How much does Captain Lee Rosbach make? Below Deck leader's net worth in 2023

Below Deck’s captain, Lee Rosbach, boasts over three decades of yachting experience, so how much does he make from sailing the seas?

Below Deck crew members have come and gone, but Captain Lee Rosbach has remained a constant since the show’s inception in 2013. The 73-year-old has become a beloved member of the Bravo family with his firm but fatherly leadership – and we can’t forget about his legendary one-liners.

As the captain of sprawling mega-yachts, a hefty salary is expected, so here’s what we know about Rosbach’s fortune.

How much does Captain Lee make?

As with all reality stars, their exact salaries are never publicly disclosed. Research by Crewfinders International, however, claims a captain’s salary is about $84,000 for a 70ft yacht.

The first mega-yacht in Below Deck season 1 was Honor, a 163ft Benetti boat. This means Captain Lee was earning over $192,000 in 2013.

Season 10’s St David is reportedly the largest yacht in the program’s history. Sailing the 197ft beast in St Lucia brought Rosbach at least $228,000.

Most yacht trips last a few weeks at most, so it’s possible that the crew work on several boats per year, meaning they earn even more money.

This income excludes filming the Bravo show, so no wonder Rosbach’s net worth is an estimated $1.5 million.

The captain is also an author; he published his memoir in 2019 under the major company, Simon & Schuster. Originally a restauranteur, Captain Lee fell in love with boating and earned his captain’s license at age 35.

Captain Lee ‘filed’ for bankruptcy in 2017

Captain Lee was reported to have filed for bankruptcy in March 2017 – well, not exactly.

An unidentified person filed for chapter 13 bankruptcy under Rosbach’s real name, Harold Lee Rosbach. The documents claimed that the reality star ‘owed’ between one to 49 creditors an amount between $100,001 and $500,000. The stated address listed a Decatur, Georgia home, where Rosbach reportedly hadn’t lived for years.

The real Captain Lee discovered the bankruptcy fraud scheme via concerned messages while he was on the job, and swiftly denied the reports.

“I’m not bankrupt. I don’t owe anybody,” he told TMZ. “I have no idea who these people are or what their motivation might be or if they’re a part of something larger. I just have no idea,” he continued.

An investigation was launched by US trustee Guy Gebhardt in 2017. The court filing wrote: “The United States Trustee believes that Mr Rosbach did not authorize the bankruptcy filing and that the voluntary petition was completed, signed, and filed with the Court without Mr Rosbach’s knowledge or consent.”

Further developments of the case are unconfirmed, but multiple outlets claim no federal charges were made.

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