Captain Sandy Yawn is a fixture in the "Below Deck" franchise, as well as the only female captain to be featured across all of the different series. With her no-nonsense attitude and incredible work ethic, many of the different crew members have looked up to her over the years as proof that they could one day be in a leadership position like her. Malia White was one of those crew members, and Sandy's leadership inspired White to further her career in yachting. Not only did White become the first female bosun in the "Below Deck" franchise, but she also continued and received her certification for Officer of the Watch in January 2023, making her one of the highest-ranking members of the "Below Deck" shows.
Yawn has been a support for White throughout her yachting career, encouraging her to chase her dreams. Yawn shared her opinion on White's future in the industry with Us Weekly in 2022.
"I'm so proud of her. I thought she would be a great captain [since season two] because she can address an issue head on without anger and diffuse it. I witnessed her diffuse conversations and that's why Malia is going to make a great leader."
