The all-inclusive tipping note -- Boats, DMs & Instructors

[roakey]

When I was in Hawaii, they made fun of my BP/Wings set up, calling me Mister Tech Diver and such.

When I pulled my BP&W out on an Ed Robinson boat, one of the DMs made some joke about it just before he pulled out his BP&W. When I pulled out my Henderson 7mm jumpsuit his next comment was "A 7mm! This is Hawaii!" at which point he pulled out his Henderson 7mm jumpsuit.

We were virtually twins...

Roak

 

[scubasean]

When I pulled my BP&W out on an Ed Robinson boat, one of the DMs made some joke about it just before he pulled out his BP&W. When I pulled out my Henderson 7mm jumpsuit his next comment was "A 7mm! This is Hawaii!" at which point he pulled out his Henderson 7mm jumpsuit.

We were virtually twins...

Roak

Holy cow!

You dove a 7mm in Hawaii?

I dived 7mm in Monterey water (53F) and was toasty...I'd imagine being overheated in a 7mm in Hawaii...

I think I was in a 3mm when I dived off of Oahu a year ago, but don't really remember...I don't recall using a hood or booties either...

 

[gkndivebum]

Holy cow! You dove a 7mm in Hawaii?

All the time, all the time. Your blood thins after a while here

When I was in Hawaii, they made fun of my BP/Wings set up, calling me Mister Tech Diver and such.

That wouldn't happen with either of the operators I regularly dive with...

 

[mempilot]

I did a search to find the standard for tipping... in Hawaii.

The standard is to approach the cows at night. Sneak up on them while they sleep and give them a good push. Once they tip, they can't stop. Then run like hell in case they get mad and decide to stampede your butt. I'm assuming this is what you were asking about? Do they even have cows in Hawaii?

 

[roakey]

Do they even have cows in Hawaii?

Yup, they were all around my High School in Makawao on Maui. Of course, back then, most of the students weren't interested in the cows, but what grew in the cowflops.

Roak

 

[Rick Inman]

Rick:

Who was "they"? I visit HI fairly frequently and would like to compare notes, and allocate my diving business accordingly.

If not comfortable posting here, PM me please.

Truly, for the life of me, I cannot remember their name. I did a search and can't find them. It was NOT Jacks, or Aloha. They had no shop, just two boats at the marina (actually, their boats were on trailers parked in the dirt lot). They are mainly dive, but do whale watching as well. Their boat was a glass bottom, but they kept it covered.
Here are the only pictures I have on that boat. The 1st one shows the one of the owners (I think), and the second one shows me. The third one is one of the DMs. They also made fun of all my full wet suit (5mm). The DM had NO suit at all. And they got a real kick out of all that gear with a $10.00 disposable camera clipped to the D ring. Yuck-yuck.

WAIT A SECOND! I just enlarged the logo on the Captain's tee shirt. It is Neptune Charlie's!

 

[ArcticDiver]

Neptune Charlie's?? Never heard of them. But then now I don't need to do I

Thanks.

By the way, on the assumption you are a fequent flier to Oahu, I understand Capt. Bruce's is under new ownership. Got an email that said they were trying to bring it back up to its' former first class status.

 

[oversea]

I have been a customer at a dive shop near me for about a year and a half. The owner was my high school biology teacher. Him and his son run the shop and we seem to have become quite friendly. Although thay are basic local shallow water dives, myself and sometimes my brother go with them just for the hell of it. Their dive master is a retired NYC fireman and he's a great guy too. With the exception of my actual open water dives, I basically dove on my own with my brother, never with anyone from the shop, just on their boat.(everyone seems to do their own thing) I've never tipped the DM until this weekend. When we go out, we seem like a bunch of friends, although I do pay to go out. This weekend I went out by myself and the DM dove with me. Thats when I realized I had not tipped him before and I feel really guilty. I was playing with my new strobe and he stuck with me. We always brought beer etc (heineken is the DM's favorite). All the other boats I've been on I've tipped the dive master because thats what supposed to be done. It seems stupid but it really bothers me, he propably thinks I am a cheap SOB. What do you other dive masters (and divers etc) think? Theres not much of a point to this post other than I would like to try and do something for him.

 

[Diver0001]

....snip....What do you other dive masters (and divers etc) think? .

I've never been tipped by anyone. I don't DM for the money (nobody does, believe me) and not getting a tip wouldn't have any effect at all on how much fun I have or how I feel about the person.

Actually, last weekend I got a really heartfelt compliment from a student. She had a little trouble in the pool that we worked through and she was the odd one out during the whole AOW course because evreyone else brought their own buddy. So on the last day of diving I took her for two great tours just 1:1 and she walked away absolutely beaming and signed up for Rescue the next day. She even made a point of phoning the shop to say how fabulous she found the AOW course and the staff.

To me that's a tip in spades.

R..

 

[Mako Mark]

I know that in many of the resort areas in the world, that Divemasters have a hard time making a living. Tipping is a way of complimenting the crew and in some places, a very nessicary supliment to their income.

I dont really like it when they ask for tips, but if they have to ask, they probably need it and a couple of bucks goes a long way.

In the case of a retired NYC fireman, I would guess you could ask him what people normally do.