Do you give your Port Captain an end of year bonus?

I'm a new liveaboard who travels frequently for work. When I'm gone it's for several weeks at a time. Lucky for me I've got the world's greatest Port Captain, who is also my primary boat maintenance guy. His advice is invaluable. His integrity? It's topnotch. If I could I'd chain him to my boat and never let him leave.

Update: I'm talking about my personal port captain here (not boat captain) - he takes care of the boat in my absence, and much more. Maybe "caretaker" is a more common term?

No government employees involved.

Is there a "standard" end of year bonus or tip for these wonderful folk? What do those of you in a similar situation do?

I know it's up to me to decide, but it would be helpful to hear how others show their appreciation.

Thanks!

Boat captain? The workers at my marina are government-employed. I don't believe in bribing them. The marina receives my monthly berth fees and payment for fuel, and an employee hands me the hose at the fuel dock. As a former government employee, I never received or expected a tip as that would have been unethical/illegal.

Good point Mark.

Many of the Port marinas are county/city owned and operated and as such, their employees are Government employees and fall under the State and Federal Ethics Laws.

If you feel compelled to tip or "bribe" the marina staff, make sure the marina is privately owned and doesn't fall into that category. Acceptance of gifts and monetary awards are strictly prohibited to public employees.

Your well intentioned gift, could cost some kid their job.

Larry B,

I'm talking about my personal port captain (not boat captain) - he takes care of the boat in my absence, and much more. Maybe "caretaker" is a more common term?

No government employees involved.

Tipping has been a subject here before and it's quite a personal thing. As Mark points out some are government employees and not able to "legally" receive them. A nice card with a personal note may be best in that situation for someone who stands out for their diligence.

Myself when tipping those that perform a non-governmental service on a regular basis take a more personal approach as I am more familiar with them than say a waitress. Perhaps a bottle of top shelf brandy or wine or a gift certificate to a meal for two?

Cash is always appreciated but as one who once received those tips, the personal stuff always seemed to mean more to me. Folks who took the more personal approach always seem to stand out in my mind as the years go by. For some reason the cash tips received are more easily forgotten as I age.

AKMary said:

I'm talking about my personal port captain (not boat captain) - he takes care of the boat in my absence, and much more. Maybe "caretaker" is a more common term?

No government employees involved.

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Well, in that case, I'd figure between $20 and $50 an hour depending on the nature of the service. So if he spent a half hour a month looking out for my boat, I'd say something like $120. I'm assuming he's performing services you aren't otherwise paying for.

...as one who once received those tips, the personal stuff always seemed to mean more to me.

CP - I was thinking of something more personal than cash but wondered if it would be appreciated. Thanks for your perspective - this is helpful.

CPseudonym said:

Tipping has been a subject here before and it's quite a personal thing. As Mark points out some are government employees and not able to "legally" receive them. A nice card with a personal note may be best in that situation for someone who stands out for their diligence.

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A letter to the employee's supervisor would be helpful/appreciated, no?

I found a gift certificate to a high class restaurant for two works well. At least it placed me in line for this year for the same attention shown last year i.e. was one of his favorite persons boat to look after again this year.

Ocean Breeze NL said:

I found a gift certificate to a high class restaurant for two works well. At least it placed me in line for this year for the same attention shown last year i.e. was one of his favorite persons boat to look after again this year.

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That would be about $120, assuming each orders an alcoholic drink. At the Dead Fish Restaurant in Crockett (not a high-rent district) recently, we had a single appetizer, a crab Alfredo entree, a small prime rib entree, a single desert, and each a beverage: cost was nearly $120, with tip. (We over-spent the $100 bet Perla won from my sister.)

markpierce & OBNL- The gift cert for 2 is exactly what I was thinking about doing & I've got a great place in mind already. I don't know if his other clients do this sort of thing, but he sure deserves it. Thanks so much for your input.

markpierce said:

A letter to the employee's supervisor would be helpful/appreciated, no?

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Absolutely. Especially so when dealing with public sector rather than private sector employees.

Our boat watcher is not part of the"port." We take the watcher and spouse to dinner several times per year. If you live far from your vessel these watchers are essential so treat them right.

Definitely a gift certificate would be appreciated I'm sure. Just for the peace of mind he's giving you during the off season.

We don't tip our boat diver, but he always does extra complimentary checks on my boat bottom and gear, when he's diving on boats around me.

We boaters all hang out at the same pub, so he usually drinks for free at our table and I pick up his meal several time a year. He is always eager to join us, so I would say it's what he is comfortable with.

Larry B

We're with Mark. All the employees of the Port of Bellingham are city employees. They get paid just fine for their work.

