Below Deck: Why Kyle Stillie Remained Ben Willoughby’s Best Deckhand?
Kyle Stillie was Ben Willoughby’s best deckhand throughout Below Deck season 11, and he should return for season 12. Below Deck season 11 was his first stint with the franchise, and he joined as a deckhand under Bosun Jared Woodin, who was fired. Captain Kerry Titheradge promoted Ben Willoughby to Bosun, and Ben led the deck team for the rest of the season. Kyle was a reliable crew member for Ben. He was eager to learn and adapted well to the ebb and flow of work on St. David, making him a great deckhand for Ben.
The deckhand formed great relationships with all of his crew members. However, he was arguably closest to Ben and Stew Barbie Pascual.Kyle formed a boatmance with Barbie. They had a natural connection that she was worried about her father watching back on TV. Kyle and Barbie worked through issues on Below Deck season 11 and had a cute relationship. While he was involved in a boatmance, he always did an exceptional job as a deckhand. Kyle was a great addition to the season, and it’s unclear if he’s returning for Below Deck season 12.
Kyle Followed Orders & Learned From His Fellow Deckhands
Kyle Was A Great Addition To The Exterior Team
Going into Below Deck season 11, Kyle didn’t have an extensive history in the yachting industry. Per his Bravo TV bio, he hailed from Scotland with one year of yachting experience. He had a lively personality that brought a lot of positive energy to the crew. Right off the bat, Kyle was eager and ready to learn from his deck team colleagues. He grew extremely close to Ben, who was able to teach him a lot. Kyle’s energy was infectious and brought such a high level of morale among the crew of St. David.
He was the lowest-ranking deckhand, but this didn’t bother him. Kyle wasn’t interested in moving up the ranks to feed into his ego. He was on Below Deck season 11 to learn from those around him and gain more experience. When Sunny Marquis was promoted to Ben’s lead deckhand, he was happy for her. On the contrary, Dylan Pierre De Villiers got extremely upset when Sunny was promoted and spread rumors that she only got the job because she was sleeping with Ben. There was never any ill will in Kyle’s heart throughout Below Deck season 11.
Kyle Didn’t Get Caught Up In The Drama
Kyle Was Cool, Calm, & Collected
Kyle was careful not to get involved in the drama among the crew of St. David. He did everything to avoid conflict, but Jared dragged him into strife after a night out. The deckhand was smoking by the hot tub and dropped some ash, which upset Jared. He demanded Kyle clean up his mess that night, and Captain Kerry was awakened by Jared’s drunken antics. The next morning, he asked Kyle for his take on the night. When he spoke with Captain Kerry, Kyle took responsibility for his part in their fight.
“I’m not throwing anybody under the bus.”
Kyle admitted that he “left a mess” but was clear not to blame Jared when speaking with Captain Kerry. The Bosun had made many mistakes up to that point, and his mistreatment of Kyle was the final nail in the coffin, and he was fired. He’s the only crew member from Below Deck season 11 that wasn’t villainous. Kyle’s boatmance with Barbie was his only instance of being involved in drama. However, Ben was the one stirring up conflict in St. David in support of Kyle.
After Kyle and Barbie first hooked up, she ignored him. She was worried about what her conservative father would think about her boatmance with Kyle. Ben saw how Barbie’s actions affected his friend, and he argued with her over it. The Bosun said that Barbie was “pushing the kid aside” and needed to have a conversation with him. Kyle didn’t ask Ben to fight his battles for him, and their fight was uncalled for. Luckily, Barbie ended up clearing things up with Kyle, and they ended up on better terms.
Kyle Was A Perfect Fit With The Rest Of The Below Deck Season 11 Crew
Kyle Was The Life Of The Party
“Kyle made a perfect addition to the crew of Below Deck season 11. He had authentic friendships with everyone on board. The Scottie was the life of the party during every night out that the crew had.”
He meshed with the deck team seamlessly but also forged relationships with the interior crew. It appears that Kyle is still close with Ben, Sunny, and Dylan, as he shares pictures with them on his Instagram. He would fit in well with any other deck team on any other season of Below Deck due to his great personality.
Is Kyle Coming Back For Below Deck Season 12?
There Are Rumors That Kyle Is Making His Below Deck Return
There has been no confirmation of Kyle returning for Below Deck season 12. However, the season seemingly started production around April 2024 after fans spotted Captain Kerry and Fraser Olender filming. Reddit user @svCatchinRays2 posted a video of St. David and some crew. While it hasn’t been confirmed, one user speculated that Kyle was one of the exterior crew members working on the superyacht. “Wishful thinking Kyle is on the left side in the back,” they wrote. It also appeared that Sunny was on the front of the boat, who is one of Kyle’s close friends from season 11.
Captain Kerry should have Kyle return for Below Deck season 12. He was eager and excited about the experience when he joined Below Deck season 11. With one season under his belt and experience working for Captain Kerry, Kyle knows what his captain is looking for in a deckhand. He became a quick fan favorite during the season, and it would be great to see him back for another season. Kyle can use what he learned during Below Deck season 11 and apply that to work up the ranks during season 12.
Kyle was Ben’s best deckhand on Below Deck season 11. He stayed out of the drama, fit in with the rest of the crew, and didn’t complain throughout the charter season. Kyle is one of the best new crew members to come out of the franchise, and Captain Kerry should definitely have him back for Below Deck season 12.
