Hailing from Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, Harry Van Vliet is the ideal deckhand from Below Deck Down Under. After his winning debut in Season 2, Van Vliet makes his triumphant return under the command of Captain Jason Chambers in Season 3. Between seasons, Van Vliet worked hard to “progress” in his career. “I went to school; I got my captain’s licenses,” explained Van Vliet. “I also think I just matured in general a fair bit.”
Easy to get along with and extremely skilled at his job, Van Vliet hit it off with his bosun Wihan du Toit this season. “Wihan’s a great bloke,” said Van Vliet. “He’s been in the industry nine years. He knows how to run a team.” Also on the deck team this season are Johnny Arvanitis and Adair Werley, who were able to pick up the slack after Van Vliet sustained a nasty thumb injury that nearly ended his time on the super yacht Katina. “It was a rotten day,” remembered Van Vliet. “I thought I was gonna have to leave.”
Though, Van Vliet managed to carry on through his own perseverance and with some motivation from stew Brianna “Bri” Duffield, with whom he had formed a boatmance. “Bri and I just really hit it off from the start,” said Van Vliet. “We were on the same wavelength from the get go [and] both have Labrador personalities.” However, Van Vliet was surprised to see in recent episodes that Duffield needed validation from him that his feelings were sincere. “Look, I honestly thought I was doing everything fine,” laughed Van Vliet. “I had no idea that she thought I wasn’t doing enough.” However, Van Vliet now admits: “I needed to be clearer with Bri about where I stood regarding our connection.”
Van Vliet stopped by the DECIDER studio to talk about the season so far, du Toit’s surprising feelings for Werley, and what he looks for in a good pair of budgie smugglers (what Australians call speedos).
DECIDER: How does it feel to be back for your second season on Below Deck Down Under?
HARRY VAN VLIET: It feels great to be back. I loved working with Jason again and proving to him and myself that I’ve got what it takes.
How did you grow between your first season and your second season?
I went to school. I got my captain’s license. Off-camera, I definitely progressed my career. I also think I just matured in general a fair bit.
The Katina is quite an impressive vessel. What was your biggest challenge on deck?
It’s a big boat. There are no walkways down either side like with a traditional boat. Because of that, we often had to walk through the interior of the boat, which means we walked past the couches and stuff. That was challenge. There was no way to avoid the guests.
What do you think Wihan’s biggest strengths are as a Bosun?
Wihan’s a great bloke. We’re really good friends. He’s definitely a good people person. He’s been in the industry nine years, so he knows how to run a team and be an amazing bosun.
There was a little drama at the beginning of the season when Johnny declared himself lead deckhand, but at this point, Wihan still hasn’t given anyone the title. What can you say about the deck team hierarchy?
I definitely went into the season wanting to prove myself and to become lead deckhand. So, when I heard Johnny introduce himself as the lead deck, I was like,” well, this can’t be right, surely not.” [Laughs] At this point, the deck team’s morale is great. We’re all just there, getting the job done. With my thumb injury, I had to take a back bench for a little bit, but I carried on.
I asked Adair this, but now I want to ask you. Can you rank these three deck incidents in order of impact on the season: Johnny’s floating out to sea, your injury, and the jet ski overturning?
On the team as a whole, I would say my injury was the most impactful because we were a hand down. I was a deckhand who couldn’t get my hand wet [laughs]. Next impactful would be probably the jet ski overturning because we had to send that off to get repaired. The least impactful wwas Johnny floating away. It would be higher if he ended up floating to Madagascar, but he didn’t [laughs]. We managed to save him.
I must ask about your accident on deck. What was going through your mind when that happened besides ouch?
Yeah, that was a rough day [laughs]. It’s all healed now. My thumb is back to normal. I thought I was gonna have to leave. I thought: “This can’t be how it ends. I’ve got so much more potential.” I wanted to prove to Captain Jason that I have what it takes to be a bosun. I was just terrified that I was going to have to leave the boat.
Chef Tzarina Mace-Ralph was very concerned about your thumb as was the rest of the crew. Did you find her to be a good support system this season?
