question: tipping the dock master

[denverd0n]

That said, it seems utterly wrong that a boat owner or anyone else willing to pay for a service or product at the price asked gets ignored for not previously tipping.

People don't really get "ignored." The service people just take first and best care of the customers who take care of them. That's just human nature.


And, yes, it probably is wrong, but once again, right or wrong, it is the way the world works. Being annoyed by this sort of thing is no more productive than being annoyed that the Sun rises in the East.


(Of course, there do seem to be people who feel the need to be annoyed at where and how the Sun rises.)

 

[BandB]

M
That said, it seems utterly wrong that a boat owner or anyone else willing to pay for a service or product at the price asked gets ignored for not previously tipping.
.

I don't think that happens. Do regular non-tippers not get jumped on as quickly? Perhaps. However, what we've often observed at marinas is the non-tipper is also abusive and disrespective and that's what gets them lesser service. They'll still get the same service but not with the same energy and enthusiasm. It varies though. We often go to Miami Beach Marina. You see many from Mexico, Central and South America there. The dock hands know most will not tip but there are some they love serving anyway. I know an owner from Panama who is liked and highly respected every where he goes. He is complimentary and friendly. They just accept he doesn't tip and don't let it bother them. Meanwhile, I've been beside a notorious US owner who not only doesn't tip, but is rude, abusive and gets angry if he doesn't get immediate attention regardless of the other boats there. I can tell you if he pulls in at the same time as any other boat, the other boat will get served first. My wife once told him "well if you weren't such an a..hole they might want to help you" and then tipped the dock hands, in front of him, for them having to put up with him. About that time I stepped in and safely pulled her away. As I was about a foot taller than him, he wasn't going to mess with me. Napoleonic Complex, perhaps?

 

[foreverunderway]

For me, two factors come into play.
First, did his help actually make any difference, or would we have been just fine without it? If conditions are such that he aided us enough to warrant a tip, he/she gets one.
The other, and probably most important, is whether you intend to use that marina regularly (maybe only twice a year on your voyages north and south). If so, and you are getting helpful courteous service, which one would assume if you intended to use the marina regularly, then I would be sure to leave a pretty good tip with the dockmaster and ask that he share it with the dock staff. This might ensure you a place when you want it, where others may be turned away if few slips are available.

 

[HiDHo]

Tipping, “it’s the way the world works”.
Tipping for good service makes some sense, it’s very convenient how some restaurants give you a guide based on the bill for 10 to 20% tips, tables with eight or over the gratuity is added to the total charge for you. I guess managements trying to help out thier under payed employee’s.
Bad form to offer a tip to your doctor, lawyer, etc or some dock masters because it’s undignified. Fast food places are out of the tip loop for some strange reason ?
Trick or treaters used to trick home owners that did not treat them. Being egged, toilet papered or worse of all the burning paper bag full of dog poop on your stoop. Much more civilived now not teaching the urchins basic extortion methods, but I miss the home made costumes.
I guess the norm is, tip those who you believe are under payed. I never expect gratitude if I return to a marina based on a previous tip.
We remember stopping at Macinaw Island on the loop and being politely informed that no tipping allowed at the Grand Hotel restaurant. One other time the dockmaster at a very large marina in the Pickwick area refused a tip, we guessed that he considered himself a well payed professional. I’m retired now and never ever would have accepted a tip in my previous employment and might have lost my job if I did, I can’t imagine the indignity if a tip was offered.
Tipping it is a strange custom.

 

[dheaslip]

I struggle with this too. We left Clearwater on June 1 bound for the 1000 islands and we are in Toms River NJ. We were at a marina every night (just not comfortable anchoring out yet plus it was hot - we got a late start) If I took on more than 80 gal of fuel at $3.39+ I tipped the attendant $5 to $10.

When the help or dockmaster tied us up and often times was the fuel attendant I tipped him $20 especially if we stayed 2 nights.
If two attendants tied us up I gave each a $10. It felt like the right thing to do but as I said I'm not sure.

