Tipping Dockside

First, you're dealing with second hand information so exposing the yacht owner and showing a picture of the yacht is not something I would suggest.

Now to the issue. There are many around the world who are appalled at the tipping in the US. However, I don't care about opinions, I'm going to tip for services and if they're done well and with a good attitude I'll be generous. Certainly if I can afford a large boat I can afford a small gratuity. Realizing what is small to me might be very meaningful to someone else is further reason.

We tip rather randomly based on time and service. We may tip $10 just for taking our lines on a smaller boat as we dock and we may tip $100 for one who has provided many services over a days time. We also do tip customs and immigration and others in such positions when in foreign countries. We are also guilty, if you want to call it that, of extravagant tips to those who have done an exceptional job of serving us over many times and who we know could very much benefit and put it to good use.

We are very conscious of those less fortunate than us and glad to reward good service by them.

I just hesitate to ever disclose stories when I may not know the whole story. What appears so obvious, may not be the fact. Now, to use it to start a general discussion is fine.

You mentioned charters and captains as well. Such a disparity in how people tip. On charters they've generally been informed that it's expected. But what about when you're just using a non-employee captain for a trip on your own boat. One thing I've found over the years is "when in doubt, tip." If it's absolutely against policy, would put their job at risk, then they'll tell you, you'll take it back, they'll still know you appreciated it. Now, do you tip the guy pumping you gas when he's actually an owner of the marina? I still try and some say "thank you" and some say they just can't accept it.

You want pleasant stays and return visits, you show your appreciation and treat the people kindly and you tip well. We've been treated so incredibly well in so many places. We found ourselves staying an extra day in Nicaragua simply because of the hospitality we received. Those working at the resort and marina were the truly lucky ones in the area and our tips meant so much to them and to their families. However, they treated us truly like royalty. It made the stay there so special in a place that was never anticipated. Somewhat they were a destination to break the trip, but it turned into far more. We feel lucky people welcome us into their countries, their towns, and always try to show our thanks to them. We've yet to travel anywhere by water that we wouldn't like to return to some day.

Do you suggest tipping when going out on a launch to your own mooring? I was thinking perhaps on the return? New to using a launch service this season.

Others may have done as you describe more frequently but I'd tip both ways. It may not be the same person assisting you. Also, tipping when they take you might make them quicker on the return, even though it shouldn't.

I use to think hard about what to do on valet parking as I didn't use it much most of my life, but I look at it much like this. Most people just tip when they retrieve the car. Well, the person who controls how it's parked and where is the one taking it plus it may not be the same person retrieving it. They're each half of the deal so I now tip both ways. I personally don't like valet parking. Oh, and I tip more if they let me leave the car out front in their prime reserved space.

Basically I tip when those in a service type job perform a service for me. Typically it's after the service is completed. I see taking you to your mooring though as completion of that service.

That is just me personally. I'm not saying your thoughts are wrong. Hopefully others will speak up. But even if it was 10-1 with me being the one I'd still tip.

It's a rare occasion when someone doesn't receive a tip from me. They have to go out of their way to be awful for me to skip the tip. I always tip heavily at the ports that I frequent. "To Insure Prompt Service" means what it says.

In my professional life, a few well placed C notes are like magic when placed strategically in the hands of boatyard personnel that have the ability to make your day run more smoothly.

I could be wrong, but Biancardo is asking about tipping his home port operator. My own view is that visiting and home ports are different creatures. Home port (as visiting) be courtesy, ask if the mate on duty would like a slice of pizza when you go out, bring something unexpected (nonalcoholic) to the dock house when you arrive (like those home made cannoli's) , and above all remember the holiday's. But tipping on a per trip basis is just not yacht club/marina protocol. My view and experience, I'm entitled to it, so no unsubstantiated groans please.

I recently made the mistake of answering a question on a different site asking what's an appropriate tip. Naturally I encourage boat owners to tip well, because I've been there. Dock workers work hard, suffer a lot of injuries and keep smiling, earn very low salaries and most are either working their way through school or trying to support a young family on very little money. They depend on tips to live. Plus it's nice to do nice. Then there's also the getting treated a little bit better. We don't tip nuts, but we tip well.

OMG, you'd think I attacked the Pope. Talk about hate mail. Everything from "redistributing the wealth" to being a communist to ruining it for other boaters, etc.. So I won't say here how much we tip, but I'm sorry. I will not tip someone who works hard and makes my job easier $1.00.

