InTheBite

Tipping: The Dockmaster’s Viewpoint

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From The Archives

by Jan Fogt

We ran a story on “Tipping While Traveling” and interviewed four well traveled captains to provide their insight on tipping. In response to the article we had several dock attendants and dockmasters comment on the subject and think its fitting to follow up with some of their responses on the subject.

Barbara Roderick, American Yacht Harbor Marina, St Thomas USVI

Dockmaster Barbara Roderick has done it all at the famed American Yacht Harbor marina on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, from working the fuel docks to running the store.  One of the busiest marinas in the Caribbean, she was happy to express her own ideas on tips and tipping.

Tom Farlow, Pirate’s Cove Marina Manteo, NC

Tom Farlow oversees one of the most professional marinas in North America – if not the world.  The 195-slip Pirate’s Cove Marina is one of the few marinas with an on site, 24-hour a day dockmaster.  In addition, guests are offered personal business cards with cell numbers from anyone and everyone who takes care of them, from the guy who delivers ice to the attendant helping them fuel.  The marina also offers a concierge service for off site needs and has an offsite marine repair facility to take care of pretty much anything that can befall a boat.  “Our goal is to try and provide anything and everything our guests might need,” says Farlow.

Yvonne Shults, Orange Beach Marina, AL

With 165 slips for boats to 100 or more feet, the Orange Beach (AL) Marina is one of the largest on the Gulf Coast.  Store manager Yvonne Shults however has a way of making boaters and fishermen feel welcome, like they are special guests, which might explain why she too often receives tips.

Q:  Under what circumstances is a tip expected from a captain and or owner? What sorts of tips are customary?

Roderick:  Sometimes I feel like we’re the red-headed stepchild here at Red Hook. I don’t know what it is but for whatever reason, some guys think tipping is not necessary when they come here.  Where do I think it is appropriate?  The fuel dock for sure because those guys are always having to do a lot of running back and forth, delivering carts so the guys can unload their gear, or passing them water and fuel hoses.  In the office, the girls that work really hard for our guests, arranging for rental cars, helping them get reservations, checking on flights and a hundred other tasks and hardly ever get a thank you much less a tip, which would be very nice to see because they always provide good service with a friendly smile.  I’m not saying it has to be a big tip, just something to say we appreciate what you do for us.  As for amounts, for the guys at the fuel dock I’d say something like $5 to $20 is a nice tip for helping with the lines and getting people on and off the boat, or delivering a cart and helping them fuel. It kind of depends how much they do.  And for the guys who deliver heavy batteries and help during oil changes, I don’t think $20 is too much because those are services that are not part of their job description, yet are things they cheerfully do for our guests.

Farlow:  I would estimate the average tip for helping a boat tie up and refuel and to guide them through the paperwork we require – for the first time – is about $20.  Every time an attendant assists a guest it is not usual for them to receive a $5 to $10 tip. For the week, our attendants might receive about $100 in tips. During tournaments, however, the tips would be more because the level of service increases. For instance, it is not unusual for our guys to be delivering ice, newspapers, coffee and biscuit sandwiches at 4 a.m.  And when the boats get in, they are there to wash the boats and tackle and help refuel and do whatever it takes to make sure that boat is on the water fishing the next day.  So normally the tips are bigger, usually in the range of a $100 a day per boat during tournaments.

Shults:  I like to think our guests always tip the dock attendants and employees whenever they go the extra mile like running bags of ice across the marina or staying late to weigh a fish or to fuel a boat.  Those are things we’re always doing.  Even so, tips are not what I would call expected.  It’s always up to the discretion of the customer to do what they think is appropriate.  As to various amounts, I’d say a $1 is a nice gesture if the guys deliver ice.

Q:  Do these circumstances vary between a very large boat of say 70-90 feet and a smaller vessel of 40-55 feet?   Would it be different for someone who had permanent dockage versus a transient?

Roderick:  Not really, although I have to say, we sometimes do get transients in who have no idea how to dock a boat, so the guys end up with hooks and lines maneuvering the boat into the slip because the guy doesn’t know how to.  And while permanent guys usually don’t tip on a day-to-day basis, most of them do try to offer something around Christmas time like a bottle of wine for me, money for the girls in the office or money for the dock guys.

Farlow:  The circumstances don’t vary at our marina between overnight boats and permanent boats, however most of the charter boats at our docks do not routinely tip for services by our staff. I think they probably should, but they don’t as a rule.

