Donations, Websites, PR Companies

[ssullivan]

Let's not have another flying pig thread... I didn't want that at all.

I'm just curious about this new way of funding cruising. I'm not going to do it... wouldn't feel right. But... I was curious how widespread it is.

Seems every time I read a little tidbit about anyone cruising, there is someone piping in suggesting we all send them money. I won't name names, but it's happened again recently.

People seem to have sponsorships, donors and of course the "donate" button or info on their websites. I find it amusing, since it's not like the Flying Pig situation. These other cruisers are doing fine - no damage - just accepting donations along the way.

[hellosailor]

Perhaps I should change my forum settings and add a sig line:

"I can be bought, the bidding starts at an even half million."

[RichT]

Hellosailor,
Like the old joke says, we've established what you are, now we're haggling over price... , so, if we're gonna have a bidding war, I can be had for a lot less than half a mill. Any rich lady cruisers out there want to put in a bid for the silent auction......dang, there's goes that tongue again.....

Ps. I must have missed the flying pig thing, someone wanna tell me where to look, or would it be a waste of time????

RichT.

[little boat]

your right ssullivan, it does seem to be a growing trend. what has upset me has been individuals even setting up blogs with a paypal button when they are supposedly outfitting a boat for a sail and then, (surprize, surprize), the sail never even takes place and of course all monies gathered are never returned.
if you were referring to d lange however, i should perhaps elaborate on my recent post asking sailors for their support.
first off, donna is trying to gain interest in many charities and would love for anyone to contribute to them instead of her. secondly, she really is a talented musician, (that is how we first met, as i am a bartender/waitress in the virgin islands and d performed in many of the places i worked), and she supports herself with her music. she has some cds for sale and i really think she would prefer that people support her by purchasing one than in a flat out cash donation. donna is trying to prove to herself and others that dreams can come true, that one has only to actually follow through on their dreams to make them a reality. she is also a great believer in women and would like to see them be better treated in this world and also find the courage to follow their dreams. she is a very spiritual and honest person and what you see is what you get.

[ssullivan]

Hi Little Boat:

No, not zeroing in on Donna Lange. Just observing the general trend. I realize Donna Lange isn't exactly a wealthy participant, so I can relate to her having to obtain sponsorship, etc... in order to even pull off her plan. I haven't read all of her info, but putting the resulting cash into charity is a noble endeavour.

I just keep noticing the trend and wanted to point it out as well as get some feedback on it. It's a curious thing. Something I wouldn't do personally, but a curious thing.

You know... I do think the bumfuzzle folks shouldn't have collected their $4K Mark shared in this thread for us, given their obvious supply of cash, but they did finance a small bit of their trip through that. Interesting stuff... I'll let another jury decide on the morality of it though. Don't need any more flame wars... too busy these days for that.

[little boat]

ok ssullivan, i just thought because i had just a couple of days ago put in my request. your comment about d not being a 'wealthy participant' really cracked me up. we caribbean sailors often get so wrapped up in our lives and boats that we forget that we even need money to survive. i myself have sailed into port with little dough. once, for example i returned from hurricane season in grenada after having discovered during a last minute bottom job that my rudder was falling off and i spent all my money fixing it, that i entered coral bay st john with a u.s.20 dollar bill as my only funds in the entire world! and i wasn't really even worried about it! i got a burger at skinnies and a job while i was there at the bar eating it with a cold beer, (and 3 sailors kept buying me fresh ones!),varnishing a fancypants yacht for $30/hr! and i went to work the next morning. i guess that's incomprehensable to some, but we are truly devoted to our boats and our lives as sailors; we just can't envision a different life. i think somewhere in d's log is a story about her making port in ireland with $5, or maybe it was leaving port. the best part about going to sea is that you can't spend any money out there, so for us without any, its often a very nice place to be!

[RichT]

Hi, Littleboat,
I just came across the info on Donna Lang yesterday, and followed the thread to her logs, and her story. Read as much of it as I could, didn't have time to go through it completely. What I did read was quite intrigueing. From what I did read, I don't remember DL soliciting any donations, other than, as you said, the offering of her music on CDs. I think that is perfectly legitimate. I have bought CDs from artists at street fairs, barroom gigs, and a few online. The solicitation I saw was from friends seeking funds to help pay for a trip back home, which I believe falls into the realm of kindness, generosity, and being our brother's keeper when given an opportunity. She is also one hell of a lady to take on the trek she did, and I admire her for that.

The Bumfuzzle thing bumfuzzles me however. I find it a bit annoying that someone who obviously has the funds, if not the brains, to start out on a voyage, would ask me to contribute to their beer and burger fund. I wish that folks would donate money to my quest to find the best hole in the wall bars around the world, but since they haven't so far, they probably won't. Oh, I forgot, I didn't put in a donation button or arrange for paypal. Sorry, if anyone wants to contribute, just pm me, and I'll send you my address.

At least DL has some talent going for her. I tried singing in a Kareoke bar one night, and people offered to pay me...if I would stop..

