Below Deck‘s Kate Chastain and Captain Lee Rosbach formed a strong bond while filming the show — but they have lost touch since leaving the franchise.
During Us Weekly‘s Below Deck cover story, Kate, 42, offered an update on her friendship with Lee, 75, saying, “I moved away from Fort Lauderdale and obviously we don’t work on boats together anymore.”
Kate noted that she hasn’t spoken to Lee recently.
“But he was always such a big part of my life that we’ve lost touch a little bit,” she added. “But I wish him very well.”
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After joining Below Deck in season 2, Kate’s experience on the show was solely working alongside Captain Lee, which brought them close throughout the years. Kate exited the series in 2020 and Lee, who was on the show since it debuted, surprised fans when he confirmed his exit three years later.
Kate and Lee transitioned to Couch Talk With Captain Lee and Kate, which aired for one season in 2023. On Below Deck, Lee was subsequently replaced with Captain Kerry Titheradge — but not before Captain Sandy Yawn briefly filled in for him when Lee had health issues during his last season on the show.
After Lee publicly questioned how Sandy, 60, ran things in his absence, Kate showed support for them both.
“I think that Sandy is a really talented captain. She always has been. I think she drives the boat the best out of any captain in any Below Deck franchise,” Kate told Us in June 2024. “I don’t think that any of Lee’s criticisms of her were necessarily fair [or] warranted.”
Kate made it clear she was determined to remain neutral, saying, “Just like with any other friends, I’m not going to take sides or end a friendship if that’s not how I feel.”
The former chief stew’s comments on her individual friendships with Sandy and Lee came one month after Kate attended Sandy’s 2024 nuptials to Leah Shafer. While speaking with Us for a cover story celebrating Below Deck, Kate named Sandy as one of the people she would like to work with on screen.
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“From the moment that I saw her 1st season,” Kate told Us. “I think a lot of people who haven’t worked in yachting don’t understand this. She is an incredible captain in the Mediterranean vs. other parts of the world, specifically the way they park a boat. It’s like backing into a parking spot. It’s called Med mooring. She does that so well. It’s really impressive.”
Kate expressed her admiration for Captain Sandy.
“I think she’s a very good captain, and I love to work with her chef,” she continued about her dream team. “Ben [Robinson], of course, would be my chef, and I think for my interior team. I would like to choose all-star chief stews.”
Kate added: “Let’s bring Fraser [Olender] and Daisy [Kelliher] and Aesha [Scott], and let’s have the four of us do it. I volunteer to be in the laundry room. I love it. The laundry room you just get to chill out and not see guests. And then for the deck room — who really cares. I would have a golden retriever.”
For more from Kate, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.