Shults:  Size doesn’t really matter. However transients do seem to tip more easily than our permanent guys, I guess because tipping is part of travel.  My experience as store manager is that I don’t really get many tips.  However, sometimes at the end of the year or maybe once or twice a year permanent guests will give a very generous tip for some special service.  For instance, just the other day I stayed late to weigh a 180-pound tuna for one of our fishermen and he gave me a $50 tip for staying an extra hour.  It was a surprise and much appreciated.  Our regulars don’t tip all the time but every now and then they’ll do something totally unexpected like that.

Q:  If a captain or owner fails to offer a tip for extraordinary service, is that something that might come back to haunt them?

Roderick:  Not really. Our guys work really hard and take a lot of pride in offering the people in our marina good service.

Farlow:  Our employees are well trained.  They understand that tips are something that’s a bonus, which is discretionary. They understand service is what is important.  And, that if anyone were to see them acting like they are owed a tip for some service they performed for a customer, they would be disciplined.

Shults:  Not to the extent anyone would ever say anything to a customer.  But I suspect people being human; they might be a little less joyful about providing services you normally would receive a tip for.

Q:  What would you think if someone gave you a T-shirt and hat? 

 Roderick:  T-shirts and hats are a real good one.  Some of our guys even collect them.

Farlow:  T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts and sometimes fish are always well received by our staff.

Shults:  The guys absolutely love it when an owner or captain gives them a logo shirt, hat or jacket.

 Q:  Does your staff appreciate fresh fish as a gratuity? 

Roderick:  We do get a lot of fish and appreciate it.  But a lot of us don’t have freezers and it spoils.

Farlow:  Yes and no.  Fish are plentiful here. Most of our dock attendants fish on their own boats, and consequently, catch fish to eat.

Shults:  Fresh fish is nice.

Q:  What is the best advice you can give someone about making a good impression with your staff at your marina in terms of behavior, treatment, etc.?

 Roderick:  We try our darnedest to treat our boaters and fishermen like good friends and valued customers.  So whenever I see my guys going the extra mile, hauling heavy marine batteries, helping captains with maintenance issues or rolling 5-gallon drums of used oil down the dock, I just think they should be compensated with a nice tip without me having to mention it because the captain didn’t think of it first.

Farlow:  We hand out business cards and welcome packets to everyone who ties up at our marina.  In those packets we try to instill one idea—don’t be shy about asking the dock crew questions or telling them what you need.  Basically we are here to serve and to make our customers feel like welcome guests.

Shults:  More than anything, being courteous is important. Of course tipping is gratefully appreciated if the customer feels they have received exceptional service.  At the same time, when the service is bad, as a manager that’s something I appreciate knowing so we can improve.

So, what have we learned from these interviews?  That no matter what the culture is, tipping is always appreciated and it is of course, always a discretionary act.  So if you do not think a tip is necessary for certain services, don’t tip.  But if you feel like people have taken good care of you, it’s okay to be generous.  It might just come back to haunt you – in a very good way.

Dock Etiquette: Acting Right Around Boats

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by Elliott Stark

“You know, that’s something that’s really, really important. Sometimes, it just doesn’t cross people’s minds,” says Capt. Jimmy Waller of Orange Beach, Alabama. Waller, whose nickname is “PeeWee” runs his 60’ Big Adventure. The topic of fishing etiquette touched off something special for Capt. Jimmy. “We have been cobia fishing, spotted a fish and had people on jet skis pull up to the boat and ask us what we are doing. One time it happened in a tournament. We were working a fish and had a guy and a girl come up to us on a jet ski. They pulled up to us and said, ‘Ahoy!’ You can’t make this stuff up. This will be my 36th year in the charter business. I’ve seen everything from pornos being made in the salon to just about whatever you can imagine.”

While it may sound pretty evident that making a porno on someone else’s boat crosses a line, the topic of fishing etiquette and how to behave on and around boats can be complicated subject. Those who get it right will enjoy return invitations or repeated free lance stints, those who don’t understand might wind up wade fishing. To determine the expectations of behavior aboard boats, we have surveyed experts from across the sportfishing landscape.

