Provisional Bosun Storm Smith looks like he might blow a gasket from all of Deckhand Jason Gaskell‘s insubordination on superyacht Home. Since the outset, Jason hasn’t gotten along with his co-workers on deck in Below Deck Mediterranean season 7. Things only got worse when Jason told off Storm when he told him to tie a bowline knot. Here are five signs Jason quits Below Deck and who likely replaces him as the new deckhand.
1. There’s A New Replacement Deckhand For Below Deck Med Season 7
Reid Jenkins vacationing in Matla, where Below Deck Med season 7’s charter season took place, shortly after the show ended filming (Instagram).
All Instagram indications point to a mystery yachtie coming on to Below Deck Mediterranean season 7 to replace Jason. This will be the second decky to be replaced on Below Deck Med season 7. However, this new yachtie is not a former Below Deck cast member like Courtney Veale.
On Instagram, yachtie Reid Jenkins is followed by the show’s executive producer and many of the cast members from the show (including Courtney, Natalya, Natasha, Zee and Kyle). Unless it’s a major coincidence, it looks like Ried, from Nashville, Tennessee, is the replacement deckhand after Jason quits Below Deck Med season 7.
If that wasn’t enough evidence, he also posted himself in Malta vacationing in October of 2021, shortly after filming wrapped up for season 7 on the same Mediterranean island. He also left working 15 months on superyacht Excellence near the end of August 2021. That timeline matches midway through the charter season when Jason likely quit the show. Although there isn’t a smoking gun, all circumstantial evidence points to Reid replacing Jason as the new deckhand.
2. Jason Basically Tells Storm He’s Quitting In Below Deck Med Season 7 Previews
In the preview for Below Deck Med season 7, a brief clip shows Jason talking to Storm about how he doesn’t want to work as a deckhand on the charter season anymore. The clip also gave a clue that fired Bosun Raygan Tyler would also not make it through the season.
“I’m not jiving with you guys as a team,” Jason tells Storm in the preview clip.
“It sounds like you don’t want to be here,” Storm responds curtly.
“That’s literally what I’m saying,” Jason says back.
Unless there’s a twist, where Storm convinces Jason to stay, it looks like he’s shipping out from Malta.
3. Jason Says He Would Never Work With Storm Again
In early August, Jason went on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live to talk about his time on Below Deck Med season 7.
When Andy Cohen asked who Jason would never want to work with again other than Raygan he didn’t skip a beat.
“Storm, 100 percent. Never on a boat with him again. Ever. Ever,” Jason said with clear animosity in his voice.
When Andy followed up, Jason said their confrontation hadn’t yet transpired on the show.
“It hasn’t been aired.”
4. Jason Doesn’t Have The Same Sense Of Humor As His Crew Mates
The brief interactions we’ve seen of Jason on Below Deck Med season 7 shows he doesn’t really have a funny bone in his body.
When crewmates Zee Dempers and Courtney Veale crack jokes to one another Jason just stands their awkwardly, not joining in. Similarly in episode 7, there’s a clip of him taking a joke by Primary Kristina Rossetto‘s group of girls the wrong way about the yachties being for sale. Instead of laughing along, he matter-of-factly said, “I’m not for sale.”
“Jason just needs to go (yes, I know he does but now), he is adding nothing but attitude and insubordination when Storm really hasn’t done anything to deserve it,” said one Below Deck fan on Reddit.
“Jason is just miserable and at this point doesn’t care,” another fan joined in.
5. Jason Put His Instagram to Private
Following suit with Raygan, Jason’s Instagram is now set to private. Often Below Deck yachties who fire or quit will put their Instagram accounts to private to avoid the onslaught of dragging from fans.
Jason previously had his Instagram public, but a few weeks ago decided to put it private.
