Tipping Delivery Captain

We had to cut short a long cruise we were on and hired a delivery captain to bring our boat home. Four day delivery. One day of nasty, rough seas weather and two days of rain and roll but no wind. Captain was initially going to bring his wife as crew but she didn't like the weather so he brought a friend at no extra on his daily rate. We drove his car home so it is waiting for him with a full tank of gas.

Boat is arriving tomorrow.

So is it appropriate to tip him over and above his daily rate when we pay up? And/or give something extra for his crew mate?

Don't know the etiquette on this as this is a first time for us.

I would wait to see the condition of the boat. Some captains simply walk away after the delivery is completed. Others will make sure the boat is spotlessly clean and give you a full report of what worked and what is a problem. In the latter case a tip wouldn't be a bad idea. In the former not so much.

What he said. ^

Tips are because you are happy and would like to make someone else happy.

A well paid professional wouldn't necessarily expect a tip....but let's face it, money is money.....

Maybe even nicer would be a gift certificate or an item mentioned as it may dhow you also paid attention to him/her as a human being.....

I wonder if it's an "industry practice", a lot of these guys afterall are self employed. I'd rather think that they may be preferred to be paid in cash....... That would be a nice tip 20-30% based on their tax rates ;-)

My wife and I provide an honest and responsible service for what I consider a reasonable price. I have never expected a tip and am somewhat embarrassed about having one pressed on me.

Anyone here tip their accountant, attorney, plumber, or electrician?

I hired a delivery captain to bring my newly purchased GB 36 from St Pete to Pensacola. He hired a mate which I also paid for. He kept me updated on the trip and I joined them a day away. He worked with me and gave me familiarization on the boat and upon delivery gave me a full accounting of expenses. Both crew were very professional. I tipped them. It felt a little weird but I just rounded the total I owed them up to the next whole figure. Just to say "thanks".

markpierce said:

Anyone here tip their accountant, attorney, plumber, or electrician?

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I think it truly depends on the level of service. I like to tip when people go above and beyond. Even though the job may not be one of the normal jobs people tip for. I have even given a helper a $100 "bonus " on a nightmare job than ran late into a holiday weekend.

If a typical delivery captain made anything near a typical attorney or accountant....well then no.

Tip a plumber of electrician?...heck yes ....they get tipped when appropriate in the different locales I have lived. Done it myself.

Not one delivery captain I know makes their full living being a delivery captain. There is no real standard to even discuss.

No one can guess a guys tax rate, no one knows whether the captain is borderline poverty level or a multi-millionaire....well I guess you could run a background check.

Because a delivery captain doesn't even require a high school education, just a ticket that nowadays can be bought with a ltitle money and some documented boat experience....it's pretty hard to compare "professional captains" with many established professions. I never liked being called a professional USCG officer, I preferred "career officer" as I felt professional should carry a certain significance to it.

Being one, having my own company as one, working for a dealership as one, meeting many on the other various marine jobs I have had....it is certainly a type job that a tip is neither expected, nor usually turned away.

markpierce said:

Anyone here tip their accountant, attorney, plumber, or electrician?

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Largest tip received was high 4 figure plus use of a private mountain chalet for a week. While going above and beyond for an industrial chemical tank farm customer on an emergency weekend call I discovered an issue multiple others had missed. The owner thanked me profusely for saving his employees lives and facilities. Not to mention avoiding his very own appearance on a 20/20 news special and defending himself from inevitable lawsuits.

Tips while never expected seemed pretty routine for me.

TDunn said:

I would wait to see the condition of the boat. Some captains simply walk away after the delivery is completed. Others will make sure the boat is spotlessly clean and give you a full report of what worked and what is a problem. In the latter case a tip wouldn't be a bad idea. In the former not so much.

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Having no experience in this area, my first thought was "No, don't tip. Pay him the contracted fee." However, TDunn raises a good point. If you feel that the Captain went above and beyond what you were expecting, then a tip would be perfectly appropriate.

markpierce said:

Anyone here tip their accountant, attorney, plumber, or electrician?

