Marina Etiquette Tips

I think you'll find that 9 out of 10 times it's not the pet's fault but , like most children it was who taught them or who's suppose to be watching them....Rip
 
I can think of one more....If you see a group of boats or just one at anchor out of the channel that doesn't mean "hey there is a good spot to go in circles while pulling people on a tube". That is one of my biggest complaints. Everytime I am out this almost seems to happen. It seems only like sweet justice when I am coming in for the day a see "said" boat floating in the channel. This wake is for you Mr all day driving in circles inner tuber puller....cheers
 
What is the ettiqutte for tipping dock boy, gas guy, mechanic, etc?

Did anyone give a gift to these guys for the holidays?

Just a thought?
 
What is the ettiqutte for tipping dock boy, gas guy, mechanic, etc?

Did anyone give a gift to these guys for the holidays?

Just a thought?

The answer is there is no consensus like there is with traditional sit down dining.
My answers:

Gas = no

Mechanic = if they did something extra. Say they got you back running on a weekend when you were in need of repairs, helped you, gave you some helpful education, basically went above and beyond.

Dock boy = I have no frame of reference to help you on this one. At our marina we help each other if there is wind or you just happen to be close by as they come in. I don’t tip fellow slip renters other then I help them as they come in, general friendship, etc.
 
Ok so watch your pets.Children at our marina are required to wear life jackets under the age of 12 i think while on a dock or boat in the marina,and are all supposed to be adult supervised while on the premissis.This hardly happens,we have a group that allows thier kids and thier kids friends to swim in the marina ,as in run as fast as possible down a hill onto a dock down the dock and jump off into the main fairway.Quite noisy and someone will get hurt.The club commandant put a advisory in the club paper but it didnt help.What would you do?ps our docks are made of man made lumber so they can get sippery.
 
we have a group that allows thier kids and thier kids friends to swim in the marina ,as in run as fast as possible down a hill onto a dock down the dock and jump off into the main fairway.

There was an article in one of the boating magazines over the summer that talked about the extreme danger of swimming around the docks. The article talked about parents who let their kids swim at the marina around the boats. There was a boat with a poor electrical grounding system leaking electricity into the water. When the child swam close enough to that boat, he was electrocuted and died. It seems that common sense should have prevented this tragedy. Maybe that dock master should find and distribute that article. That would hopefully drive the point home about how dangerous that practice is...

Mike

P.S. (in keeping with the topic) I think it would be proper etiquette to tell those parents of the danger they put they children in by allowing them to do that.
 
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Ok i will ,also i did tip the guy that bottom washes our boat in the fall .20 bucks and he went down and powerwashed the bilge for me .He would of done it for free but he did such a nice job i thought he deserved it.also the gas dock dude is very helpfull but i feel a tip is unnecessary considering gas prices ,i do make sure he knows i appreciate the help docking and fueling though.Ever been to mitzys on the detroit river/ noew those girls deserve a tip for helping dock and fuel!
 
What is the ettiqutte for tipping dock boy, gas guy, mechanic, etc?

Did anyone give a gift to these guys for the holidays?

Just a thought?


Gas Guy- couple of bucks for fuel only as long as i dont have to do much.

Gas Guy/ With Pump Out- $5 or 10 depending on whether he rinses the holding tank and then pumps out again.

Dock hand at bar/ rest- couple of bucks for helping with lines

Mechanic- never have but if above and beyond service is offered I supposed I would
 
I pump gas at our boat club but were also open to the public. I get some cash tips, a few beers, bottle of wine, etc. from a few customers and always a thank you because I always say it. Most customers know I'm a boater and use the gas dock myself so they are always happy we are there for them. We are the only fuel on the river and run it as a non-profit benefit to our members and others to promote boating. I enjoy doing it because we're only open 1-5pm Sat, Sun and Holidays (not the best boating times). I like weekdays, evenings and smooth water.....not that the 270 really is bothered by boat wakes. I get paid enough to cover my boating and buy my fuel at cost.....not a bad deal and I get to meet great people and talk boats! We sell about 7,000 gal a summer....Mike.
 
What is the ettiqutte for tipping dock boy, gas guy, mechanic, etc?

Did anyone give a gift to these guys for the holidays?

Just a thought?


i think tipping the gas attendant is in order just as much as you would tip a cab driver, restaurant person, or any other.

we do $5. maybe not much, but that and a thank you seem to make them happy. and the gas docks i deal with help tie up when we pull in, and shove off.

the attendant hasn't any control over the price of gas. i don't feel the price of gas is a fair reason, to justifies not helping the attendant a bit.
if you can afford:smt089 $100 to $300 per fill, $5 likely wont break you.
 
i think tipping the gas attendant is in order just as much as you would tip a cab driver, restaurant person, or any other.

we do $5. maybe not much, but that and a thank you seem to make them happy. and the gas docks i deal with help tie up when we pull in, and shove off.

the attendant hasn't any control over the price of gas. i don't feel the price of gas is a fair reason, to justifies not helping the attendant a bit.
if you can afford:smt089 $100 to $300 per fill, $5 likely wont break you.


Same here...
 