It was great having Tzarina on board. We worked together in the past, and we are great friends. It’s really nice to have her there as a support. She was very helpful this season. She was there for me and I was there for her in return.
When I spoke to Tzarina, she called you a “player” regarding your connection with Bri, but I don’t think she meant that the way it came out. Is there anything you want to clear up?
Look, I when I saw that, I thought, “wow, I don’t think what I’m doing makes me look like a player.” I thought I was being a gentleman. I was a bit shocked, but I know Tzarina, and I definitely know that it didn’t come from a spiteful place or anything like that. We’re all good.
What first drew you to Bri, other than the fact that she’s gorgeous and a former model?
Bri and I really hit it off from the start to be honest. She matched my energy. We were on the same wavelength from the get go. We both have Labrador personalities [laughs].
I really thought your first date to the ice cream shop was sweet!
I was really excited about the ice cream because everyone goes to a bar for a first date and then you’re drinking. We had just had our big crew night out. A wholesome ice cream date seemed like the best plan because it did not involve alcohol and we could properly get to know each other one on one. I just wish it hadn’t rained that day in the Seychelles.
At this point in the season, there seems to be a bit of miscommunication between you and Bri. Did you have any idea of how she was feeling?
Look, I honestly thought I was doing everything fine [laughs]. Like, going with the flow, being cool. I had no idea that she thought I wasn’t doing enough. Watching the season back, I thought, “oh, maybe I do need to be more communicative.” Not just to Bri, but to everyone. I know now that I needed to be clearer with Bri about where I stood regarding our connection.
What can you tease about the rest of your boatmance with Bri this season?
There’s definitely a lot more that’s going to happen [laughs]. You just have to wait and see.
I feel like you’ve become Wihan’s relationship therapist. What did you make of him juggling Tzarina and Marina while harboring a crush on Adair?
I’m not sure what’s going through that bloke’s mind, honestly. I think you can see my facial expressions when he says he’s into Adair. Yeah, I’m like, “what? Why don’t you just stick with that one? Or the other one?”
Do you think his feelings for Adair were genuine?
He is a hopeless romantic, as he admits. He genuinely wants to try and find the right person. I don’t think Adair is the right fit for the man, personally. I mean, she said it herself. She wants someone with a big truck. However, there were sparks there.
What did you think about his love letter to Adair?
He should be a poet [laughs]. It’s a long letter. He put a lot of effort into it. There were a lot of rhymes [laughs].
The heads of various departments seem to be clashing a bit. Did you have any idea what was going on?
Look, as a deckhand, you can see when the things don’t really line up. For example, when there is a beach picnic, it involves the interior team, the deck team, and the chef. That triangle has to be in unison. When things are unorganized and last minute, you can tell there are a few cracks here and there. That’s something that will become a big issue as the show progresses.
Audiences love to see how big the tip is at the end of a charter. What is the most extravagant thing you ever purchased for yourself with a season’s tip money?
I don’t really buy material things. I’m more of an experience person. I do a lot of a lot of travel. I’m always on the go. I bought myself a trip to Central America. That was fantastic. I went through Guatemala, hiked some amazing volcanoes, and enjoyed some fantastic views. I go places, see things. That’s much better than buying a new phone or something [laughs].
Or a new pair of budgie smugglers? Your love for the swimsuit is legendary on the series. What do you look for in a pair?
They’ve got to be bright. They’ve got to be out there. They’ve got to be fun to wear. If you’re going to wear them, you want them to make a statement. They’ve also got to be good quality. You don’t want any rubbing or anything like that.
Good to know! Lastly, what can you tease about the rest of the season?
This season is definitely not over yet. So far, we’ve had jet skis floating away, we’ve had jet skis breaking down, we’ve had injuries, we’ve had romances. More misadventures are still to come, and you haven’t seen the worst or best of them yet. Keep watching.
New episodes of Below Deck Down Under air Monday nights at 8/7c on Bravo
The post ‘Below Deck Down Under’ Star Harry Van Vliet Understands Now That He “Needed To Be More Clear” With Bri Duffield About His Feelings For Her: “I Honestly Thought I Was Doing Fine” appeared first on Decider.
