Mates Tip Increase?

[Tsukiji]

I know I'll get bashed by some but what is fair? Now that the charter rates have increased 10-20% should the mates tip be the same percentage as before? I know the mates work damn hard but i don't get a raise of 10-20% because of high fuel prices. OI charter rate$1650 20% $330 I could see $180-$240 which is more than I make a day. Am I just cheap? Let me hear it you ain't gonna hurt my feelings.

Butch

[lazyfatass247]

I don't see why they shouldn't, but a tip should never come from a percentage number rather how hard the mate worked on the trip

[Capt_John]

Just work hard and the tips will come. When I was living in HHI, I worked on a ridiculously expensive charter boat. I would work hard and make sure the people had a great time, but I still didn't have to work near as hard as I used to back home in NC. In HHI, most of our fishing was light tackle for spanish mackeral and sharks during the peak season. However....running 2 sometimes 3 trips a day paid off and I averaged another $12,000 a year in tips(not including mounts) and only running half the days I used to in NC. With the charter rates going up, then the percentage for the gratuity goes up. Add that to your pay and you'll be doing fine. But with the rates going up it's up to you as a mate to make sure the people have fun and enjoy themselves, even if the fishing sucks.

[Tuna Taxi]

I don't think you are cheap for asking the question. A significant jump in price due to a fixed cost does not meet the "spirit" of tipping practice.

I know charter boats are going to still ask for 20%, they'll never get it if they don't ask. Many charters who don't know any better will just pay it, that's the American way...get what you can get. I don't hold it against them for asking, but I also think they should not hold it against me for not paying it. If a charter gets confronted by a capt/mate for tipping less than 20% of a fuel-inflated charter fee, then the capt/mate are dead wrong, in my opinion. If that money is necessary for the operation of the charter, it should be in the price of the charter rather than hiding behind "mate works for tips only" placards.

Tips should show the value of the service, in the tipper's opinion. Unless the mate is pulling out his credit card at the fuel dock to fill the boat, his tip should not necessarily rise based only on the price of fuel. But, it certainly should reflect his good job performance out on the water.

[WAHOONBOX]

I THINK THE MAJORITY OF MATES DO VERY WELL IN THE TIP DEPARTMENT... .........OH I TOO HAVE GOTTEN INTERNALLY STARK RAVEN MAD WHEN I COULD SEE A PARTY LEAVING THE SCENE OF THE CRIME WITHOUT A DIME BEING LEFT BEHIND..............BUT SHOULD WE RECEIVE A TIP INCREASE BECAUSE OF HIGHER FUEL PRICES? NOT REALLY......

FUNNY THING..... YOU NEVER HERE US WRITE ABOUT GETTING GREAT TIPS FOR A 10 DAY STRAIGHT CHARTER BONANZA ....YOU ONLY HEAR US WRITE & COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ONE GUY WHO RAN TO HIS TRUCK SO HE COULD ESCAPE GIVING YOU HIS POCKET CHANGE

I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE HYPE ON THE NET ABOUT HIGHER FUEL PRICES FORCING THIS CHARTER BOAT OUT OF BIZNESS... .........IMO.....PUBLIC CHAT ABOUT HOW HIGH THE PRICE IS EMBEDS A "DON'T BOOK" INTO THE MINDS OF POTENTIAL$......

TRUST ME......THE GUYS THAT ARE SERIOUS ABOUT CHARTER FISHING ARE GOING TO BOOK ........I MEAN SIKORSKI , CAPT D AND OTHERS ARE ENROUTE RIGHT NOW TO KILL SOME MEAT ON THE RUN-OFF IN MHC.....AND THEY AIN'T SKEERED.....................SO

IS IT SO HARD TO GIVE UP A FEW PACKS OF CIGARETTES A MONTH?....WHY NOT GIVE UP A COUPLE 12 PACKS A MONTH? AND APPLY YOUR NEWFOUND SAVINGS TO THE CHARTERS FUEL COST INCREASE ..........AND QUIT BUYING NO-NOTHING LURES THAT YOU WILL NEVER PULL! ..........AND QUIT EATING OUT SO MUCH!!! DO YOU THINK THE FOOD INDUSTRY BRINGS THEIR CHOW IN BY MONGOLIAN YAK OR SOMETHING ? HELL NO!!!! TRUCKS ... TRUCKS TRUCKS TRUCKS!!! AND TRUCKS BURN INFLATED PRICED FUEL JUST LIKE A CHARTER BOAT............

WHEN CIGARETTES GO UP IN PRICE NO ONE BITCHES.....BEER IS GOING UP UP UP .....AND NO ONE CRIES ABOUT THIS................HELL, I HAVE HEARD THE ORANGE JUICE INDUSTRY MOAN AND GROAN FOR 40 YEARS ABOUT SPRING FROSTBITE KILLING ORANGE BLOSSOMS IN SOUTH FLORIDA FORCING OJ PRICES TO RISE AND WE ALL STILL DRINK THAT! GEEZZZUS GUYS!!

