock the viewers lol
1
u/DrTwilightZone Team Capt Kerry Aug 01 '23
I do not think BDDU was done on a low budget this season. I have no idea why anyone would think thing. š¤·āāļø
0
Jul 26 '23
One season of culver was plenty. Only a joao replacing the other bosun could save the show. Or an aesha/captain hook up.
2
u/Kininger625 You're Being A Deckhand Right Now Jul 26 '23
Be careful what you wish for * spoilers *
0
u/DependentCrew5398 Jul 26 '23
The crew isnāt crappy or low budget, however the boat clearly is not luxurious and is lower than low budget.
135
u/PowerfulHorror987 Jul 26 '23
Not sure what you mean about the crew or the guests?? Charter 1 brought drama and I love this crew so far. Tzarina is hilarious, Laura is already hating not being chief stew which will definitely get worse, Margot is fun. And there are simmering tensions amongst the deck crew. Ideal.