If you’ve spent any time scrolling through the Below Deck Mediterranean archives, you probably remember the sudden appearance of Delaney Evans. She was the flame-haired deck-stew who stepped onto the Lady Michelle in Season 6 during one of the most chaotic interior meltdowns in the show’s history. Honestly, it was a mess. Chief Stew Katie Flood was drowning because Lexi Wilson wasn’t pulling her weight, and the solution was to bring in a fourth stew.
But here’s the thing: Delaney wasn’t really a stew.
Usually, when a new cast member joins mid-season, they’re either a savior or a total disaster. Delaney was sort of both, depending on who you asked. She walked in with a resume that basically promised she could do everything, but the reality of her five-day stint was way more complicated. She became the focal point of a massive debate about whether she was "faking" her experience or if she was just a victim of bad timing and a very stressed-out boss.
The Resume Drama That Hooked Us All
Let's get into the nitty-gritty of why Delaney Below Deck is still a talking point. When she boarded the yacht, she told Captain Sandy and Katie that she was "more of a deckhand." This was a huge red flag because Katie specifically asked for a fourth stew to help with the laundry and service backlog.
If you look back at the footage, the confusion was almost painful. Delaney’s resume apparently listed both deck and stew experience, but once she was in the laundry room, it was clear she was out of her depth. She didn't know the specifics of high-end service, and while she was valedictorian of her high school and graduated from UC Berkeley, those academic credentials don't help much when you’re trying to figure out the "yacht way" to fold a fitted sheet under pressure.
- The Claim: 7 to 9 years of "etiquette training."
- The Reality: Fans (and the crew) were skeptical. Etiquette training for a debutante—which Delaney has mentioned—is very different from silver service for billionaire charter guests.
- The Deck Skill: She actually had sailing experience from her time in San Francisco, but Malia White, the Bosun, didn't have a spot for her.
The disconnect between what the boat needed and what Delaney actually brought to the table created this weird, awkward tension. Katie Flood was already so stressed that adding a "trainee" felt like more work than just doing the job herself. You could see the internal struggle on Katie's face every time she looked at Delaney. It wasn't that Delaney was a bad person; she just wasn't the "plug and play" professional they needed at that exact second.
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Why Katie Flood Sent Her Packing (So Fast)
One charter. That’s all Delaney got. It has to be some kind of record for the shortest stay on Below Deck Med that didn't involve a medical emergency or a firing for bad behavior.
Katie’s decision to let her go was polarizing. On one hand, the interior was falling apart. On the other, the cabin situation was a total nightmare. Because of maritime laws and vessel-specific layouts, Delaney couldn't just sleep anywhere. The production team and the captain had to shuffle everyone around, and Chef Mathew Shea—who was already a bit of a loose cannon—was furious about having to move.
Basically, Delaney was the "extra" person who made everyone's life harder logistically, even if she was trying to help. Katie eventually realized that she’d rather work with a smaller, more cohesive team (even if it meant more work for her and Courtney Veale) than manage someone who needed constant supervision.
"I just feel like I'm babysitting," Katie famously said.
It was a tough call. When Katie sat Delaney down to tell her she was being let go, it was surprisingly civil, but the aftermath on social media was anything but. Delaney didn't hide the fact that she felt the crew wasn't welcoming. She later told Monsters and Critics that her experience was "not easy" and she definitely felt like an outsider from day one.
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The Infamous "Copy-Paste" Text Message
If you want to know why the crew's opinion of her soured after she left, you have to look at the "text gate." After she departed the Lady Michelle, Delaney sent a goodbye text to the deck crew.
The problem? She sent the exact same message to everyone.
Mzi "Zee" Dempers, Lloyd Spencer, and David Pascoe all realized they’d received a generic, copy-pasted "it was great working with you" note. In the yachting world—and especially on reality TV where everyone is "family" after three days—this was seen as a major cold move. David Pascoe, who had a bit of a flirtation with Delaney during her short stay, was particularly miffed. It felt impersonal and sort of proved to the crew that she wasn't as invested in the "team" as they were.
Where is Delaney Evans Now?
So, did she give up on boats after being let go by Katie Flood? Not even close.
Honestly, it looks like Delaney is doing way better in the real maritime world than she ever did on reality TV. Shortly after the show aired, she made the move to Hawaii, which was a lifelong dream of hers. As of 2026, she's been thriving in the Pacific.
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Instead of struggling in a laundry room on a mega-yacht, she’s been running a 70-foot sportfishing boat. This is much more her speed. It’s deck-heavy, involves actual navigation, and allows her to be outside. She’s also been doing day charters and party charters, which honestly sounds a lot more fun than scrubbing toilets on the Lady Michelle.
- She got her Captain's License: She worked toward her 200-ton license, proving that her "deck" claims on the show weren't just fluff.
- Life in Hawaii: She frequently shares updates from her life in the islands, where she seems much more at peace than she was in the Mediterranean.
- The Social Feud: While things were heated for a while with David Pascoe, most of that has cooled off. They’ve moved on, though it’s safe to say they aren’t best friends.
The Takeaway: Was She a "Plant"?
There's always the theory that Delaney was a production "plant" designed to stir up drama during the Lexi Wilson saga. While casting did reach out to her years before she actually appeared, it's more likely she was just a victim of the show's "green" hiring practices. Production loves to hire people who are slightly under-qualified because it creates "teachable moments" (read: drama).
Delaney’s stint on Below Deck Med serves as a bit of a cautionary tale. In the professional world—especially one as intense as yachting—padding your resume might get you through the door, but the truth comes out the second you're asked to do a turnaround service or dock a boat in high winds.
If you’re looking to break into the industry like Delaney tried to, here are the real-world steps you should take based on her experience:
- Be hyper-specific on your CV: Don't just say "Deck/Stew." If you have 90% deck experience and 10% stew experience, say that. It prevents you from being thrown into a laundry room when you belong on the bow.
- Understand the cabin logistics: On smaller yachts, your presence isn't just about your work; it's about where you sleep. If you're a mid-season replacement, be prepared for "cabin fever" to be directed at you.
- Personalize your exits: If you ever want to work in the same circles again, skip the copy-paste texts. Yachting is a tiny world.
Delaney Evans might have had one of the shortest runs in the franchise, but she proved that you don't need a full season to make a lasting impression. Whether she was a misunderstood deckhand or an over-eager rookie, she’s clearly found her footing in Hawaii, far away from Katie Flood's laundry lists.
Next Steps for Fans: If you're curious about how the rest of the Season 6 crew handled the "three-stew" struggle after Delaney left, you can re-watch the final charters on Peacock. It really highlights just how much pressure Katie was under when she made that final "firing" call.