Social Media and Winning with Class

Captains Jeff Shoults and Johnny Dorland have decades of experience tournament fishing in the Gulf. Shoults and his Destin, Florida-based crew on the Mollie won the 2017 Gulf Coast Triple Crown. Dorland is the owner and captain of the Cotton Patch and the director of the Orange Beach Billfish Classic. When asked of the rudest or strangest behavior aboard his boat, Dorland’s two examples were clear. “I had a Tampax put down the toilet once… that wasn’t good. One time we had a guy get completely naked and jump off the tower. We were trolling for marlin 100-miles offshore. He had an inoperable brain tumor… and still does. That was 15-years ago and he’s still not right,” Johnny says with a laugh.

Shoults has expectations for behavior as well. “Mates are not allowed to post anything on social media. They’re also not to discuss what we do aboard the Mollie with other people. The Mollie is like Las Vegas, what happens aboard stays here,” he says. He also expects a certain manner of behavior on the dock – especially when enjoying tournament success.

“We keep the stereos turned down and act like we’ve won before. Don’t show your ass when you win. It’s like Bear Bryant said when a kid scored a touchdown and jumped all over the place. ‘Do you plan on ever scoring another touchdown? Well, then act like it.’ We also keep the boat looking nice, no matter how much we’ve been fishing. Even if you’ve been fishing hard, the boat shouldn’t show it.”

Dorland shares the social media sentiment. “I once had a mate post everything on social media. When I got back the dock, everybody was telling me how big the fish I caught was and how many ducks I shot. I told him that we don’t put things on Facebook on this boat. He told me that he posted to Facebook on his time, so I told him he could work on his own time too.” Dorland’s approach is pragmatic. “If you don’t act right on the boat, you don’t come back. If you get really drunk, you don’t come back.”

A Lesson in Kentucky Manners

Captain Jen Copeland is a wonderful conversationalist, a great captain and she grew up in Kentucky – folks from Kentucky have a natural understanding of the whole manners thing. Copeland, the captain of the Three C’s, an Ocean Reef, Florida-based Viking, delivers her perspective charmingly. For fishermen (mates or captains) working on someone else’s boat, Copeland recommends, “If you’re invited to fish on another boat, always leave it in better shape than you found it. And always offer to help clean and shammy the boat. If you know how, you should be helping!”

For angling guests, charters or the boss’ friends, Copeland suggests the following, “Learn to use the head – don’t leave anybody any gifts. Rods off the teak. Remember, when fishing is slow, don’t keep asking when we’re going to catch something. Nobody wants to catch fish more than the crew,” she says. “If you’re a guest, always bring beer.”

“If you’re sick, the rule is ‘Any side but inside!’ Mates don’t care. They’ve all been puked on before. I’d rather you puke in my boot – and I’ve had my boot puked in – than have to clean up after you inside.” Copeland’s ascription of rules comes from unique experience. When asked about the rudest thing she has endured on a boat, Jen didn’t hesitate. “Puking in the sink. His excuse was that he was taking a …. (bowel movement) and got sick. My mate had to go clean it up because the guy was too sick to go back inside.”

Getting seasick is nothing to be ashamed of…just don’t puke inside!

“Also, don’t assume that everyone operates with an open checkbook. Let’s not throw away the 15’ fluoro leader with three inches of chafing on the end. Tournament fishing is one thing, but when fun fishing, why not reuse the sailfishing hooks for mutton fishing the next day? And don’t slam the hatches. As my friend Brad Goodrich would say, ‘We have to use that tomorrow.’”

The Importance of Being Respectful: A Mate’s Key to Career Success

InTheBite’s 2016 Gulf Coast Captain of the Year Devin Potts runs the Sea Mixer, a 61-foot Spencer, out of Orange Beach. Devin is blessed with the ability to catch big blue marlin consistently in tournaments and the capacity to state things clearly and directly. “What bothers me is genuine complaining. A captain needs to be a part time psychiatrist to keep a crew together anyway, a mate complaining doesn’t help. We are very upfront with the schedule in our operation. The boss is liable to want to fish at any time – it could be the day after the tournament and he could decide he wants to fish. To me, his desire to want to fish is what keeps us employed. I’ve never had it happen to me, but I really don’t like to hear mates complaining about having to go fishing or saying ‘I don’t get paid enough for this.’ You don’t get paid enough for what? Even if it is warranted, shut up and do your job. That’s the way I look at it,” Potts relays.

Another topper on the list of Devin’s irritating mate behaviors is one that came up many times. “You hire a guy and he says, this is how we did it…” Captain Joey Birbeck on the You Never Know reaffirms this sentiment. “We bring one two extra mates for tournament season. We have a style of fishing that has been successful. Don’t come on someone else’s boat and tell the mate or the captain how to do their jobs. You have two ears and one mouth for a reason and you’re here to help. I never quit learning, but please don’t try to change our program.”

