Boat-Based Business

Kinda got off track here. My point is that I want to cruise without dipping into what I have set aside for retirement. I can cruise on 500-1000 per month. I want to earn 500-1000 per month while cruising, without alienating any local officials, or having my boat confiscated, and if possible, without working on other boats.
My savings for retirement is based on retiring at 65, and hopfully living to 85 if I manage it well, and if I stop working in 5 years. The money I make after that point, is money to live on day to day.
No assisted living for me, just pull the plug or toss me from the transom. As for my wife's well being, after I am gone I am worth far more dead than alive.

[sv_makai]

Our goal is not to leave anyone with a nest egg. We have worked our budgets to allow us to write a check on the day we die, somewhere around 90 years old, and have it bounce!

We are living our life, not helping someone else live thiers.

[RandyAbernethy]

I plan to make some spare change while cruising with my laptop and a sat Internet connection (or perhaps the Internet local café/library). You really can do a huge amount of things for profit on a laptop. Writing text and code come to mind. Not everyone is a programmer of course. On the other hand, there are always documentation tasks that need to be done. Manuals for a small company’s electronics or a new software application, etc can easily be managed abroad. I have written manuals and books for products that I could have easily covered from a boat. In fact I might have completed on a shorter timeline without the interruptions. The advent of email and sat/cel phone service creates a tremendous ability to stay connected with home base (perhaps more than you’d like). Worried about the expense of the comm. Stuff? Have the firm you’re working with pay for it. It is amazingly easy to negotiate expense pickups with companies compared to increased income.

The information industry in general offers a multitude of opportunities for the live aboard denizen. The information industry is not only the fastest growing macro sector but it is also one of the more lucrative. The best thing about the information industry is that the products are intangibles that can be shipped home through the airwaves from wherever you are. The list of things that you can do for profit on a laptop is endless. How about a for profit web site selling something you know a lot about online with the vendors drop shipping to your clients. Internet publishing and broadcasting payroll topped $2 trillion in 2002. You might check out the US business census data for some more ideas:

http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/INDRPT51.HTM

[sv_makai]

As stated previously there are many great thoughts on how to make money. It actually isn't much different than working on land.

What skills do you have that someone wants

Can you sell yourself (permanent interview)

I think if you find it hard to create a good living on the land, cruising will be just as difficult if not harder. There are less opportunites and more counties laws and many people out here doing it too.

That doesn't mean you can't, you just need to find the niche and apply your skills.

First, let me say thanks for the ideas.
Randy, I have been published, and I do have an in for tech manuals. That is a real possiblilty.
Capt Bil, I have no problem marketing myself ashore, but the issue is that my current skill set, and accordingly my interest, lends itself to business that are not easily applied to cruising.
Like most, I have considered writing, but even with the current desktop publishing options, it is really difficult to count on for survival.
Tech writing may just be the answer. As for the communications equipment costs, What I do not already own, is no problem to aquire, and obviously operational costs would be figured into the compensation of any such endeavor.
As for the nest egg thing, I could not agree more, but my wife has a different view, so again, we have compromise. Fortunately, money is not the goal, only realestate, and that is handled.

[sv_makai]

I understand a difficult to apply landbased skillsets. In my former life I did Corprate budget and planning. I didn't think I would have much to offer the cruising world, but have made a few dollars helping people on the finance side of life and suprisingly the computer side.

Because computers were a tool of my trade the things I learned from programming, web development, financial software systems, etc has allowed my to apply a subset of my skills to make a few bucks.

If I was interested in working and crusing I have found that there is a need for people who know how to maintain computer systems. But When I left I never considered the fact I had a skill that could be applied. It was found once we were out here and met many who knew very little about the computers onboard.

There is always something and it may not be obvious, and definately difficult to count on.

HMMMMM? Good point! We will see. In 5 years (or less), I am taking the plunge. I just hope someone fills the pool, or it's going to be a hard landing. I suppose I can get by for a while on cocoanuts and fish, but I figured I would try something completely different, and try to plan ahead

[Matt Hager]

About this making Jewlery stuff. I make Jewlery and thought I might supplement my cruising kitty doing so. However I thought the hosting countries would frown on me taking the needed dollars away from the locals. So how do Jewlery people do it? Is it done under the table?