As city employees I suspect there are ethics regulations prohibiting them from taking payments from marina tenants.

We do not tip anyone in the marine industry be it dock staff at a marina (if for no other reason that the marinas we visit don't have dock staff), yard and fuel dock workers, or the diesel shop, electrical shop, etc. that we use.

If these folks do a good job for us we reward them by continuing to give them our business.

I would not normally tip, it is not as ingrained here as in USA, but in the middle of my recent 6 week deck reno I gave the shipwright employee doing most of the work a case of beer,and at Christmas a case of 6 Aussie sparkling vintage wine to split between owner and 2 staff. When previous shipwrights worked through the deafening noise and dust filth of an adjacent sandblasting I donated a case of wine. (Are shipwrights big drinkers, or is just it me?) In both cases the cost was a drop in the ocean compared to what I was spending.
AKMary`s deal with his "port captain" is a personal arrangement quite unrelated to Govt/Council staff. If he wants to reward, he is probably right to do so. The idea of a dinner out voucher is a nice one, with or without some $ or other gift. Only AKMary knows how far above and beyond his port captain has gone to merit reward,how much the already agreed pay has been, and what might be most appreciated.

I tip when we go out for dinner because I would be known as a cheap bastard if I didn't. Other than that, I don't tip. My gratitude comes to them in the form of giving them more business. No one tips me on my job. What I do is what is expected of me. I also think some of you (not all), are fooling yourselves into thinking you are getting better service for tipping. It might just be an illusion. To some of the low income earners, you are just a bunch of rich people showing off your money and they have great distain for you. They will gladly take your money with a smile, but when you are not around, you may not be getting the service you think you are. Now that's a cheerful thought.

On the subject of tipping: here in San Diego, a resort city, the restaurants and bars take an annual survey of the best and worst tippers; the best tippers are from New York City, the worst from anywhere in Canada.

Give a man a fish.
Next time you have a good day fishing.
Share.
Fresh fish is always a good tip.

SD

Gosh there are lots of cheap people on this thread. I have generally found that showing gratitude pays off. Our mail carrier sure enjoys the bottle of wine - govt or not!

sunchaser said:

Gosh there are lots of cheap people on this thread. I have generally found that showing gratitude pays off. Our mail carrier sure enjoys the bottle of wine - govt or not!

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Yep... We've had this conversation at least one time prior to this. A bunch of cheap old men here that feel like nobody deserves anything extra for their efforts. That's fine by me. I am the one that gets all the extra attention when I call on the radio for docking assistance, pump-out, fuel, or anything. I get a great deal of pleasure from giving tips and enjoy listening to all the bitching from the people that feel like I am setting a bad example by rewarding them for what they think should be normal customer service. Tough beans.

GonzoF1 said:

I am the one that gets all the extra attention when I call on the radio for docking assistance, pump-out, fuel, or anything.

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Maybe employees are more greedy and less motivated on the east coast, I don't know.

But we have been frequenting some of the same marinas here and in BC for some 14 years now, 24 years if we include the boardwalk resort up the north end of Vancouver Island where we go halibut fishing with our small boat every spring.

Same deal with the yards we've used and the marine businesses we support. These places all know us by name, they treat us as well as they treat all their customers or sometimes better since they've known us so long, and we have never tipped a dime nor have we ever been made to feel we should.

My point is not that tipping is wrong, at least in the US (it's actually an insult in some countries). If it makes you feel good to tip, or if the marina or yard is such that the only way to get prompt and courteous service is to tip, fine, have at it.

But tipping does not automatically result in better service. It all depends on the people doing the work. We have never been given the impression that tipping would result in better, faster, or more courteous service in this area and we get the same treatment--- or better-- than the boaters who do tip at the same establishments.

Because a customer who's an ******* is still an ******* even if they tip, and it's been my observation that customers get treated based on their attitude and behavior toward the business and its employees, not on how much if anything they tip.

I hate the concept of tipping but it exists. I never expect a tip after an assistance tow. But ...often when people do it , they sometimes get the REAL extra service...in most cases I linger long enough to ask a few detailed questions about their boat's problems and either fix it for them or tell them how it could/should be fixed...usually saving them hundreds of dollars and more importantly getting them back out on the water that afternoon when their boating time is really important due to a limited season.

So sometimes it's less about the service you got and more about what that person may do or say for/about you that pays off in the long run.

As a former gov't employee...getting tips is really nice. Many times we (my crew or unit) had to turn down some pretty generous tips after saving people, families, etc... but directed them to different funds or orgs that could support the military in different ways so it was still nice when people offered.