About tipping the launch operator, yes tip in both directions. 1st, you're more likely to tip less if you just do it on the way home. Your sub-consious will tell you that you're only tipping for this one ride. 2nd, You may have different launch operators leaving the morning guy shorted. Plus the better you tip the faster they try to get you to and from your mooring. Especially in your home port you want that reputation. When I used to go out to Shelter Is. our guy was always looking for us. That could get the boss to the party on shore a half hour faster.

Beau - You are correct, I was specifically talking about the launch operator for our mooring. There is no marina, just a small dock with 15 minute tie up for water etc. It's town owned, and I had to pay a grand for the season to use the launch. My initial thought was a buck per rider on the way back in. It being eaiser to tip when we are getting off rather then when we are at the boat and trying to get everyone aboard safely. Last weekend I had 4 guests and my family of four, gave him $10 on the way back (same guy).

How about on a Saturday when I may be doing some work on the boat (it's just me) and i'm making a couple trips out?

People like to feel appreciated. Now, words come cheap. They should come but it's like employees in a business. If you praise them but never back it up with a raise, they don't feel appreciated. So, the only way to really show service people that you truly are thankful for what they do for you is with money.

Another reason I'd tip each way even at home marina is that the closer the reward is to the actual time of service the more it means. People are more motivated by $20, twenty times per year, than $400 once a year. You're thanking them more frequently. We all respond to positive reinforcement.

A couple of trips in and out, perhaps a bit less but really the work each time is the same. Now, five times in and out in a day, I might do different.

I get it, and I generally do tip above what I think is normal. It's just that in this instance, where the only service provided is one I've paid for (pick up/drop off) It seems a bit much to tip both ways.

I know many might agree with you, but I see it differently. By definition you're wealthy. You own a $750,000-$1 Million boat. I cannot in my mind then reconcile that to being tight with $5-10 to a person likely making under $20,000 a year and yet providing you service and being kind to you, even if it is their job.

I'm not suggesting indiscriminately throwing money away, but I am suggesting that, in my opinion, this isn't the place to start saving it.

Again, the rewards of reasonable generosity in these areas will return to you many times. I cannot tell you all the dozens of times we have gotten such thoughtful favors and assistance from service people such as these.

Seems to be a contradiction in terms here, no one I know docks a large yacht to take on what could be burnt in a day.

Frankly, this is way too gossipy. That doesn't mean it didn't happen but when things like this come second or third hand, it's subject to question. This obviously can't be verified and one of the problems with the internet is a story like this can easily become viral and suddenly be accepted as fact. This entire discussion could have been more productive without mentioning the alleged charterer or owner. The discussion wouldn't have lost anything.

Something like, "I was told by a dockmaster that a very large yacht came in and fueled until after midnight and then paid by credit card and didn't tip anyone. How do you feel about this?"

Then my response would be that I find that to be extremely distasteful.

Also, consider for a moment the possibility the tip was put on the credit card and the employees never made aware or it shared with them. I've known of that happening in the US.

If you only want to tip one way, then only go one way.
When you go to a restaurant, you pay the owner for your food and being served. Your server can drop your food on the table and then hide, but they stay ready to serve you more because they're hoping for a good tip. If you tip well and come back a few days later you'll probably find the service even better. Do that as a routine and the wait staff will fight to wait on your table. Leave a lousy tip and come back a few days later and you'll be lucky to even get seated. I used to get a salt bagel most mornings on my way to work, and always took good care of the staff. Often I'd walk in the door and find a long line. Invariably one of the girls would appear at the end of the counter by the door with a salt bagel in hand. Saved me probably 15 minutes most days. Now normally I don't tip for counter service, but this was my home turf. It paid.
If you get on the launch with several others heading to their boats do you want to be dropped on yours first or last? When you leave your boat with sunburned guests looking to get home for some aloe or wanting to hit the restaurant before the crowd gets there do you want the launch operator to pick up from every other boat before picking you up on his 3rd or 4th run, or first? Your launch operator may smile sweetly, but don't kid yourself that he doesn't know who tips the best and worst.

All of those are legitimate selfish reasons to tip well, but the best reason to tip well is because that launch operator needs it to survive with this low salary, seasonal job, and if you own a boat he needs those few dollars a lot more than you do.

Very true. The "who" and even the "where" was irrelevant, questionable and distracting. Your last paragraph brings up another related topic. I too have heard of this all too often. In fact there was a notorious case of this featured on "Kitchen Nightmares". Tips should always be in cash.