Now do we have any real evidence that Gilligan was himself an incompetent first mate? Did we ever see him in action on a boat on the show? We know they were marooned after a storm, and their beaching could have been 100% the result of the captain, whose actions on the island did not exactly inspire confidence. For all we know, Gilligan could have been a stellar first mate when in that environment. I think people should be careful of using the term
Gilligan as a symbol of mate incompetence, lest they be sued by his estate.