Question on Tipping in US Marinas

[Boracay]

My experience has been that the more expected the tip the worse the service.

18% in US restaurants! It's going to be serviced apartments, supermarkets and takeaways for me if I visit again.

[David M]

Waiters, bartenders, bellhops etc are jobs where you typically tip. But there are jobs when one typically does not tip, like the grocery clerk, bank teller or the guy behind the counter at the 7-11. State employees cannot accept tips.

Has the dock attendant become one of of these jobs where we are expected to tip? I'm a generous tipper but most of us cannot afford to tip everyone who does some sort of job for us.

[Sailor g]

I agree on the East-West difference. We have no dockhands to tip! I tie us up & pump us out, etc. -and prefer it that way. We have a slip that takes putting on lines in sequence or the boat can swing & hit things. People with boats on the dock usually help each other and then we tip with drinks!!

[Bash]

We had a pump-out guy at the previous marina. Emptied our holding tanks every Wednesday. I never tipped him, per se, but every Christmas he'd get a substantial thank-you from us for his efforts.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Bash

We had a pump-out guy at the previous marina. Emptied our holding tanks every Wednesday. I never tipped him, per se, but every Christmas he'd get a substantial thank-you from us for his efforts.

Ya know...that's a good point...if I knew someone had to work Christmas or a holiday, I might brighten things up with a duex.

[DrivinSteve]

Originally Posted by foggysail

Yup! I always tip my hat, and that is done without reaching for my wallet. Cheapskate? I just do not put dock help into the same category as resturant waiters or waitresses whose tips are consider to be a part of their wages.

Foggy

In many places on the east coast, they are in exactly the same category as wait staff, cab drivers and parking valets.
They see none of that $200 fuel bill or $100 slip fee.
I do agree that bad attitude, unprofessional or shabby service warrants withholding a tip. Very often, the skipper's professionalism on first contact (radio) helps to set the expectation. They can tell.
Just taking lines is $2, pumpout, fuel, shorepower (maybe a trip back for a splitter) or extra effort talking you in in the dark gets a $5-10. This will go a long way to getting that choice slip or them waiting 30 minutes for your late arrival needing fuel on your next trip through.
They do remember.

[Katiusha]

Originally Posted by DrivinSteve

Just taking lines is $2, pumpout, fuel, shorepower (maybe a trip back for a splitter) or extra effort talking you in in the dark gets a $5-10. This will go a long way to getting that choice slip or them waiting 30 minutes for your late arrival needing fuel on your next trip through.
They do remember.

So when enquiring about marina prices, we should automatically add on another 10-20% on top of all the taxes? On our trips we found that a smile and a nice attitude would get us that choice slip and nice service all the same (maybe the Canadian flag helped). Nevertheless, based on what you said, marina guys on the East Coast then should be making very nice money... that with 10-20 boats tying up every day, eh?

We're now in the region where a $5 tip on ANY restaurant bill is considered VERY generous (yes, even if the bill is close to $300). And, of course, no tips for dockhands - their salaries are nice enough. But recently dockhands have started expecting something else besides a "thank you" with a smile and maybe a chat. So now I know, it's all the East Coast US boats that are changing this culture!

Please, when you visit another country, enquire about its tipping customs before giving each dockhand a $5-10 tip or 20+% tip to a waiter!

[Blue Crab]

I've never understood tipping. I do it out of social pressure in most cases. It's one thing for extraordinary service but tossing the bartender a buck for reaching in the cooler and handing me a beer? 18% for the college kid who delivers a burger and fries 10' from the grill? For what? Two bucks for the kid that hands you the fuel/water hose? That's his job. Hell, the last Subway I was in had a tip jar. McDonalds' will be next.

I hauled a new-to-me boat out at Jarratt Bay in NC once and called the honey wagon. There was some sort of back pressure issue or whatever, that resulted in the P.O.'s poop spraying all over the boat and the yard guy who nonetheless held on to the hose rather than make things worse. I grabbed the water hose, rinsed the guy and the boat, and later gave the guy a $20 for "beer money." A sissy would have dropped the hose and screamed like a little girl. And earned no tip.

Why yes, I do own a sailboat.

[s/vPainkiller]

If the dockhand helps tie up or with fuel, water, pumpout, etc I always tip a few bucks. It's the same with any service industry. As always with bad or lack of service, I don't feel obligated to tip.

I do see some inconsistency in terms of expectations at marinas - some people tip, some don't. As opposed to restaurants, etc where everyone knows its expected.

FYI I live in SC, but would say the same applies around the southeast.

Scott

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by s/vPainkiller

I do see some inconsistency in terms of expectations at marinas - some people tip, some don't. As opposed to restaurants, etc where everyone knows its expected.

I am in Florida, a "right to work state" where there are few unions (except govt employees )

I don't know what dock hands are paid.

I do know that a waitress in a "regular) (what is that ) restaurant makes $4.00 per hour. Minimum wage is 7 something I think.

It is known to them that Canadians tip poorly if at all. (How is that for a generalization? ) I think this is because in Canada it is different and a waitress is actually paid a decent (what's that?) wage so they come here with only what they know.

PS. The Florida Restaurant Association lobbied and said they can't afford 4 bucks any more and the Senate just passed a bill that will drop it to 2. Probably will pass soon.

Waitressing is tough and about to get tougher.

[Québec 1]

At the beginning of the season I dole out a few fives and tens and afterwards I drop a five to whom ever gives me above normal or uncalled for help. At the end of the season I give a few twenties so they will remember me. Ido this because the regulars and most visitors are so cheap my infusion of 100 to 150 dollars a year into the pockets of the marina staff makes me look like a generous man. People generally like generous people.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Therapy

It is known to them that Canadians tip poorly if at all.

...Being a Canadian, I can tell this joke with immunity...


"What's the difference between a Canadian and a Canoe???


...Canoes tip"!

............................

[Québec 1]

It's a fact Residents of Quebec tip better and more frequently than Canadians in other provinces. Now I make an exception for the cheap bas.....ds from Quebec who go to Florida in the winter on a 5$ a day plan.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Québec 1

It's a fact Residents of Quebec tip better and more frequently than Canadians in other provinces. Now I make an exception for the cheap bas.....ds from Quebec who go to Florida in the winter on a 5$ a day plan.

Residents of Quebec are Canadians?...

[Québec 1]

That's just my passport talking.