I heard Jimmy Buffet once say "if play guitar, tend bar or fly an airplane you get work any where in the world".

Matt Hager
sv Vagans

[GordMay]

Broad generalities are always dangerous - but; pretty much anything you do to earn a buck, in a foreign country, will be illegal.
Unlike the USA, there aren’t many “Green Cards” in the rest of the world.
The best sub-rosa jobs are working for other cruisers (repairs etc.).
Writing, and similar occupations, lend themselves to cruising; because you get paid in your home country, and aren't doing a "local" out of a job. Of course, writing doesn't pay very well, for most of us.

[Boracay]

As I move towards building my new boat I would love to have people to help me.
However this is not an easy thing to do in Australia.
There seems to be a shortage of all kinds of skilled workers at the moment.
Wages are high and the additional costs, such as workers compensation insurance, and taxation make employing someone a problematic exercise.
Most foreigners require visas.
Those who I have talked to about this have asked large amounts of money, and explained that their availability is limited.
Given all that the following skills must be in demand world wide among the cruising fraternity:-
1. Cut, glue and paint wood well.
2. Set out boat components(frames, bulkheads, cupboards).
3. Install and maintain engines, fuel and exhaust systems.
4. Make and install steering systems.
5. Cut, fit and weld steel, stainless steel and aluminium.
6. Rigging and mast installation.
7. Sailmaking and making covers, awnings etc.
8. Installing DC wiring.
9. Set up and maintain watermakers, generators etc.
Even in the third world skilled workers are in demand and difficult to find quicky.
My suggestion is to build your own boat full time. This would develop the above skills.
Make the boat big enough so that you have an onboard workshop and store of durable basic materials(wood, epoxy, stainless steel etc).
Get used to working quickly and moving on if storm clouds appear.
Charge like a wounded bull.
You might make money faster than you can spend it.

From what I have heard from other cruisers (not personal experience), although those skills are in demand (especially below local rates), the minute you step off your deck in a foreign port to make money, you have problems.
Tech writing is a very viable source of income that can be done entirely on board.
I tend to carry sufficient tools to rebuild my boat from the ground up, and have skills to match, hoping only to locate materials. (10000# of wood fasteners, and fiberglass would be hard to provision)
Specific to Australia, I would say the government's antagonistic view towards outsiders, especially those who would like to reside or god forbid earn a living in that country, is probably the reason that such services are at such a premium. Not that I think that does not have a positive side, as it certainly can boost an economy, but it certainly does not encourage outside labor.

[Boracay]

If you can document that you have skills that are in demand in Australia then you might be able to get an Australian Working Visa.
Young people (under 26) can also get work visas.
Your local Australian Consulate should be able to give you more information.
I have no information about Immigration doing boat to boat searches looking for unauthorised workers.
Certainly it would be very unwise to arrive in a boat with a workshop and declare to Immigration that you are after work, unless you had a work visa.

Clearly it is always a bad idea to be high profile in such a circumstance.
About 15 years ago, I looked into a work visa for Oz, and was told that my skills at the time were not in high enough demand. My communications with officials at the consolate were so negative, that accounts since that time told to me by cruisers, have put me off on even visiting the place. I do, however, have some friends there that I hope to visit at some point, so I have planned just to suspend whatever business interest I have for the time I am there. I am sure the chances of getting caught doing boat work are slim, but I am not willing to risk everything I own on that.
I am not against such restriction, and have often used the example to argue local changes making employment and benefits easier for illegal aliens to get here, but those same restrictions are what make this such a challenging question.
A very clear example of the restrictions I am refering is Pat Henry's experience. If you have the oppertunity, her book "By The Grace of The Sea" is a good read, and among other things, recounts a negative and petty experience with Australian officials. One person's view of one person's experience, but I have heard other accounts that make it believable.

[ssullivan]

I would agree with those that say you can do "white collar" type work from your boat anywhere in the world, so long as funds are not entering or leaving your host country while enroute to your bank account.

I worked in international sales for part of my former career, and was frequently in countries for extended periods, without any visas, being paid for the work I was doing in that country. The key was that my US company paid into my US account.

Incidentally, there are also income tax advantages to this, depending on how long you stay outside the US.

[BC Mike]

I can sew and could get a job yesterday if that is what I wanted to do. Actually upholstery is my trade so I can always find work to do if required.
Michael