Is Tipping an ASA Instructor Usual?

[Sybil]

Hi all,
My husband and I recently took ASA 101 and 103 and did not tip ASA instructor. My rationial being that ASA class prices more expensive than chartering (when I would expect to tip), but am now wondering if I was OK not to do so.
Is tipping customary when taking ASA courses? If so, How much?
Thanks in advance,
Sybil

[trebeyar]

I think it's up to you, similar to climbing guides. I did not tip my ASA101 instructor but I did tip my ASA 103 instructor. Neither seemed put out or overly surprised. As it happens I was much more impressed with my 103 instructor...

Thinking back on it I think my 101 instructor did hover a bit providing an opportunity for a tip. I believe he was tipped by one or two students.

I did not go with a percentage on amount. I think I gave the 103 instructor $20. Again, I imagine this amount could really be anything you are comfortable with.

Ray

[Talbot]

I certainly did not do so in UK for RNSA courses, and believe it to be totally inappropriate.

Personally I hate the whole tipping culture, that ever ready hand held out expecting recompense regardless of how well they have performed their service, when IMHO it should only be in response to service above and beyond by people who are at the bottom end of the pay ladder.

I may be a grumpy old git, but if you want payment - earn it by doing something extra.

As regards this particular instructor, did he do something above and beyond for you, or just the same as every other student?

[ad_astra]

It might depend on the school. I know that for the school I attended, in their instructional materials they explicitly indicated tips of x percent were customary for a job well done. Since our instructor was exceptional, I felt no qualms in tipping a little above the suggested amount.

One thing I noticed is that my instructor didn't give me his contact information until after getting tipped... which sounds like a fair deal to me.

[bassman1956]

For the courses I took, one batch in Illinois, and another in the BVI's, we did, and I think it was about 15%.

[David M]

I used to be an ASA instructor for a sailing school here in the Bay Area. I always appreciated tips but never felt I was owed a tip. You would be shocked at how little per hour sailing instructors make compared to what students pay for the class. Any tip is always appreciated.

[Pelagic]

Is Tipping an ASA Instructor Usual?

Yes..quite common! …… I have thrown more than one overboard….

[Chief Engineer]

I always feel that if the person who is doing the work goes above and beyond a tip is appropriate......especially dockhands......

They help me out from time to time with batteries and awkward items...I tip'em well and they are eager to help me out.

Plus I have gotten a few job referrals from them.

A few bucks ain't gonna kill ya.

[tomdidit]

In the US it is customary to tip ASA instructors. Like any tip, it depends on the level of service, the knowledge and personality of the instructor, and your overall feeling about the experience. In our 101/103 class we tipped less than the 104/105 because it was a day experience while the 104/105 was a week away from the school. In addition, we paid for the food the the 104/105 instructor. If I remember correctly we tipped in the neighborhood of 10% of the class price, which I thnk totalled $500 US for the 4 students. We discussed this ahead of time so that we would be consistent. We had a great time and the instructor did give us all of his contact information, etc. before he was tipped.

Just an FYI, but I do know that our 104/105 instructor was paid (2003) $150 a day for the week. Those are 24 hour days considering that we were away from home port. The boat is the most expensive item in the course, the instructor second, and ASA does get a piece of the action from the school.

Not to be confrontational, but the logic of the class being more expensive than chartering is somewhat weak.If your objective is to learn and be certified you are getting something in addition to the use of the boat. Using that logic you would tip less at a five star restaurant than a diner becuase it was more expensive than the diner. Or, if you chartered a more expensive boat you would not tip a captain because the 50'Catamaran was costing you more than the 38' Mono?

[navis fossor]

I am not an ASA instructor, but I AM a US SAILING instructor...

I have the good fortune of working for a large and professional school that would never tell students that "tipping was expected". How gauche! I am a professional captain, the money would be nice to have, but I find such a policy leaves a vary bad taste in my mouth as a customer. It tells me the school knows they are underpaying their staff.

I never EXPECT a tip for a class, but it does happen, and I accept it graciously and take it to mean that I did a great job.

When I take a boat out through the school as a hired charter skipper, I do expect a tip, but am sometimes disappointed. I know anytime I hired a boat, I ALWAYS tipped the crew.

So people understand the economics of the business, you might pay the school $75/hour for the skipper, but the skipper gets only $15 or $20 of that.

General rule from my experience taking people out on charters: People from France and California never tip, people from New York always do. I LIKE New Yorkers.

When you select a sailing school ask to meet some of the instructors. You want to be taught by experienced teachers and sailors, not kids in cut-offs on summer break.

[David M]

Originally Posted by navis fossor

So people understand the economics of the business, you might pay the school $75/hour for the skipper, but the skipper gets only $15 or $20 of that.

Good grief, $15/hour working as a private contractor is what I got paid back in the mid 80's while going to Cal Maritime. I see the pay has not improved.

Accounting for inflation, that would make the pay even lower now. After a private contractor pays all his taxes, there is less than half of the money left. I would say definitely tip commensurate with service.

[cosmosmariner]

In my sailing lifetime I've taken a Red Cross Sailing course sponsored by the City of San Diego ($8.00 for 8 Saturday classes and sailing practicals in 1975!), US Coast Guard Auxiliary basic sailing, ASA levels 1 -3 (we paid all on the water expenses for the level 3). I've never tipped anyone for the training courses. We have never chartered with a captain but I would absolutely tip if the captain did a great job.

[nautical62]

My experiences reflect what Tommy said: I think tipping is not very common for day instruction, but very common for live aboard courses.

I also did not understand your logic. It makes sense to me that adding not only a captain, but one that knows how to teach would notably increase the cost over chartering a bare boat. The surprise to me is how little the price difference often is.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by navis fossor

General rule from my experience taking people out on charters: People from France and California never tip, people from New York always do. I LIKE New Yorkers.

Heard in Hawaii:

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




Canoes tip!

[Factor]

We don't do tipping in Australia. (well sometimes the balance of the note to the cab driver but thats about it).

So no - I wouldnt be tipping the instructor.