Why tip the crew on a boat trip?
1. Indo is a poor country. The Indonesians working on boats aren’t spending weeks away from their families for kicks or for surfing – they need the money. Maybe some of the crew will blow it on crack and whores, but most have direct or extended families that count on them for food, shelter, medical care, school fees, etc. 2. You have been provided good service in a very personal way. Everyone working on a boat works hard either behind the scenes or in direct contact with guests. You’ll see the crew first thing in the morning, last thing at night, at every meal, they’ll pick you up and take you back to the outside when you’re too tired to paddle but just need one more, you’ll learn their names, they’ll help keep your bunk area tidy, and make sure your favorite boardshorts on the clothesline don’t get blown off in a squall. 3. Tipping rewards skills that you, as a surfer, want to be available to you when you come back. You don’t want that expert ding repair guy, the guy who shoots great
