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David_Old_Jersey · 01-03-2012, 12:38

In these parts we don't have dockhands - well, certainly none that I have ever seen

.....not to say that I have ever spent much time in Marinas - even before I got married to my dock

.

Of course the Marina / Port has staff - but employed to do other stuff. I think they can be requested (in advance) to lend a hand on the pontoon, and / or by use of a Marina RIB etc.....or if they are nearby and see / suspect that the boat or crew might struggle.

To be honest, not sure if I would choose to go somewhere that I was guaranteed to have someone I didn't know handle my lines / 2nd guess me. Sometimes bad enough with helpful boatowners, at least with those I can understand that often as much about prevention of damage to own boat!....and is therefore something to be borne.

Someone selling me fuel getting a tip? Lol! dream on

.

But, at the end of the day it is a "when in Rome etc" scenario - even if one has to grin and bear it.

Katiusha · 01-03-2012, 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Therapy

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

You should see Germans, Swiss, and Turkish tip! Us Canadians are one generous bunch comparing to them (whole 10%!

)

P.S. Yet another generalization

wolfenzee · 01-03-2012, 13:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katiusha

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!

I never figure a tip based on percentage,always on service, there is no reason why someone who does a lousy job should get anything extra (much less the same as someone who does a good job). I used tip for a haircut a couple of days late,after I could see how it looked. A guy in the boat yard gave me some epoxy barrier coat from his stash of partials...saved me the cost of getting another gallon (he got a tip), a couple of six packs can move your boat to the head of the lift queue..a dock hand did not know what he was doing when fending off my boat...he did not get a tip.

DrivinSteve · 01-03-2012, 14:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katiusha

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!

I agree that one should always seek local knowledge, whether it be local hazards or customs. Then, as DOJ remarked, "when in Rome".

For entertainment/enlightenment, spend some time hanging out at the dock office/fuel dock of a busy marina and enjoy the comments of the seasoned dockhands when they see the different flagged vessels.

TomM · 01-03-2012, 17:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by justwaiting

OZ, dont say here's a tip, hand them money for a a beer

Even better, hand them a beer.

Sailor g · 01-03-2012, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

To be honest, not sure if I would choose to go somewhere that I was guaranteed to have someone I didn't know handle my lines / 2nd guess me. Sometimes bad enough with helpful boatowners, at least with those I can understand that often as much about prevention of damage to own boat!....and is therefore something to be borne..

When we first got to Ensenada there was one dock hand that helped when the first string had days off that didn't quite get the line handling thing at all- but was super nice. He would tighten the bow so tight the stern would be a mile from the dock then do the stern super tight while I loosened the bow. We would go back & forth like a 3 Stooges movie. We actually tipped him a so he would go & we could fix it. After you had a slip you didn't call in to the office before coming in so we could do it alone.

justwaiting · 01-03-2012, 21:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomM

Even better, hand them a beer.

I get your point but i dont drink beer and dont belive in alchol in the workplace or on boats underway.

Treating people with respect and dignity is what it has to be about. I have seen people tip and show disrespect at the same time - that is just rubishing some one

savoir · 01-03-2012, 21:44

Quite a few dock workers, if given the choice, would tell you to hold the respect and pass the beer.

lorenzo123 · 01-03-2012, 21:45

As a former employee (as both manager and as staff) of two government marinas in the Bay Area, I can comment that at public marinas tipping is not acceptable altho' some boaters often insist, thereby placing the employee in an awkward position. Receiving money of any kind for a public employee is a big no-no. It's considered a conflict of interest, and may get the employee disciplined or possibly terminated. So, instead of placing the public marina employee in an awkward position (they also don't want to insult you by not taking a tip) instead offer a gift if you must. Low value gifts are usually acceptable ($25 max, usually). My experience has been that public marina employees are usually happy to help w/o a tip (and are usually fairly well paid).

delmarrey · 01-03-2012, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoir

Quite a few dock workers, if given the choice, would tell you to hold the respect and pass the beer.

Yeah! I can see it now. By the end of the day a bunch of drunken dock helpers falling over themselves to get to your boat.

IslandHopper · 01-03-2012, 22:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor g

When we first got to Ensenada there was one dock hand that helped when the first string had days off that didn't quite get the line handling thing at all- but was super nice. He would tighten the bow so tight the stern would be a mile from the dock then do the stern super tight while I loosened the bow. We would go back & forth like a 3 Stooges movie. We actually tipped him a so he would go & we could fix it. After you had a slip you didn't call in to the office before coming in so we could do it alone.

Hence why all my mooring lines have soft eyes, the dock hand gets the eye only, the same goes with the wharfies on my work boat.....

delmarrey · 01-03-2012, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

Hence why all my mooring lines have soft eyes, the dock hand gets the eye only, the same goes with the wharfies on my work boat.....

Which reminds me

of one time I took out the in-laws who had very little experience on any boat. As we came up to the dock to pick them up the husband was at the dock. We handed the line off to him and he wrapped it around a tarred piling to stop the boat.

I went into shock as the tar coated the line and part of the bow pulpit. But then realized it was just one of the old tacky lines and no real harm done. So after getting tied up with a new line I gave him some lessons on how to use the dock cleat, and asked him to toss the tarred line in the trash. I don't think he'll ever forget the tip I gave him.

markpierce · 01-03-2012, 22:52

Dockhands? What dockhands? Well, at the fuel dock there is someone to help secure the boat, hand over and retrieve the fuel nozel, and collect the payment. The attendant is a government employee. No need to tip here.

Talbot · 02-03-2012, 01:30

Normally I dont want assistance to dock. I have a system that works for me, and having someone second guess what I am doing can make the process more difficult rather than being of assistance.

I have only ever asked for assistance once from the marina staff - It was blowing 30kts + and I had lost one engine. manoeuvring a wide cat on one engine can be done but demands speed through the water. 30kts from the stern and the speed needed for rudder effect meant that I was going to have one chance only of getting alongside. I got all the fenders out and made my approach and got it completly right (phew), so actually did not need their assistance.

However, if any little thing had gone wrong, I would have needed their assistance, and thus was happy to have them there.