I have a rule for gas/pumpout dock help. If all the kid does is hand me the hose and I pump fuel or empty the holding tank...no tip. If he fuels the boat...$10 tip. My thought is, taking on $1000 in fuel that takes 10-15 minutes of care and time, the kid deserves something. If he pumps out my holding tank too, another $10 tip.
 
I'm not an automatic tipper anywhere. You earn it and you'll get it. The waitress that dropped a plate of food on my back last weekend did not get a tip. The hot chick in the little bikini that couldn't read the word water and started to stick the gas nozzle in didn't get one either.
 
Re: Marina's, Kids & Pets

More and more I see boat owners going off and leaving kids and or their pets run the docks unsupervised.

Recently I saw a boat close by let their dog off the boat on to the dock and watch him take a dump ... the dog jumped back on board and the ower when back below decks and never came back ... leaving a lump for the world to deal with.

I called the dock master by VHF and comlplained about the dump a dog took and they sent a dock boy with a shovel and scrubbers ... which he used to clean up the mess and the dock master walked over and asked whose dog was the culprit, I snitched.

The DM rapped on the offending owners deck and a head popped out and a quiet discussion followed and the owners head was shaking left and right in what appeared to be denial ... and the dog again jumped ship and ran to the now clean spot and after giving it a good sniff, took a pee on it. The owner now red faced and the dock master in a much louder voice said in a firm and no doubt left statement, "Be gone in an hour!"

The DM walked back to my boat and gave his appologies and explained that they'd been trying to catch a culprit for days, but never got a complaint or caught the offending guest ...

Pet owners that enjoy boating with their pets should make extra effort to make sure their joy is not other boaters bane.

I had a dock " neighbor" that would let his 100+ lb husky type wander on the dock all day and never take the mutt up to do his business... the dog would stroll across the dock and down the finger between my boat and my other neighbor's boat and crap right where I would step on and off my boat. After this happening a few times I politely suggested to the neighbor that he walk his dog on the beach so he wouldn't do his thing next to my boat.... the guy gave me a four letter look and said " whatever " . The next time the mutt left me a package I scooped it up and placed it in his cockpit with a note " I think this is yours ".
I never saw the dog on the dock again.
EXPRESSBOY
:smt021:smt021
 
........ I find myself tipping $2 per person or 10%, which ever is greater. No more 15% tips from this cheapskate until I either am making more, or the price of food drops.

Scott, if they gave you good service, 10% is just not fair to them in my opinion.


If times are hard and you switch to counter service like McDonald’s or just bring your own food you made I have no issue with doing this to save money.


However….if you can afford the sit down meal you can afford the tip.
 
I have a rule for gas/pumpout dock help. If all the kid does is hand me the hose and I pump fuel or empty the holding tank...no tip. If he fuels the boat...$10 tip. My thought is, taking on $1000 in fuel that takes 10-15 minutes of care and time, the kid deserves something. If he pumps out my holding tank too, another $10 tip.

I think some states (CT) the owner "must" pump his own fuel.
Kind of self service. The attendant is only there for a spill or accident.
If there is a spill, the owner is responsible, not the station.
I believe thats why some places hand you the gas nozzle.

We tip as appropriate, normally 5 bucks or more if they seemed to have a clue about what there doing.

It kills me when the attendant is really great and the owner doesn't tip at all.....that just ruins it for the rest of us.

Come onnn spring.
 
You know, it is interesting that in other countries, besides the ones where American's to be common (Canada, Mexico), Waiters and waitresses are not tipped at all. In fact, in France, if you tip, you offend the server. Food for thought.

Scott, thank you for taking the time to make a follow up post.

I did not understand your post to be telling us what you do when you are in France.

If the tradition in France is as you state and you are in France then feel free to do it there.

I do not know your lively hood. I remember you posting that at one time in the past you were a pilot for cargo; I think UPS but not sure if that is correct or current. If you are still doing this then you are in a job that is traditionally not tipped, just like mine.

At a minimum I hope my post causes you to pause and consider if what you are doing is fair or if you have simply justified something in your mind that has some imperfect logic.

With power comes responsibility.

Being in a position that gives you the power to control how much you pay someone after they serve you in good faith means you have the responsibility to do so with fairness.


Is your real name Gus O'Connor?
http://www.theonion.com/articles/10percent-tip-teaches-waitress-valuable-lesson,2070/
 
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A good list, thanks. I may post at my marina, although most seem to follow them. One thing I didn't realize, or think about, is low power on the radio. When I'm by myself I need to call for help to dock, which isn't often, but next time I'll turn down to 1W power to save their ears. Thanks.
 
A good list, thanks. I may post at my marina, although most seem to follow them. One thing I didn't realize, or think about, is low power on the radio. When I'm by myself I need to call for help to dock, which isn't often, but next time I'll turn down to 1W power to save their ears. Thanks.

The 1 watt setting doesn't transmit any louder, it doesn't transmit as far. When your in a marina and you are speaking to the dock master, boats 10 miles away don't need you stepping on their transmissions or communications.

1 watt, CLOSE, near transmissions. IE: marinas, boat to boat, inland water way, deckhand/dockhand/linehandlers.
15 watt, FAR, offshore, hailing distant locations or boats, hailing Coast Guard stations, weak signals.
 

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