How much do I tip the dock crew when renting a houseboat.

[MSA]

So we rented a houseboat on lake vermilion in minnesota and i noticed a sign on the docks mentioning tipping the dock staff. What is average to good? I dont know if its 10 dollars or 200? I searched online and the normal dock service tips seem to be 2-5 bucks, wich seems real cheap to me.

Also, the dock staff have been the only nice people weve encountered out here. Everyone else seems pissed off we set foot in this state. from the houseboat owners to the gas station attendants, even the waitress at the cafe...this state is full of assholes....i have never felt like i have inconvenienced so many people in my life, and all were trying to do is spend money.

So anyway, id like a little ballpark of a good tip for the dock guys.

 

[PrairieGhost]

We rented a houseboat on Crane lake about six years ago. There were four dock attendants and I gave them $20 each. Maybe I would have given them more, but all they did was tie up and put on gas. They had put new screens on the houseboat windows. I noticed that the screen was very course. I got so many bites that I had to go to the doctor when I got home. The first night out the grill didn't work. They brought us a new one. The battery kept going dead so I had to charge it with my generator then keep the boat motor running 80% of the time. Then when the motor was off and I was fishing I heard this noise below the back deck. The switch in the water pump didn't work and it run continuously. They brought out a new pump, but I had already burned about $80 in gas needlessly. I think because we had kids with they gave us a crap beat up boat. I wasn't happy and the doc crew didn't work more than two or three minutes so I thought the $20 per person was generous.

 

[MSA]

Yeah, these boats arent exactly new. Ive had to trouble shoot and fix a few things while out here as well.

I was kinda thinking the same rough dollar figure, and yeah all theyve done is a few minutes of work here and there...oh and not treat us like shit.

 

[Captain Ahab]

The best service I have ever experienced was in another country. I would try to tell the people that did a good job a lot of praise and wait until it's all over to tell the idiots about their downfalls.

 

[MSA]

No need to point out any downfalls to them, We're just amazed at how many subtle eye rolls and sighs of inconvenience we get every time we step up to a service counter around here. Even the bartender at the casino was pissed off she had to make a drink.

 

[LBrandt]

How much $$$$ for the pissed off week?

 

[PrairieGhost]

A few years ago while my wife was shopping in Park Rapids I went to a little sport shop. Surprisingly they had a number of things I wanted. I had about $300 worth of bullets, muzzle loader sights, a jig mold etc and went to the counter. The owner asks "where you from". I said North Dakota. At that time there was some legislation on non resident hunting. I don't remember what. Anyway the guy starts nagging on me about the sob North Dakota people. About two or three minutes into it I just left the stuff and walked out. What and idiot. Little wonder that sport shop no longer exists.
At the opposite end of the spectrum are some people in North Dakota. I'm from a small town and go home to deer hunt every year. A classmate of mine owns the grocery store. I stopped in every year and bought groceries for four of us for a week. He always complained about residents not buying from him. After the second year of complaining when I stopped I no longer stop. That business is no longer there either. Happy or not if your a business person it's best to keep the old pie hole shut.

- - - Updated - - -

How much $$$$ for the pissed off week?

Crane lake was from $1700 upwards. We paid $2700 if memory serves me. That was one step up so we had a water slide for the kids. There was two more steps above that, but I don't remember the prices. The 200 hp engines were out of them and replaced with 50 hp Yamaha. Top end was 6 mph.

 

[tikkalover]

The way your wife out fished you last night, maybe you should tip the fish gods!!::boxing::;:;rofl ;:;popcorn

 

[deleted member]

Anyone else think "first world problems" when they saw the title of this thread? Anyway... I would think 5% split among all of them at each end of the trip would be plenty. 5% going out. 5% coming in. Depending on what they did and what you paid, that might be too much.

- - - Updated - - -

$20 each sounds good too.

 

[MSA]

Oh and i forgot to mention the pink reel on her pink fishing rod also lights up when shes reeling in walleyes in the dark.

Ive caught like 3 maybe, shes caught 20 or 30, and got pissed at me for reeling one in on her pole when she wasnt looking...tip the fishing gods? I think I lost a bet with them.

Yeah, 2700 is about right and yes, these machines only do about 6mph so it takes hours to go anywhere.

- - - Updated - - -

Lol...yes that did go through my head. I guess when you have to ask questions like that in life theres not much to complain about.

 

[Duckslayer100]

We did a houseboat trip back in 2002. What a waste of money. Would have been way more fun and cheaper to just haul up a couple boats, bring camping gear and pitch a tent every night on a different island. Those houseboats are falling apart and slow as molasses. And as you've experienced, the "help" is lacking.

No wonder northern MN is hurting so bad. With mining and logging basically dead, tourism is all they have left, and they can't even do that right.

If I didn't like ruffed grouse so much, I'd have zero reason to hunt that worthless state.

 

[MSA]

- - - Updated - - -

 

[Taylorman55]

MSA,
We went on a trip like this awhile back and an old local boy said 5-10% was going tip rate. When we went to Florida fishing on a charter they said 10% also was fairly normal.

 

[fly2cast]

We rented a houseboat on Rainy Lake a number of years back and rent cabins in MN pretty much every year. I can't say I've experienced any negativity from people in Minnesota against outsiders. They have all been pretty nice.

I wonder how many MN and WI residence that come to fish and hunt in ND have bad experiences? I don't even like going to some small town cafes in North Dakota because of the stares you get when you walk in.

 

[johnr]

we spend some time in Mexico from time to time. The charters we have rented to go ocean fishing has always had the nicest and hardest working guys. They don't own the boats, or likely even get a cut of the cost, but they treat you like royalty.
Not sure why some dumbass Minnesotan would think treating a customer poorly would work out for them in the end. I have been to some small towns in ND that seem to act this way too, if they don't recognize the patron. Foolish I says.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I still tip out of guilt.

 

[Jigaman]

We rented a houseboat on Rainy Lake a number of years back and rent cabins in MN pretty much every year. I can't say I've experienced any negativity from people in Minnesota against outsiders. They have all been pretty nice.

I wonder how many MN and WI residence that come to fish and hunt in ND have bad experiences? I don't even like going to some small town cafes in North Dakota because of the stares you get when you walk in.

I agree. I spend about 5 weekends every summer at lake of the woods and also some time at leech lake and have never had any bad experiences. friendly people for the most part.

 

[Sum1]

Small town North Dakotans can be a tough crowd. Then they wonder why their buisnesses are failing. There was a small town diner in the southeasterly direction of Bismarck that was open for a short while. When she would see you walk in she would get this "Oh great, I have to get off my ass and do something" look. I ate there twice. The place was open for a little over a year.

 

[PrairieGhost]

I still tip out of guilt.

Unless they are very rude. At a truck stop in Pierre, South Dakota 20 years ago a waitress openly complained about waiting on hunters. I left a penny tip so she would know it was not a case of forgetting to tip. I was in a restaurant one time when a waitress was very rude to a fellow. He pulled out his Leatherman or something like a side cutter and cut a penny in half and left it. Who knows what triggers it? We have friends that dislike this one local waitress. I didn't see anything wrong so felt sorry for her and tipped more than usual. I think she noticed because she is always extra kind to me.
Why did we go to a percentage when tips should really be about service.

 

[SeisMec]

I use to travel a lot in Europe and tipping is a rarity in most places over there. The prices are so high for most meals and services it just not expected. I was reading online a while back that the servers here in the states feel they deserve a 25% tip nowdays because they get crap wages.