Below Deck star Captain Sandy Yawn has opened up about the realities of meshing her career with fame.

The famed superyacht captain has been in New Zealand all week hyping up the ninth season of the reality series - but warns there's plenty that fans don't see.

She says there's a lot of work that goes into captaining yachts for the benefit of the rich and famous. 

"It's a lot of work - absolutely. But it's worth it. So yes, you've got to work hard, play hard, you get the perks, you count that cash at the end of the season - it's worth it."

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