How does Capt. Jen Copeland feel about unsolicited advice from mates? “If I want your opinion, I’ll give it to you,” she jokes. “The worst thing I experienced from a mate was back talking from the cockpit. If you’ve got something to say, come tell me on the bridge. I can’t have that happen in front of the boss and his family or friends and my regular crew.”

Captain Johnny Dorland and Jeff Shoults offer a boat load of perspective.

Year in, year out Capt. Patrick Ivie and the Breathe Easy find themselves on the leaderboard across the Gulf circuit. “These days, it’s hard to find somebody that’s proactive and wants to do the job. Not many young guys grew up fishing like we did. I like guys that are eager to learn and excited. Finding someone who is eager to learn is important.” How should a new mate or a mate working on a new boat approach the job? Ivie describes, “You want to be as helpful as possible and ready for any work – from scrubbing toilets to gaffing fish.” Captain Peter B. Wright often advises young mates or those who are just starting on a new job to volunteer for the worst jobs. The crew will take notice and this kind of help goes a long way.

Etiquette While Fishing

Conducting yourself properly while on the water is also an important consideration that sometimes has serious consequences. Devin Potts describes one of the more consequential sides to Alabama cobia fishing. “When it comes to cobia fishing around here, it is serious. Talking about the public pier, if you’re in a boat and you get close to the pier – the bigger the boat, the bigger the target. They will sling giant bank sinkers at you. They have those long spinning rods and will nick the line (so that line breaks when they cast) and rear back and catapult them at you. If one hit you, it would kill you. I always thought Steve-O from Jackass should put on full football pads and run a boat past them…”

The live baiting for blue marlin around the rigs in the Gulf has reinforced a sense of cooperation by the captains who fish them. As Devin Potts puts it, “You’re better off working together than trying to conquer the world by yourself.” Patrick Ivie describes it similarly, with one exception. “If you’re live baiting the rigs, everybody wants to fish their zone – you take your turn and clear out when someone hooks up. I’ve hooked up and had boats not move – especially supply boats. I’ve hailed a supply boat on every channel on the radio asking one to move. I wish they’d read this article.” For a great story about hailing a work boat while hooked up to a blue marlin, check out the “Old Salts Rule” feature.

Seriously, don’t be that guy….

Boat Guests, Expectations for Charters

Adam LaRosa owns the New Jersey-based Canyon Runner Charters. In 2017, his operation ran 112 canyon trips. It suffices to say that few people have a better perspective on etiquette for would-be charter guests than LaRosa. “The thing that gets me is when a charter gets on the boat and immediately questions the captain. Charter fishing is an odd situation. Generally, in business the customer is always right – but not when you’re 100-miles offshore at night. Safety is the most important thing and the captain and crew are charged with keeping everyone safe,” LaRosa relates.

“Another thing is mistreating the boat. People sometimes think that because they charter for one day, they can do whatever they want. They don’t understand how expensive things are. A guy asks if he can light up a cigarette on the bridge while we’re running 30-knots. He doesn’t realize that the cushion he’s sitting on costs $5,000.”

To avoid confusion, and preserve his sanity, LaRosa sends out a rules list to all would-be charters. The list is great. Each item it contains has a story that prompted it. It is also a good lesson for most any would-be boat guest. It outlines when the captain will know the weather and be able to predict time of departure, leaving the black soled shoes at home, no liquor or wine offshore, and the restriction on bringing reels that are completely spooled with braid. He also prohibits glass – which can break and cut people and destroy pumps.

Capt. Patrick Ivie appreciates guests who help the crew with little things – especially during double over nighter tournaments in the Gulf. “Cleaning the boat is a team effort. Having guests who will help with cooking and cleaning when we’re fishing all day goes a long way.” Joey Birbeck seconds this. “Your mom doesn’t work here, so nothing goes in the sink.” Guests can also help be vigilant while offshore, “If you see or smell something that is out of place, please tell us.”

Life’s too Short to Be Rude

Generally speaking, people go fishing to have a good time. Being around nice, respectful people really helps this cause. A bit of consideration for the boat, the captain and the crew goes a long way. Don’t puke in the salon and if you’re fishing in Orange Beach, don’t run your boat within a quarter mile of a pier.