Ok, got this new boat and it has no trailer (yet!) but it came with a prepaid rack in a heated storage marina. I spent the whole weekend out there and it was nice and the people in the yard were very helpful and nice. However when I was leaving and the boat was put away I thought I saw another guy give the lift operator a tip!? It never even dawned on me to do this! I am by no means a cheap skate and consider myself a good tipper when I do so, I just didn't even think about it! Do these guys now hate me because of this? I have always had trailers with my boats and am new to this rack storage thing. Let me know if I messed up royally or what.

good question. i have always been a bit confused as to when it is expected to tip and when it is not.

I feels its kinda like this....Do you tip the guy that valets your car at the restaurant? It's that thought that maybe if you take care of them...they inturn take care of your baby.

Give him a $100,- early in the season and he will remember you and take good care of your boat. A lot cheaper than small amounts every time, and he will remember..

The thing is, over the three days, I saw three different guys. I don't think I need to give out $300 on top of the $3k+ that it cost to keep the boat there.

I put a case of Bud in thier refrigerator a couple times each season, tip them 20-100 bucks - depending on the complexity - every time they help me with a project, and give all four guys 50 bucks at the end of the year.

They run and get my boat when they see me pulling into the marina, and my boat often comes out first when there's a big line up, so I must be doing something right.

You need to ask the lift operator if they all split the tips up. You can't tip everyone. There are at least 5 marina employees helping at any given time. I usually give the lift guys a $20 every second or third time at the marina. We have 4 or five different operators.If one of the guys (dockhands) go out of their way to help, clean my boat cover off due to leakage from the boats above, or help me or my wife with docking under bad conditions, rain-wind etc. I will give the guys a few extra bucks. They good thing is they all take excellent care of us and our boat and we are the first ones they pull during crowded times, bad weather, and make sure we get a wash rack, even when they are all full up. It pays to toss a few bucks around to get the best service, just find out who is the best guys to give the tip to.

After you left, I saw them putting sugar in your gas tank, and then they drained the fluid out of your drives. After that they took turns keying the hull. ALWAYS tip your hi-lo operator... Just Kidding, they didn't key it.........

This I can handle. I didn't mean that I don't want to tip them, just didn't think about it. There is one guy who runs the yard that is real nice and knowledgable. I'll make sure to give him something this weekend.

It will pay off eventually. Most of those guys get a small hourly salary and make up the difference in tips.