Compensation for Scuba Classes

[Ben_3]

Without knowing what jurisdiction you're talking about, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that's probably illegal. Not saying it's not true-- I've seen restaurants do it where it's definitely illegal. Question from a student perspective: how can I avoid patronizing shops that do stuff like this to their DMs and instructors? Or should I just tip generously and make sure to hand it directly to that person?

Tiping is always better directly to the individual in my opinion.

 

[michael-fisch]

Never tip with anything other than cash! CC and checks usually go through the store and are also monitored by the IRS.

Michael

 

[TMHeimer]

Tiping is always better directly to the individual in my opinion.

Yeah, I always do that, and to the DM only, as I don't know what the Captain and any other crew make. I'm pretty sure the DM unfortunately usually works for tips only. I always tip the DM before the boat leaves shore so I have no money with me on board.

 

[Esprise Me]

Some of them won't take it, in my experience, when there's supposed to be a tip pool.

 

[Rickk]

I dove with Philippine Fun Divers in Bohol and they had a tip box on the counter. They stated that the tips were shared with all and any tips given directly were to be put in the pool as well.

Then the tips were shared with the staff, the staff confirmed that the pool was divided fairly.

That way the guys behind the scenes, the ones who fill the tanks and maintain the boats and gear, all necessary for the complete experience all shared in the tips.

 

[TMHeimer]

I dove with Philippine Fun Divers in Bohol and they had a tip box on the counter. They stated that the tips were shared with all and any tips given directly were to be put in the pool as well.

Then the tips were shared with the staff, the staff confirmed that the pool was divided fairly.

That way the guys behind the scenes, the ones who fill the tanks and maintain the boats and gear, all necessary for the complete experience all shared in the tips.

Yes, but do we know if the tank fillers and boat maintainers get paid a straight salary or not. I would imaging a shop employee doing fills (and other shop duites, possibly retail) would get a salary---or why would they do it?
I can see that Charter DMs could refuse taking individual tips to avoid
looking bad in from of other crew. I haven't witnessed that myself.

 

[Rickk]

Yes, but do we know if the tank fillers and boat maintainers get paid a straight salary or not. .....

I never dug that deeply into it. Just was told that tips were pooled and shared with back room staff as well as those directly interacting with the customers.

 

[JackD342]

I never dug that deeply into it. Just was told that tips were pooled and shared with back room staff as well as those directly interacting with the customers.

Pooled share of tips for the whole boat crew in my experience is a pretty standard arrangement at my Caribbean dive destinations. One note to consider though - I just got back from Dominica where Dive Dominica was booked through a "satellite" operation at the Fort Young Hotel, (the facilities Buddy Dive built about 4-5 years ago) and the one employee at that shop was doing most of the heavy lifting. She filled tanks, rolled them and the weights down to the dock and picked them up after the dive, brought our gear down and then brought it back up to rinse and hang up. I thought to ask, and found that she was NOT included in the boat crew tip pool. I made sure the rest of the folks on the boat that week were aware so they could take care of her.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yeah, I guess every op is different to some degree. I couldn't imagine someone working in the shop back room and not getting a salary, whereas that seems to be the case with many boat DMs. At least they may get to dive a bit.

 

[yle]

At the shop I last worked, the discounts on gear came directly from the manufacturers, NOT from the shop itself. There was a section in the front of each catalog that explained the program offered to dive pros by the manufacturer. We were able to order gear directly from the manufacturer, pay them directly, and it was delivered to the shop (with my name on the package.) It was a win-win-win: we got large discounts, the manufacturer got the best advertising (it was amazing how many of my students would buy the same reg I used...) and the shop sold the gear to students.

But when I would travel I would talk to other instructors about the manufacturer discounts, and many of them had no idea it existed. Seems like some shop owners would rather sell gear to their instructors instead of allowing them to benefit from the manufacturers' discount programs.

I was also paid per student, in US dollars, by the shop for teaching classes.