 

[OldDan1943]

Many years ago, I had a beautiful Scottish grandmother. She and my grandfather retired to FL. She knew all the best jokes.
When it came to Canadians wintering in FL, she had two favorite sayings. Canadians are so tight, they squeeze a nickel until the buffalo shits.
And
A Canadian would come down to FL with one shirt and a $5 bill. He'd go home with both.
So I doubt if they tipped when in FL. LOL

 

[BandB]

Many years ago, I had a beautiful Scottish grandmother. She and my grandfather retired to FL. She knew all the best jokes.
When it came to Canadians wintering in FL, she had two favorite sayings. Canadians are so tight, they squeeze a nickel until the buffalo shits.
And
A Canadian would come down to FL with one shirt and a $5 bill. He'd go home with both.
So I doubt if they tipped when in FL. LOL

And why does one perpetuate such images? I know Canadians in South Florida who are extremely generous and tip quite well when they dine out.

 

[OldDan1943]

And why does one perpetuate such images? I know Canadians in South Florida who are extremely generous and tip quite well when they dine out.

LOL, Someone commented that Canadians dont tip. I guess that 'no tipping policy' is limited to Canada?
Those jokes were from over 60 years ago.

 

[Benthic2]

They should be left in the past.

 

[OldDan1943]

They should be left in the past.

Hey, I did not start this.

In my case, I tip and I guess I am ruining their economy.
If you choose not to tip, that is your decision.

Way back at the beginning and following, there was a discussion on not tipping in Canada and other places.

 

[BruceK]

Does anyone tip flight attendants? I don`t mean in coach/cattle class, but elsewhere.
We once traveled by train 1st class Boston to New York City, I realised tipping was the norm but it`s different, we had just one attendant instead of 4-5 in the air.

 

[GB3295]

Tipping

Whats the difference between a Canadian and a canoe?
Canoes tip.
Tipping is an American custom that fortunately the rest of the world does not embrace.

Because contrary to the USA they pay their workers decent wages and they have insurance. In nearly every country in Europe the charges are "inclusive" which means taxes and service charge.

 

[boomerang]

Many years ago, I had a beautiful Scottish grandmother. She and my grandfather retired to FL. She knew all the best jokes.

And
A Canadian would come down to FL with one shirt and a $5 bill. He'd go home with both.


The way I'd always heard it was the sailboater who came to FL with a tee shirt and a dollar bill and neither one was changed all winter.

 

[KidSheeleen]

I used to work as a Dock Master in Punta Gorda FL. Sometimes worked 14 hrs in heat, rain, cold (yes it gets cold in Florida). Docks were concrete floating docks. Hard on back, and wear out shoes. Worked for minimum wage. Easy dockers would usually tip, idiot dockers that shouldn't be at helm would give nothing but hard time. Majority of boaters were nice, on first name basis. Canuks and extreme NE Yankees cheap skates. Somedays felt good to make a lousy $6-8 bucks due to no tippers. Raise a family on that fellow boaters.

 

[Fletcher500]

I spent most of my summers as a kid working on open party sport fishing boats. Tips were an important of our income and were always appreciated. Personally, I tip anyone who helps me with the boat. Good karma.

 

[guy with a boat]

I used to work as a Dock Master in Punta Gorda FL. Sometimes worked 14 hrs in heat, rain, cold (yes it gets cold in Florida). Docks were concrete floating docks. Hard on back, and wear out shoes. Worked for minimum wage. Easy dockers would usually tip, idiot dockers that shouldn't be at helm would give nothing but hard time. Majority of boaters were nice, on first name basis. Canuks and extreme NE Yankees cheap skates. Somedays felt good to make a lousy $6-8 bucks due to no tippers. Raise a family on that fellow boaters.

Did you know the job paid minimum wage when you took it? I’m not following the logic that the boaters are obligated to make up the difference between the pay you agreed to accept and the pay you would like to get.

 

[dhays]

Did you know the job paid minimum wage when you took it? I’m not following the logic that the boaters are obligated to make up the difference between the pay you agreed to accept and the pay you would like to get.

Yeah, I agree.

Now, I have never worked at a job that involved tipping. Because of that, I was typically a poor tipper myself. My attitude was that I was paying for a service and the person providing that service was part of that fee. Yeah, I would tip at restaurants but it always bothered me a bit.

