Motor-less boating is not for the faint of heart. Neither is Below Deck Sailing Yacht.
The third and latest addition to Bravo's popular Below Deck franchise premieres next week, promising viewers a maritime reality experience unlike those they've seen before. Previous iterations—Below Deck Mediterranean debuted in 2016 following the success of the original installment—have treated audiences to a whole host of high-seas scenarios, but Sailing Yacht still teases departure from its predecessors.
"It's a different style of yachting," Bravo's SVP of Current Production Noah Samton told its Daily Dish podcast in December. "It's a little bit more adventurous. It's a little bit more, kind of, down and dirty than the sort of polish and luxury of a super yacht."
The primary difference between super-yachting and the voyages we'll see on Sailing Yacht involves mode of propulsion. Where the yachts featured in Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean employ typical motorized engines, the Parsifal III (Sailing Yacht's 180-foot-long boating vessel) relies entirely on wind to chart its course. Alongside the high-stakes new concept comes a mostly new crew, outside of returning chef Adam Glick, which includes Captain Glenn Shephard, chief engineer Bryon Hissey and yachting couple Paget Berry and Ciara Duggan.
"The cast is fantastic," Samton said, noting that Sailing Yacht's "vibe," much like the Parsifal's method of travel, puts a re-imagined spin on the Below Deck fans already know and love.
"We wanted to make a franchise that felt, you know, like, it was within the family of Below Deck…and I think we really accomplished that," continued the network executive, who admitted Sailing Yacht was "scary to make," given audiences' loyalty to the established show and concept. To that end, he said the forthcoming series offers a happy medium. "I think it checks all the boxes you want for Below Deck while feeling different."
And if Sailing Yacht's first-look preview is any indication, it doesn't look like the spin-off will stray too far from its roots. While steering the Parsifal will prove a new visual variable for audiences and we'll probably learn some unconventional lingo along the way, those familiar with Below Deck's past seasons can still expect to see the yacht navigating scenic landscapes and setting the stage for a renewed round of deckhand drama.
Watch Below Deck Sailing Yacht's series premiere Monday, Feb. 3, at 9 p.m. on Bravo!
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)