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Old 07-26-2017, 10:17 AM   #1
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Tipping etiquette...

Just wondering. I don't want to be that guy that doesn't tip when I should be.

Docking at marina, someone comes out to help with the lines. Is be expecting a tip? How much? Pump outs? Fuel?

Thanks guys
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Old 07-26-2017, 10:28 AM   #2
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FWIW, we use some zen to decide when to tip.... or not...

When the dockmaster comes out to help tie up, no tip. When a "lesser" member of dock staff comes to help (often young kids), we tip. Usually influenced by quality of help (did you do as we asked? or not?), whether electric and water hook-up is offered, whether marina directions or ice runs are offered, etc.

Given a particularly difficult docking situation (wind, tide, current, whatever) and multiple dock hands helping, they each might get a tip. Or if it's only one dock hand and we didn't break anything, he/she might get a larger than usual tip.

Fueling and pump-outs at the dock are similar; depends on who's there to assist.

But we always tip the pump-out boat operator, when we do it that way.

Ommmmmmmmmm......

-Chris
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Old 07-26-2017, 11:29 AM   #3
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Usually $5 per person. Occasionally more.
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Old 07-26-2017, 11:48 AM   #4
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Where we are about 100 miles in every direction almost all the young dockmasters rely on tips for the season. They always get something and they get more if they are very helpful. At the few more expensive stops an extra tip can often garner you a better slip and help when its time to leave.
Long Island sound NY
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Old 07-26-2017, 11:55 AM   #5
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FWIW, we use some zen to decide when to tip.... or not...

When the dockmaster comes out to help tie up, no tip. When a "lesser" member of dock staff comes to help (often young kids), we tip. Usually influenced by quality of help (did you do as we asked? or not?), whether electric and water hook-up is offered, whether marina directions or ice runs are offered, etc.

Given a particularly difficult docking situation (wind, tide, current, whatever) and multiple dock hands helping, they each might get a tip. Or if it's only one dock hand and we didn't break anything, he/she might get a larger than usual tip.

Fueling and pump-outs at the dock are similar; depends on who's there to assist.

But we always tip the pump-out boat operator, when we do it that way.

Ommmmmmmmmm......

-Chris
This seems to be the norm.
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Old 07-26-2017, 02:21 PM   #6
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$5-6 for fuel dock, similar for docking help and pump out. Keep plenty of singles on you, we have a draw for tip money, nothing worse then getting a lot of help and all you have is large bills.
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Old 07-26-2017, 02:38 PM   #7
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I follow a really simple rule of thumb for tipping. If someone's job is to assist me, or serve me, then they get tipped. Generally if you have to bring something to me, take it away, carry anything, help me, or bring me somewhere.....you get tipped.

Wait Staff
Bar Tenders
Housekeeping
Line handlers/Dock Hands
Pump Out boat
Ice [$1 per bag] If you have to fetch and carry ice for me, you get tipped
Valet (this is ridiculously rare, but it happens)
Baggage Handlers
Cab Drivers (Extra if you help with bags)
Full Service fuel (land and water)
Launch operator
Mates on commercial vessel (fishing, harbor tour, etc.)
Tour host

Note: Management does not get tipped IMHO (e.g. commercial captain, Dockmaster, etc)

I don't care if its unnecessary. I'm not loosing sleep over $5-$10. Whomever is doing this for me made my life easier when my life is already much easier than theirs to begin with.

It almost ALWAYS comes back around. Tip a bartender well, and see what happens when the bar is busy. Become a regular and continue tipping well and see what happens. I can't tell you how many times bartenders seem to 'forget' to add the last round or two to the bill. How many times a random appetizer 'shows up'. (We didn't order this......"I know", don't worry about it). The old "OOPs, I made too much frozen daiquiri, here take the rest". "Happy hour is closed, but I think i can slide one more round in".

Tip line handlers (edit: tip them well) and watch them come running down the dock when you pull in the next time. Tip the pumpout boat well and watch him wave off 3 other boats to pump you out first. I can't tell the number of times I've heard "I'm almost full and won't be back for 1-2 hours, so I wanted to make sure I got you before I left".
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Old 07-26-2017, 02:46 PM   #8
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Best tip I ever got, working the Washington Waterfront, was from Peter Johnstone (Bob Johnstone's son of J Boat and MJM fame). Classy guy, Classy boat (MJM 50Z). I don't expect tips as we are the PR people for Washington NC and it's just part of the job....

He put the boat in "hover" mode (3 pod drives)while he got lines and fenders ready and needed little help as he joysticked it into the T dock!

Leaving the next day:

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Old 07-26-2017, 03:07 PM   #9
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$5-6 for fuel dock, similar for docking help and pump out. Keep plenty of singles on you, we have a draw for tip money, nothing worse then getting a lot of help and all you have is large bills.
We start each trip with a drawer of $5 bills. If it gets low, we replenish it.
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Old 07-26-2017, 03:25 PM   #10
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We start each trip with a drawer of $5 bills. If it gets low, we replenish it.
We do the same. Start each vacation with an envelope with around $100 - $200 in 5's. When we empty our pockets at the end of the day, we put any $1's and $5's back into the envelope. Nothing worse than reaching into your pocket as your thanking someone and pulling out 2 damp, wrinkled $1's.
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Old 07-26-2017, 03:34 PM   #11
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I don't care if its unnecessary. I'm not loosing sleep over $5-$10. Whomever is doing this for me made my life easier when my life is already much easier than theirs to begin with.


