Is Tipping an ASA Instructor Usual?

[webbdavidson]

I am completing a 5 day, 4 hour per day, Advanced Sailing course with a US Sailing instructor. Seems like some people tip and others don't. I'm thinking a tip might be in order. He was a good guy. Wouldn't know if he went above and beyond.

There were two of us in the class. Class cost $500. I'm not sure if it's customary but if it is appropriate, what would an appropriate amount be to tip? I'm just speaking for myself. Not the other gentlemen.

[Captain Randy]

So here is a way to look at it from experience as well.....I am an ASA instructor and have done many sailing lessons and charters as well for the school/charter company. Teaching sailing is not for the money that's for sure. A (4) hour ASA 101 typical Saturday from noon to 4:00 class breaks down like this:

Drive down to the marina 11-11:30
Uncover and prepare the boat 11:30-12:00
Actual Sailing lesson 12-4:00
Rinse and cover boat 4-4:30
Drive home 4:30 -5:00
Elapsed time (6) hours

So.... for a (4) hour lesson at $25 per hour = $100
Time required by instructor (6) hours
Actual hourly pay is 16.66 per hour (NIC gas)
Assume 35% 1099 tax on 100 = net $10.83 per for (6) hour
Total for the day is $65.00 (NIC gas)

So as you can see it is not for the money for what really takes the whole day away. I do enjoy teaching and sharing the love of our sport but keep in mind the instructors that take the time to teach for less than minimum wage could use the reward (not entitled) represented by a simple tip when deserved for the patience and care we take to help others. Note: only when deserved just as when you tip a waitress for doing her job at roughly a similar hourly rate however this is expected in US.

Now with that said we would only burn a Saturday day off to help someone learn to sail for the love of the sport and be with cool people because we enjoy it. I would say I rarely receive a tip when instructing and assume that will be the case when I take the lesson simply for the enjoyment. As a charter captain I always receive a tip. Doesn't really make sense as I work much harder teaching that I do on a charter.

Just an angle from an actual instructor..........

[Gene Neill]

I'm a LAVISH tipper, when such is deserved. But our instructor deserved no tip, so he got none. He was lazy, sullen, disinterested, boring, and taught us nothing we hadn't already learned from the textbook.



The class was a total waste of time and money.

[Lonestaralaskan]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Heard in Hawaii:

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




Canoes tip!

No wonder my husband never tips.

[zippy]

What’s the difference between an Canoe and an American?

One tips over, the other overtips.

[Saleen411]

Here's another thread on the subject.....

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-133607-6.html

[Scott Berg]

I've usually been tipped for teaching... at least in the US it seems typical (and the low pay probably assumes that tips make up the difference. YMMV

[Mike OReilly]

Do you tip your professor? Your teacher?

It seems to be more common in the USA, and their influenced markets. It seems fundamentally problematic, and just plain wrong to me. I think it is something that should be resisted.

I have taken cruising courses through the Canadian Yachting Association. No tip was ever offered, nor even remotely expected. The instructor was paid reasonably well to do a professional job.

Tipping is simply a way for the company to offload the cost of its workers onto the customers. It is something that is spreading in the stagnating wage environment that dominates the USA, but is strongly felt elsewhere as well.

As the old saying goes: Just say no. Or better yet, use a school that doesn’t expect the customer to subsidize the wages of its workers.

[bletso]

Hear, hear Mike. Absolutely agree. I hate the who ideology behind tipping. I contract X for a job, that is what I expect in return. When I instructed both recreational and technical diving, I set my price high enough to cover time for the extras, etc. When I took the instructor course, (expensive enough), I never tipped and the instructors never expected to be tipped.

There are times I have tipped. For example on a dive boat it was stated up front the deck hand worked for tips. OK, that I understand. But for taxi drivers, barbers, other professionals, etc, never...

[Snore]

Many of my students give a gratuity after the test. Not all do, but most do. Notably, a student who I failed for a variety of reasons — gave me a healthy tip. Not for failing her, but for trying so hard to help her pass.

ASA Instructors make the same as charter captains. To perform a much more demanding task.