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If they exceed my expectations, I might.

I gave a substantial tip to our delivery skipper for making what could have been a 7-day trip into a 5-day delivery--with a couple of overnight runs vs staying at docks on my dime. My son was on the boat with him as crew, so his wife didn't go on the delivery and draw a paycheck as she usually would. Also, they endured a broken generator, crap instruments and had to run from the open (Bimini only) flybridge in heavy rain because there was no radar on my lower helm--one of the many things I'm changing. He saved me money, did a very professional job and left the boat clean and organized. I felt like I got more than I had agreed to pay for and don't regret sweetening the pot.

dwhatty said:

We had to cut short a long cruise we were on and hired a delivery captain to bring our boat home. Four day delivery. One day of nasty, rough seas weather and two days of rain and roll but no wind. Captain was initially going to bring his wife as crew but she didn't like the weather so he brought a friend at no extra on his daily rate. We drove his car home so it is waiting for him with a full tank of gas.

Boat is arriving tomorrow.

So is it appropriate to tip him over and above his daily rate when we pay up? And/or give something extra for his crew mate?

Don't know the etiquette on this as this is a first time for us.

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If the boat arrives in good condition, absolutely I would tip. He was there when you needed him, he endured some nasty conditions, and he got the boat there. I find tips to be common practice in all areas of captaining boats other than full time employment by an owner. Comparing to accountants or other professions is really irrelevant. We could as easily compare to hairdressers or to bellmen or dealers in Vegas. Some professions it's normal, some not. I know several captains who do deliveries and they do get tipped at least 75% of the time. There are some who just see the contracted price as payment in full and I don't fault them as there is nothing that tells them tipping is appropriate.

If I can afford to own a nice boat, just seems to me I can spend that tiny bit extra to show my appreciation to a delivery captain. If the captain is like those I know, I'll bet you he tipped dock hands, when he got assistance along the way, out of his pocket.

angus99 said:

...they endured a broken generator, crap instruments and had to run from the open (Bimini only) flybridge in heavy rain because there was no radar on my lower helm--one of the many things I'm changing. He saved me money, did a very professional job and left the boat clean and organized. I felt like I got more than I had agreed to pay for and don't regret sweetening the pot.

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The last sentence says it. Tipping customs are very different in US & Canada to Australia, it`s not automatic here, but our wage structures are different. Once I paid extra to a guy who did some paving flagstones repairs, he wanted me to take the tip back!
In delivery, you accept a quote. I would not automatically tip, but if the job was tough, especially because of my boat or adverse events neither of us could foresee,I`d reward that.

markpierce said:

Anyone here tip their accountant, attorney, plumber, or electrician?

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Plumber or electrician definitely if they work for a large outfit and are paid by hour. Next time they are back they remember me and are very attentive IMHO. Don't forget to back up the tip with awareness of who they are.

sunchaser said:

Plumber or electrician definitely if they work for a large outfit and are paid by hour. Next time they are back they remember me and are very attentive IMHO. Don't forget to back up the tip with awareness of who they are.

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And also with a plumber or electrician, let their company know how pleased you were by their service. In today's world, a positive post on google or yelp.

a friend of mine was a transport captain, One day we were talking and he said to me: "Denise I'm going to die out there". he is now employed as a captain on a catamaran in Florida. basically it seems they often get hired to move junk or teach the owner. I'm not saying that about anybody here
but yes! biggest tip as possible!

No tip.
You paid a guy to do a job and a fee was agreed on for those services.
I've never received a tip before as a tradesman or when doing deliveries and I believe in most cases I leave the boat better than I found it.
But, Australia doesn't have a tipping culture , fair days work for a fair days pay, so its never been expected.

Simi 60 said:

No tip.
You paid a guy to do a job and a fee was agreed on for those services.
I've never received a tip before as a tradesman or when doing deliveries and I believe in most cases I leave the boat better than I found it.
But, Australia doesn't have a tipping culture , fair days work for a fair days pay, so its never been expected.

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Yes, but the OP wasn't in or talking about Australia. Obviously the tipping custom is much different in the US.

