Well when I drag the porta-potty out, even my crew disappears and they are the ones who use it. They never tipped me once. I guess that's why the skipper spends his time on the poop deck.
Marina Etiquette
- Thread starter Sailm8
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When I was operating yachts professionally, working for wealthy folks I might add, we tipped well at most marinas and extravagantly at places we intended to return to often. We got service well worth the (owner's) money and it was nice to be able to give some hard working college kid a hundred dollar tip.
On my own boat, I'm not as free with the money, but at the one marina in the US I consider my home marina, though I have only been there once on this boat, I did tip those dock guys that helped me out a 20 each. But I got rides from the parking lot to the boat and they helped load stores aboard and were always available to help when they could.
I wished I could have tipped the fellas at the Power Boats yard in Trinidad, but it is not done, even though the yard personnel were helpful, friendly and capable at all times. I've never had such a pleasurable experience, even when spending hundreds of thousands on a yacht, in the quality yards in the US and Europe.
On my own boat, I'm not as free with the money, but at the one marina in the US I consider my home marina, though I have only been there once on this boat, I did tip those dock guys that helped me out a 20 each. But I got rides from the parking lot to the boat and they helped load stores aboard and were always available to help when they could.
I wished I could have tipped the fellas at the Power Boats yard in Trinidad, but it is not done, even though the yard personnel were helpful, friendly and capable at all times. I've never had such a pleasurable experience, even when spending hundreds of thousands on a yacht, in the quality yards in the US and Europe.
I have only found ONE, that's right, ONE place that had anyone to take my lines (I hear ya, Steve). That was at a fuel dock at Loch Lomand Marina on northern SF Bay.
First they grabbed my bow line and yanked it so hard the stern was pulled away from the dock! Then they grabbed my stanchions and started pushing HARD on them, all the while I was saying: "Please don't push on my stanchions because when you do that they start to leak when it rains and it is a BEAR to access them from down below. Please push or pull on the gunwales." They kept pushing. I started repeating that, louder, and louder. Finally, yelled at the top of my lungs: "Get your %$#@!%^^ hands off my stanchions!!!"
Sometimes "help" just ain't so good. I am much more appreciative of folks who just let me dock my own boat.
Tip? I asked those bozos to pay me for the damage they caused!
First they grabbed my bow line and yanked it so hard the stern was pulled away from the dock! Then they grabbed my stanchions and started pushing HARD on them, all the while I was saying: "Please don't push on my stanchions because when you do that they start to leak when it rains and it is a BEAR to access them from down below. Please push or pull on the gunwales." They kept pushing. I started repeating that, louder, and louder. Finally, yelled at the top of my lungs: "Get your %$#@!%^^ hands off my stanchions!!!"
Sometimes "help" just ain't so good. I am much more appreciative of folks who just let me dock my own boat.
Tip? I asked those bozos to pay me for the damage they caused!
Yep, too much help. Our shifter cable broke as we pulled out of the slip and two days later when we arrived in Moss Landing (shifting when needed reaching over the running engine to access the transmission) we came into the side tie dock a bit hot and knew we would not be able to back down quickly. However my wife and I were prepared with a mid ship spring line. She was standing by over the engine compartment awaiting instructions. Just drop the eye over the cleat and the boat would stop before hitting the piling. I knew I could reach it, but the fellow yacht club member said he would do it. With trepidation I let him have the end and pointed to the cleat. Oh no, "I've got you" and proceeded to dig his heels into the dock and hold the line for dear life. A person should be able to bring a 12,000 pound boat from a knot to a stop, right? The piling came up fast and I cranked the wheel to port. Did he let us go? Nope. And since we wouldn't shift into gear to avoid grinding him up, we promptly ran aground 10 feet away from the dock. Elkhorn Yacht Club has the Order of the Mud Hens for their members who fall in the water at the dock. Now they have an honorary member from the Oakland Yacht Club. My wife and I prefer to dock our own boat because at least we know what to expect of each other. For those who are graduates of some of the sailing schools around here, I think they should get their money back. We had a really good instructor back in the day in Punta Gorda.
I watched a husband and wife dock an H33 in Ontario several years ago. I had just bought my H23 and hadn't taken the ASA 101 course yet. The Southerner in me wanted to offer to help with dock lines. The novice in me said to keep my mouth shut. The novice won and I watched them dock perfectly with no drama. Things would not have gone so smoothly if the Southerner had won.
I'm like Stu and a few others. I don't want anybody to help me with my boat ever. For anything. Ever. If I can't manage my own boat by myself, I would have no business with a boat. And yes, I do this all the time by myself. I don't even want anybody on the BOAT to help. Sit quietly out of the way, I'll do it.
Maybe I'll consider calling ahead to the Harris-Teeter and have a bag boy come out and park my Suburban for me.
And no, I am not one of those cheapass sailors that is counting my nickels. I've got problems just like everybody else, money just doesn't happen to be one of them. So I tip big. WAY too much on occasion, but imagine that broke kid waiting tables leaving with a fifty dollar tip over a 40 dollar plate. Yeah, they'll remember you. Probably my ego too, but who gets hurt. Can't take it with you, and I have no one to leave it too.
But there is one hell of a difference between the kid that is carrying your 40 dollar meal, or the one that is about to put their hands on your very expensive boat.
Best not.
Maybe I'll consider calling ahead to the Harris-Teeter and have a bag boy come out and park my Suburban for me.
And no, I am not one of those cheapass sailors that is counting my nickels. I've got problems just like everybody else, money just doesn't happen to be one of them. So I tip big. WAY too much on occasion, but imagine that broke kid waiting tables leaving with a fifty dollar tip over a 40 dollar plate. Yeah, they'll remember you. Probably my ego too, but who gets hurt. Can't take it with you, and I have no one to leave it too.
But there is one hell of a difference between the kid that is carrying your 40 dollar meal, or the one that is about to put their hands on your very expensive boat.
Best not.
I will always tip when somebody will help me. You get what you give and I will always give more than what I get. Good Karma and will always tip.
I was young once.
I was young once.
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