Then my kids started working at Chamber Bay Golf course shortly after it opened. They worked driving the shuttle, loading and unloading players bags, and just about everything else that needed to be done on the course EXCEPT caddy. Watching how hard they worked, and how much their efforts could add value to the experience of the golfers was a bit of an eye opener. Those kids worked their tails off to keep those golfers happy. The golfers were spending $200 a round, plus transportation, another $40-$60 on the caddy. The efforts of the lowly service workers made a difference as to the amount of “value” the golfers received.

My kids got tipped well. Partly because my daughter was cute and son handsome. However, more importantly was the concept of trying to anticipate the needs of the golfer. Give them the answer before they asked the question. Offer solutions to problems they didn’t realize they had. Respond with courteous efficiency to the unusual needs the golfers presented. My kids were two of the highest tip recipients on the crew for the several years they worked there. Unfortunately for them tips were split among the entire crew.

Since then, I tip better. I’ve now seen it from the other side. Not that I think tipping is an idea system, but I am more understanding now.

 

[BandB]

Did you know the job paid minimum wage when you took it? I’m not following the logic that the boaters are obligated to make up the difference between the pay you agreed to accept and the pay you would like to get.

I imagine he was told when he took the job that there would be tips. Not told by boaters but by the owner.

Honestly, they perhaps gave him the title dockmaster, but the pay of less than a dock hand. To me a dockmaster runs the marina operations and has staff under them.

If our minimum wage was a living wage, then we wouldn't have the issue he had.

Had I gone there and he been the one helping with no other dock hands, then I would have tipped him generously and without any reservations or feeling any pressure, just out of my own desire.

I'm going to add one statement: If in doubt and you can afford it, tip. Do it out of your own generosity and appreciation. It will make two people feel better, you and the recipient. If someone else has an issue with it, it's not their money, they aren't involved, and it's not really any of their business.

Really the same looking at professions we don't normally tip. It's your HVAC guy at 10:30 at night or your plumber on Thanksgiving Day and you want to tip, do so. Then, even if they say they aren't allowed to accept tips, you made the gesture and they know your appreciation is real. My father was a CPA and I remember one client wanting to tip him. It was a new client whose prior CPA had told him to go on and pay a penalty of $80k and my father got it reduced to $3k. My father wasn't insulted by his wanting to give him a part of what he saved, just not the way he did things.

When we're talking a dockmaster, I'd have to know the set up and situation, but if he was the only one helping during my stay, then I'd try to tip. Generally though it's dock hands and here I am able to afford a nice boat and they're working hard to make things nice for me and can't afford any boat and I'm glad if I'm able to help them out.

Our most generous tip ever at a marina was Nicaragua. We were treated like royalty from the moment we arrived. We did get a driver to take us through some nearby areas and saw how people were living. We got to know many employees at the resort the marina was part of. We knew the dockmaster had a large extended family he was helping as he was the best off by far in his community. We can't solve the extreme poverty and squalid conditions there. Those who worked at the resort were the elite and they did share and help those around them. Do we sometimes tip out of guilt? Perhaps but nothing wrong with that. I do feel guilty people have to live like that and if I can help a little, then I will.

I see people at restaurants or driving taxis or as bellhops or working at marinas, working hard while I relax, largely because they didn't or haven't yet had the educational opportunity I had. Equal or better people than me. I feel fortunate if I'm able to help them a little. For those of you who don't tip, that's your choice, but you're not going to stop me and not going to make me feel guilty about it. I'll also risk tipping where it may be inappropriate and if someone wants to decline it, then that is fine. Have tipped in many countries around the world with no problems.

 

[foggysail]

Did you know the job paid minimum wage when you took it? I’m not following the logic that the boaters are obligated to make up the difference between the pay you agreed to accept and the pay you would like to get.

+1

 

[foggysail]

I vividly remember my years as a teen with little skills to offer an employer and was paid minimum wage as were the others I toiled hard all day with. It was an instrumental force that drove me to get an education, one that would later result in a better life. Everyone is personally responsible for their own well being, not their neighbors or those whom they encounter during a work day.