RichT

[little boat]

this is a strange day for me, as i am much more of a lurker than a poster and this will make 3 in a row, but rich t, i'll respond to you also and then shut up for awhile, as it just so happens that the bumfuzzles are great friends of mine also. as to donations, they are a totally different ballgame than my pal d. they aren't trying to learn anything about themselves or sailing, or the world in general, (as d is), just on a pleasure trip. i think they might have put up the donation button as a sort of joke at first, and then it turned out that alot of people sent them money. i have never asked them about their finances, (though if you read my above post, you'll certainly agree they're in a way different catagory financially than i am!), and frankly i never would ask them, as although i was raised in an affluent lifestyle, (unfortunately now only a memory), i was taught that it was very rude to inquire about someone's net worth. the bums ended up thinking, (and this is pure speculation on my part), that it would be helpful to have some additional income and that maybe there was some entertainment value to be had in their blog that some people would voluntarily like to contribute to. i am uncomfortable speaking for them, (or for donna for that manner), and i hope everyone realizes that this is all pure speculation on my part. i would suggest that you email them and ask them yourself whatever questions you have, because they are extremely forthcoming about themselves and as far as i know, they answer every email they receive..that's how i met them; with a simple email that has become a steady and hilarious correspondance. i'm crazy about them and am thrilled to have made such nice friends.

[cferger]

Sean,

I think this is an interesting question. There was the story a year ago or so, maybe longer (i am getting old so can't trust my memory) of the woman who got into large credit card debt. She built a website to solicit donations to pay off her debt. It made the news and she made bank. That is just internet panhandling and I wouldn't give her a dime. I am also jealous that i didn't think of it first.

In contrast there is Sohcahtoa. A few guys sailing around the world with an interesting website. They set up a system so that you can buy them a drink in whatever port of call they might be in. I think this is funny and if I didn't have to use paypal to do it, I might even buy the boys a drink.

[ssullivan]

Little Boat:

I like these posts. You haven't posted so much on the board, but seem to have a wealth of information, experience and are located in one of the most popular layovers in the Caribbean. You've met everyone!

Hope you end up dropping some more posts in. You're an intersting (and seemly nice) individual.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by cferger

Sean,


In contrast there is Sohcahtoa. A few guys sailing around the world with an interesting website.

I like those guys! I feel like I can relate to them. Again, I never really followed through on their story, but I remember seeing the pictures and showing them to my wife. Now did they get set up with free dinghies and SoCahToa from one of their Dad's? I forget, but thought I remembered reading something about that.

From a completely different point of view, it seems as though it might be a lot of work to update a website and all that (if you weren't doing it for friends and family anyway) for a few thousand dollars here and there.

Us... we have finally figured everything out (I HOPE!!) thanks to advice given from this board and some long discussions. We are just going to anchor in harbors and work to pay this boat off. No more trying to horse trade boats to get out of the debt.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

Us... we have finally figured everything out (I HOPE!!) thanks to advice given from this board and some long discussions. We are just going to anchor in harbors and work to pay this boat off. No more trying to horse trade boats to get out of the debt.

Good news!

(and glad to hear you have taken my advice............I figure you must have done as my advice covered just about every possibility - depending on what day of the week it was ..........now if only my life was so easy to sort out as those of complete strangers on the Internet )

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by colemj

$4,108.32 is one datum point

bumfuzzle pizza

Those guys are rich kids. They have well over a quarter of a million tied up in that trip of their's (including their new boat), and they're probably in their mid 30's at the oldest. So just armed with that info, you know they have a big money family and friend network.

My girlfriend and I were considering doing the "donations" thing, and I told her I would put it on the site after I made the following warning:

"Please do not donate to us. There are countless other places to donate your money where it will do some good, instead of handing it over to two middle class white Americans who want you to finance their little self indulging boat trip."

The only legitimate reason I can come up with for having a "donation" link is for family and friends who want to give you a gift on your birthday or something can just send you a couple hundred on your paypal.

But even that seems really weak to me. If I had a friend ask me to do that I would probably tell him he was being lame as hell and to get a new friend.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

From a completely different point of view, it seems as though it might be a lot of work to update a website and all that (if you weren't doing it for friends and family anyway) for a few thousand dollars here and there.

Some sites seem to have had a great deal of work put into them - Bumfuzzle for instance. Probably as much work as writing a book, but the authors allow us to read it for free, unlike a book. The donations are voluntary, unlike having to buy a book in order to read someone else's wisdom, and I can't see any problem with that.

I'm surprised so many people donated to Bumfuzzle, since they clearly weren't struggling financially, but again, it was by choice, there was no compulsion to donate, the website access wasn't limited to those who paid or anything like that.

Anyway, I'm glad to read that you have got a plan for the future, and the best of luck with that.

[RichT]

littleboat,
don't get me wrong, I'm sure the bums are nice folks, and if I met them somewhere, I might even buy them a drink. I just don't comprehend the philosophy of someone who obviously has enough money to do what they want, asking for donations from those who, in all probability, have less, (folks such as you and me). Although, as cruisingcat noted, it was voluntary, so I'm not putting them down, just saying I wouldn't choose to donate to them myself.

I admire your own perspective and lifestyle. Maybe you could give me some pointers. I have a friend who spent 5 years in the Virgin Islands, working for Cape Air, sailing and scuba diving every chance he got. He swears it was cheap as hell to live there, but when I started checking, I was floored by the price of even minimal housing there. Condos for 150 to 200 grand??? I did a windjammer tall ship cruise there summer a year ago (out of Tortola), and absolutely loved it, especially the smaller islands like Virgin Gorda, but I don't remember it as being particularly cheap, although I did buy some jerk chicken and a red stripe off of a "roach coach" for about 5 bucks.

So, what's the real story? If I can find the right boat, and I head for the sunny Caribbean, could I and a partner, get by on, say $1000/1500 a month? Not counting upkeep on the boat, just figuring anchoring and provisioning, and some rum thrown in occasionally... Whaddaya think???

RichT