Tipping amount

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there isn't a proper amount

but try 5 dollars a tank and see how it goes over...

somebody told me "the going rate for a beer, wherever you are, per tank"

of course...NYC is double that. For NY use parking per hour.
 
I tip like I would at a restaurant, 15% of the charter.
 
My question would be, do you tip the DM, and assume that he'll share with the boat hand, or do you have to tip each individually??

If your dive cost $80, and you tip 15%... Who does that go to...

I've tipped the DM... and assume they will share...
 
argos59:
Whats the proper amount to tip the crew on a dive boat ?
I hear $5/tank is average, although circumstances change the amount.

The crew that crammed way too many people on a way too small boat, which then swamped and partially sank, got nothing.

The DM that found me a bottle of water and pointed me to the "downwind" side of the boat when I was puking my guts out got a good tip.

The crew that took me and my buddy on some excellent dives and didn't rush us into or out of the water got an excellent tip.

Generally, I do $5 a tank if they're average and $10/tank if they've been professional. Quite a bit more if the service was exceptional or their island just got wiped out by a hurricane and very little if they're doing things that compromise safety.

Terry
 
$5 to $10 per tank.
 
The sharing thing sort of bugs me. I think it is their issue. I don't want to investigate all that on vacation.
 
As a PT DM on a boat, I think you should tip about $100 per tank.

Seriously, normal is around $5 - $10 per tank. If we do something special for you, then consider more. Nothing makes you want to stick the camera you found floating away into your BC pocket more than when you return it and you get a thanks and no tip.

Regarding sharing; I'm sure this is an issue in a lot of places. We have a box at the front desk with a sign on it that says all tips go to the box and get distributed equally between the boat crew, the guys schlepping tanks and the like. When we get handed a tip, it goes in the box unless someone specifically states that the tip is for a certain person, (as in the camera or whatever.)
 
Last boat I was on, I tried to hand a tip to the DM. He said thanks, and pointed at the tip bucket for the boat, and said it goes in there.

I'm sure they share the tips on that boat.
 
I'd be happy on a $5-$10 tip per tank. In general I'd rather be invited out for a drink or pupus than given a few beers. Every operation I've worked at the crew split tips, not always evenly, some place even split with the shop follks. Most of the crew are friendly with each other and actually make sure to split tips with each other. I think you can assume that tips are going to be shared. If you find that 1 crew member was great and the other(s) were awful consider leaving the tip in an envelope at the shop, most of the time that person would consider it a personal tip and not share. I also like the personal touch: hand the tip to the crew, even if a jar is there and maybe even take a second to explain why you liked diving with them; it can often make someones day.
If any of the following apply you should tip more:
The guide spends a lot more time dealing with or helping you than the rest of the boat. (This does not apply if you are very attractive member of the opposite (or same, whatever floats your boat) sex; you KNOW what I mean....).
You need rescue.
The Dm repairs something of your gear (that you lost).
You drop something over the side that the DM recovers for you (like keys, hats, towels, etc).
The Dm finds your HOLY GRAIL!
The guide shares his/her papaya (or anything he/she brought from home and is not provided by the boat).
The DM finds a piece of gear you lost.
The DM gets you to dive when you've freaked out and decided you 'can't' go.
You puke on the boat.
You puke on the DM/Captain.
You puke onto yourself and the DM finds something other than your towel for you to clean up with.
If when you are puking (see a theme here yet?)the DM makes sure you're comfortable, have water/shade and maybe moves you away from the engine exaust.
Basically if there is any sort of puke involved TIP EXTRA, someone has to clean that up!
If you clog the toilet on the boat (far grosser than cloging a home toilet, let me tell you!)
You create a large ammoung of extra work for the dm (again I think you know what I mean here..)
Basically if any the above apply you should probably tip more like $10-$20 per tank
 

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