It's also common in certain parts of yachting worldwide. Those who charter yachts are absolutely expected to tip and that is worldwide.

angus99 said:

I felt like I got more than I had agreed to pay for and don't regret sweetening the pot.

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Swings and roundabouts I reckon.
How many times in the past have you paid full price for average or less than average results?

Maybe we have been forced to accept average for so long that when we come across someone who actually does their job with enthusiasm and professionalism it feels special, when in reality it is not.

I know that seems the case over here at least, very few old skool tradies left, no shortage of unreliable and very average tradies charging exorbitant rates.

You are right. But sadly in America the delivery captain is captain Ron. The delivery is late and the boat is trashed, you get overcharged and he just leaves after docking. When you get a good one you give him a little extra.

Bryant said:

You are right. But sadly in America the delivery captain is captain Ron. The delivery is late and the boat is trashed, you get overcharged and he just leaves after docking. When you get a good one you give him a little extra.

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I have many friends and know others who are excellent delivery captains and the furthest thing possible from Captain Ron. If you get Captain Ron types, you need to reexamine how you find one and how you determine who to use. Now, there are Captain Ron types who will do it for half what a legitimate Captain will charge.

Wow....once again gross generalizations are getting traction.

It's a really simple concept for a really wide open type profession. Some are full time highly qualified, some are part time , some with hardly any experience to those that are rare finds.....there is really a broad swath of talent out there.

Base any opinion on a narrow thought and that's where it will wind up...

Thanks for all the replies, even if no consensus.

Boat arrives tomorrow morning. We probably will add a bit to the 5 days @ $350/day, plus expenses, pot. My rough estimate is total will be around $2500, so maybe pay $2750 adjusted upwards if his total higher. i.e. plus 10%. That is, if boat arrives clean.

Capt and his helper had one really rough day, 3 days of rain and 1 nice day. No problems otherwise.

Sort of a compromise between no tip and the 15-20% tip that seems to have become the norm in restaurants, etc. But servers aren't paid/don't charge a reasonable daily rate.

Out here in CA, some delivery captains charge more heading north than they do coming south along the CA coast because of the pounding they must endure during the slog northbound.

I'll drive your boat any day for $350 per day plus expenses...and no tipping expected! I might be too high maintenance, though. Your liquor cabinet will be full when I arrive, but your fridge may become a little lighter during evening stops.

dwhatty said:

Thanks for all the replies, even if no consensus.

Boat arrives tomorrow morning. We probably will add a bit to the 5 days @ $350/day, plus expenses, pot. My rough estimate is total will be around $2500, so maybe pay $2750 adjusted upwards if his total higher. i.e. plus 10%. That is, if boat arrives clean.

Capt and his helper had one really rough day, 3 days of rain and 1 nice day. No problems otherwise.

Sort of a compromise between no tip and the 15-20% tip that seems to have become the norm in restaurants, etc. But servers aren't paid/don't charge a reasonable daily rate.

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Sounds reasonable to me. On charter yachts the standard tips are 5 to 15%. At one time crews were expecting more but the industry got things under control. I also look at your tip this way. It's $50 per day. So it seems reasonable when looking at it that way too.

FlyWright said:

Out here in CA, some delivery captains charge more heading north than they do coming south along the CA coast because of the pounding they must endure during the slog northbound.

I'll drive your boat any day for $350 per day plus expenses...and no tipping expected! I might be too high maintenance, though. Your liquor cabinet will be full when I arrive, but your fridge may become a little lighter during evening stops.

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Anytime Al. As long as you have a Breton Red cap on the boat and the liquor cabinet are at your disposal.

The plumbers and electricians I've employed are independent businessmen. See no need to tip.

I will be the first to say either tip or dont, but will add too....15% like many other tips is like tipping the breakfast waitress for 20 trips the same percentage as the cocktail waitress for 5. Nuts .....as the bar bill for 4 can double the breakfast bill for 8.

Don't feel locked into that tipping norm, just give what feels right for what the captain did...or didnt