 

[psneeld]

tips arent that steady in the marine fields....not like the traditional food service, hospitality, etc jobs.

in places where the locals know the situation of the help....that is where you see genuine tipping for a good reason.

the rest of the time, US marinas are like other places where tips are welcome but not expected and not routine.

in the service, obviously you didnt get tipped no matter what.....and I saw guys back in tbe day risking their lives for substandard living conditions.

so tipping was not my strong suit for quite a few years...but after a short time of getting a 5/10/or $20 bill shoved at me with the "have a nice lunch on me" added, I came to appreciate and make sure no matter what service someone does for me, I try to understand how a tip just may affect their day. So much of this thread is punchlines of only part of the story....like anchoring....lots of variables that people gloss over.

 

[rclarke246]

I vividly remember my years as a teen with little skills to offer an employer and was paid minimum wage as were the others I toiled hard all day with. It was an instrumental force that drove me to get an education, one that would later result in a better life. Everyone is personally responsible for their own well being, not their neighbors or those whom they encounter during a work day.

You mean, it doesn’t take a village?
How refreshing!

 

[Group9]

I'll tip dock masters and assistant dock masters when we're traveling, but at our home marina, the dock master and assistant dock masters are all friends of mine, and I just think it would be awkward to give them a tip, because we have two relationships, friend and customer, and I don't want to confuse the two.

Maybe, I'm wrong. I don't know.

 

[foggysail]

You mean, it doesn’t take a village?
How refreshing!

Yes, I found it very refreshing.... and inspiring

 

[wpc691]

I'll tip dock masters and assistant dock masters when we're traveling, but at our home marina, the dock master and assistant dock masters are all friends of mine, and I just think it would be awkward to give them a tip, because we have two relationships, friend and customer, and I don't want to confuse the two.

Maybe, I'm wrong. I don't know.

No, you’re right. Instead of tips, I give the dockmaster at our local go-to marina a Christmas card, 2 dozen of my wife’s cookies, and a $200 gift card. We’re there about 40 times a year for fuel, pumpout and/or lunch/dinner. I’ve never waited for a courtesy dock, and I don’t concern myself with the boats circling the marina, or why they’re circling and I’m not. Dockhands get 5’s or 10’s. If we get great service at a remote marina, I send a thank you card to the dockmaster from our next stop, and include a twenty; I send it out of appreciation - if we get great service next time we’re there, so be it. I’m too old and crotchety to worry about the moral or social implications of what amounts to a rounding error in my maintenance/fuel/insurance/cruising budget.

 

[Tom.B]

Does anyone tip flight attendants? I don`t mean in coach/cattle class, but elsewhere.

I never have... but that is a great idea! I will see if they take it next time we fly (assuming we get good service). I tipped the guy from DirecTV that came out day before yesterday. It wasn’t much... $20... enough to get him a good lunch and a 6-pack to take home.

 

[OldDan1943]

When I was 15 or 16 years ago, I worked as clean up, at a dog kennel for $5/day.
That was long after Ford raised their wages to more than $5/day too, after the unions came in.

 

[markpierce]

Never received tips while splitting logs into firewood, constructing barbed-wire fences, painting sheds, or preparing/serving hot dogs, sandwiches, and sodas. Pay checks were never considered a living wage. Lived at parents' home or shared housing with others. Got along OK. The expectation was that with more hard work and self-denial there was a better future. I did have the "golden spoon" consisting of parents paying for my college education, however.

 

[Wxx3]

I've lived in many places where tipping is considered an insult.
"What, you think you have to pay me extra to do my job well?
F...ing Americans, think everything is about money"

When I'm in the USA, restaurants, I tip, because i know that's considered part of their pay. Same for taxis.
But I don't see very much difference in service one way or smoother another.

In general, I tip less than I used to attend when outside USA, I watch the locals closely and follow their lead.

 

[Group9]

No, you’re right. Instead of tips, I give the dockmaster at our local go-to marina a Christmas card, 2 dozen of my wife’s cookies, and a $200 gift card. We’re there about 40 times a year for fuel, pumpout and/or lunch/dinner. I’ve never waited for a courtesy dock, and I don’t concern myself with the boats circling the marina, or why they’re circling and I’m not. Dockhands get 5’s or 10’s. If we get great service at a remote marina, I send a thank you card to the dockmaster from our next stop, and include a twenty; I send it out of appreciation - if we get great service next time we’re there, so be it. I’m too old and crotchety to worry about the moral or social implications of what amounts to a rounding error in my maintenance/fuel/insurance/cruising budget.

Great idea!