I like your attitude.

I have relatively little experience with tipping. Growing up, other than the rare meal out, my family was never in situations where were served by others. No hotels, no cabs, no fancy marinas or yacht clubs with fresh faced kids running around waiting to help.

As an adult, my experience was pretty much the same. It wasn't until I started to travel a lot for my professional organizations where I was in situations where I would tip hotel staff, cab drivers, etc... Even so, I still carry my own bags, will take a train and walk instead of taking a cab and the like. I blame my family heritage of frugal farmer and ranchers. I also am uncomfortable at being served by others. I'm much more comfortable holding a door for a doorman than having that doorman hold a door for me. In the back of my mind, I have this emotional reaction that my tipping someone else for them doing their job is somehow a bit condescending. I know this isn't true, but....

I had a dock worker once pump out my holding tank at the only marina that I know of that has that capability at each slip. They don't charge for this service. I was terribly uncomfortable. I would have been much happier if they had simply pointed me to the pump and let me do it myself. It makes no sense because if I did I would be depriving that guy of part of his job.

This is why I am impressed by Shrew's attitude. He knows that by allowing those who job it is to serve his needs he is providing employment and then can reward good service through an appropriate tip.
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Old 07-26-2017, 03:42 PM   #12
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In an ideal world people would be paid what their services are worth and there would be no tipping.


Sadly, I don't see this happening anytime soon.
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Old 07-26-2017, 04:12 PM   #13
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And just what is everyone's worth?
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Old 07-26-2017, 04:23 PM   #14
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Greetings,
Mr. ps. "All animals are created equal but some are more equal than others"
George Orwell 1945.
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Old 07-26-2017, 04:28 PM   #15
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Greetings,
Mr. ps. "All animals are created equal but some are more equal than others"
George Orwell 1945.
Cant say I remember that one but I guess I stole the concept when a girlfriend once asked me why some guys were pigs.....I responded that all guys are pigs, just some more pig-like than others.....

OK wifeyB...have at it....
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Old 07-26-2017, 04:40 PM   #16
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Greetings,
Mr. ps. "All animals are created equal but some are more equal than others"
George Orwell 1945.
Animal Farm. Orwell's anti-communism allegory.
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Old 07-26-2017, 04:55 PM   #17
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And just what is everyone's worth?
A doctor is worth more than a waiter, especially if you are sick.

In a capitalist country, the market sorts itself out pretty well. If you are hiring electricians and get no qualified applicants, you are not offering enough. If every Tom, Dick and Harry shows up, you are offering more than you need to.

Once the government or unions move in and start telling employers how much they must pay people, this pretty much goes out the window (and jobs move to other countries).

I actually served on a committee studying pay rates for my employer many years ago.

Worth (skills, not worth as a human being) are relative. A doctor is worth X% more than a waiter.
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Old 07-26-2017, 05:24 PM   #18
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Yes, but there's some risk in the idea of relative worth.

Partly situational:
When I need a doctor, he's worth more than a dock hand. But when I need a dock hand, I need dock hand skills, not doctor skills. Although maybe folks like Dave can do both

Partly cultural biases:
Garbage collectors don't get much respect. But I wouldn't want to do that job; in fact, couldn't do the same kind of heavy lifting our guys do. The risk is that folks might begin to think just because garbage collectors don't get paid as much as (______), they don't have the same intellectual value (?) as other people who earn more.

Some of the smartest guys I've met... sometimes bordering on brilliance... had little formal education... didn't make boatloads of money... didn't invent stuff, or buy and sell companies...

Back to the topic of tipping: I'm practicing trickle down. Starting with meager stockpiles of cash, but there are folks who have meager-er (?) and who work hard to help us through life.

Shrews right: tip well at the local bars/restaurants, service next time -- and subsequent times -- gets better and better. And I think our restaurant people around here get paid something like $2.30/hour, so tips are critical for some.

-Chris
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Old 07-26-2017, 05:42 PM   #19
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In an ideal world people would be paid what their services are worth and there would be no tipping.



In AUSTRALIA people are paid what their services are worth and there is no tipping
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Old 07-26-2017, 05:45 PM   #20
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As some have posted here, opinions on TF are worthless based on that anyone with a keyboard can post and claim to be anything.

Pretty much is true in life, but those limited individuals have not caught on to their own concept.

You can go to a doctors office and see diplomas from Harvard.....are they real? Journalism has shown us that some diplomas are fake....go figure.....

Worth is relative and always will be....unless you live in a totalitarian society that has a manual, capatilism pays what the market will tolerate.

When your toilet overfliws and you cant fix it...guess what.

When the bad guys are at the front door or the border, the cop and the soldier are worth their weight in gold.

No one can possibly assign a person's worth in society unless they are king/queen and have absolute and final say.

Even suggesting so is beyond me....
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