I am American and yes, I'm upset at how Americans have affected the levels of tipping!!!!!!!

VERY well said Gore!

Gore has it right. You tip the "mate" but not the owners, unless they do something fabulously unexpected. Not all Americans are tip happy: the last boat excursion we were on, in Hawaii, the captain (owner) announced at the end that we could leave tips for the mate in the jar. People were asking each other for change for a five! The kid was great, we left a twenty.