Take your boatyard boss to lunch month

[CarlN]

If you live where it snows, your January calendar should have an entry "Take boatyard boss to lunch".

It's pretty quiet in a northern boatyard or marina in January. My boatyard stores 350 boats. Less than 5 guys do this each winter.

For the cost of a sandwich you can demonstrate that you're not a jerk. No jerk would think to do this. This instantly puts you in the upper 50% of the average boatyard's customers - maybe higher depending where you live.

You'll also:

- get some advice about your boat.

- exchange some personal information as conversation starters next summer - you do know if the manager has kids, right?

- hear some pretty good marina gossip and maybe a few sea stories

Don't expect miracles. A sandwich isn't going to get you a huge discount on that engine overhall. But when there are four boats ready for the travel lift next May and only time to launch two.....

Carl

PS - I'm not a boatyard manager looking for a free lunch

 

[tommays]

The second boatyard job i had in 1974 had rule #1 DONT take tips as people expect favors in the future if you DO

 

[sailaway78]

Last year

Last year while boat was on the hard doing bottom job, paint and other stuff, I had the boat in the yard for 32 days. Had also pulled the mast. Once or twice I helped the yard workers with something that needed an extra hand. Once I brought them poorboys for lunch. This little kindness ended up with charges being approximately half of what I expected from origional rate quotes. I did not ask for or expect any favors in return for just basically being a nice guy. Was a guy next to me who was a real jerk first class. He was paying almost double the rates I had been quoted.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Most of the guys who work in my very large marina get paid minimum wage. Most of the time, it is not a fun job, particularly in winter. There is nothing as cold as boatyard in January when the wind is blowing really hard. I always manage to either tip the guys who handle my boat going in or out, or buy them some food or beer. They are always very appreciative as most boatowners view them as "invisible."

 

[Steve Dion]

A "tip" is for a job well done, not for something that may or may never happen.

Sometimes you get lucky and they get something done well and under budget. Most of the time this is NOT the case.

It is pathetic to think that they are paying min. wage and charging $80 to $100 per hour for their services.

 

[Maine Sail]

About...

About once, sometimes twice a year I bring the entire yard coffee & bagels. Four boxes of Joe and two dozen bagels costs me nothing compared to the good will it yields. The yard guys never forget...

 

[CarlN]

This doesn't work as well if it looks like a tip. That's why January is so great. No one's thinking "tip".

And, I agree with Maine Sail, do something for as many of the guys as possible. Just asking (and remembering) their name is a start. I once paid for the morning's roach coach tab for the yard. I learned a lot of names. And a few interesting histories (one old guy who does rigging was "stationed" throughout the '60s in Warsaw - presumably CIA - but of course he wouldn't say).

I do two other things to help my yard relationship:

a) I pay all bills instantly, unless it's obviously a mistake. If a bill is more than I expected, I pay but also let them know (gently). If they want my business, they'll figure out how to make it right - usually by "forgetting" to bill for something else. Happens all the time.

b) I try to give repair work to the yard (assuming they're qualified). If their price is high compared to another quote, I'll show them the quote and give them a chance to respond. If they can get within 10% on price, I'll give the work to the yard. It makes me a bigger customer, which never hurts, and they can stand behind the work much better than most guys working out of the back of their truck.

Carl

 

[Tim R.]

Nice idea but I think treating the workers with respect and understanding goes a long way too. Paying bills on time is good. I even prepay bills for hauling.

Another way to endear them is to do good work yourself. That way they know you are not afraid to get your hands dirty doing what they do. Sounds kind of couterintuitive but it works.

The general makeup of the average "yacht" owner has changed quite dramatically over the past 20 years. It is now easy for the common man to own a nice boat. It was not always this way and there are still perceptions out there that we are all a bunch of boat snobs.

 

[Larry3525]

I always tip the boat handler launching and retrieving. I am not looking for any price breaks, just for him to treat my boat the way he would treat his own. I have one of the smallest boats that the yard handles and a working stiff myself. They always treat me as an old friend. Respect goes a long way. If only more people respected each other.