JUST LOOK AT THE OFFSHORE FORUM REPORTS SECTION..........GUATAMALA, CR, DOMINICAN, JAMACA, BIMINI...BRAZIL....CABO...PUERTA VALLARTA....NO ONE SEEMS TO MIND SPENDING ALL THIS CHANGE TO TRAVEL DO THEY? I WENT IN A MALL WITH THE PONEYTAIL IN RICHMOND A COUPLE WEEKS AGO...........A SUNDAY IT WAS.........THE FREAKING PLACE WAS PACKED......WOMEN WERE BUYING CRAP LIKE LOONATICS....I EVEN SEEN ONE CHICK BUY 30 PAIRS OF PANTIES AND BRAS AT ONE TIME........SHE MAY HAVE BOUGHT MORE THAN THAT BUT THE PONEYTAIL YANKED ME OUT OF THERE BEFORE I COULD COUNT THEM ALL.....

COME ON GUYS....QUIT MOANING AND CLIMB ABOARD A CHARTER BOAT....GO CATCH SOME FISH & TIP THE MATE AND THE CAPTAIN FAIRLY............OH............YOU NOTICED I SAID TIP THE CAPTAIN DIDN'T YA .....YOU THINK A CAPTAIN DOESN'T WANT A TIP? YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS HERE.............IS THERE HONESTLY ONE CAPTAIN AMONGST YOU THAT CAN HONESTLY SAY HE WOULD REFUSE A COUPLE BENJI'S?...............


ME THINKS NOT.

ONE REMEDY THAT MIGHT HELP THE CHARTER INDUSTRY IS TO PRIVIDE A SUBSIDY PAYMENT TO ALL FULL TIME CHARTER OPERATIONS WHEN THEY GET BLOWN OUT BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER.....

LET THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PROVIDE THE NASTY WEATHER REPORTS LIKE THE ONE THEY ISSUED TODAY TO THE SUBSIDY CHECK DEPARTMENT AND THEN ISSUE MONTHLY CHECKS TO THE CHARTER FLEET FOR LOSS OF REVENUE BECAUSE OF THE WIND........

AND IN LAYMAN TERMS ........OOPS...(ALL THIS SCRIBBLE ISZZ IN LAYMENS LINGO)....

"TREAT OUR CHARTER BOATS LIKE THEY DID AND HAVE DONE THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY FOR DA LAST 60 YRS ......AND ALL WILL BE JUST FINE"

TOMORROW 5 BELLS..........LEGAL FUNTRIP NUMBER TWO COMMENCES IF THE BLOW WILL GET ON OUT OF HERE

.

[JimH]

This isn't too unlike a discussion we had about tipping a waiter.
You order dinner and a bottle of wine. The dinner for four is $100; the wine is $20. Total bill $120. Same place next week, you eat the same meal, $100 and decide to spurge and buy a bottle of wine that is $100. (It's your anniversary or something). Total bill is now $200. Waiter had to open and serve the wine and the amount of work and effort was the same for both bottles. Do you tip based on a bottle of wine was opened or the price of the wine?

We looked online and found most etiquette sites state you should tip based on the cost of the wine until you get above $500 per bottle. I guess I won't have to worry reaching that limit.

I was taught to be prepared to tip proper or stay out of that establishment. Another lesson, "if you can't buy your date the most expensive item on the menu and tip a proper amount, then you can't afford to eat at that restaurant".

[joeksr]

I always wonder about tipping on the size of the check.
Does someone serving breakfast do less work than someone serving dinner ?
Same amount of plates, Drinks etc .
Does it take more work to uncork a $500 bottle of wine than a $50 bottle ?
I tip mostly on percentage but it dont make sense.
I crank it up a notch for things that require the same work but cost less.
I have been known to not leave a tip if the service sckd.
Call me all the names they want, if you aint providen good or at least tolerable service you dont deserve a tip. NOT a god given right.

As far as charters ... If the cost to charter has gone up, so has the cost of living. Tip the mate well if he works hard to put fish in the box.


ON the other hand, I always tip my bartender well. And the service is always great.

[Trident]

Another great topic!

I often lurk, read, and have a side that is living vicariously in T&C through the kind posts of others.

When away fishing i try to find out who the most highly recommened Capt. is in that area. Why? b/c i want his depth of experience... and its not ment as a dig on a newer capt. Some are very good.

However, fuel isn't the only thing thats up. i think we here feel it more b/c running out there on our own rigs is our passion- therefore we here tend to feel it more than most.

When i am the "party" i find it hard not to "work". But its not my boat, and they have a system they like, so i politely ask how i can help out. The answer is always "relax".... and by the end of the day we've shared fish and stories they know that I know what im doing and we're fishing more like old buddies and thats now i like it.

At anytime i please i can walk away, ignore the lines, course, etc. to have as much time with my wife and/or daughter (who are often with me). They pick up all the slack and with their increased costs of life and family I have no problem dropping 20%.

B/c i ask around before hand ... i have never been disappointed. And even the 1 time we did get skunked it wasn't for a lack of trying.... asses were truely worked off. Thats how it goes on occasion. still 20%.

In the overall cost of my trip ( plane, room, etc.) the dif. between 10 and 20 is a very small amount. and if I ever want to use them again they bend over backward for ya.

Thanks for reading this long winded answer, but w/o trying to derail the thread... Im curious what do you guys think is right on a smaller boat where there is no mate and the Capt. is everything?????

[clt_capt]

So is uncorking a Wine bottle more effort than Unscrewing a Wine bottle?

Which should you tip better for?