Make Money While Cruising - List

[hummingway]

I think the answer to working on peoples boats is personal contact. In my experience the cruiser community anywhere tends to share info about repair work but, from my limited experience cruising in Mexico, I'd say even more so when away from home. They share info on everything from where to eat and drink to where to get something fixed so if you have talents in that regards then you just have to be available and known but also be aware that you won't likely be legally able to take money for your work.

[Khagan1227]

Originally Posted by Hoohaa

Throw in a hydraulic pipe bender & I would pay you in bottles of scotch

I'm thinking the hydraulic pipe bender would rate single malt surely!

[Khagan1227]

Originally Posted by hummingway

I think the answer to working on peoples boats is personal contact. In my experience the cruiser community anywhere tends to share info about repair work but, from my limited experience cruising in Mexico, I'd say even more so when away from home. They share info on everything from where to eat and drink to where to get something fixed so if you have talents in that regards then you just have to be available and known but also be aware that you won't likely be legally able to take money for your work.

Word does get around an anchorage when someone has the equipment to repair sails, etc. A lot of work gets "contracted" over sundowners, and sometimes money actually changes hands (although possibly illegal)!

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Khagan1227

Word does get around an anchorage when someone has the equipment to repair sails, etc. A lot of work gets "contracted" over sundowners, and sometimes money actually changes hands (although possibly illegal)!

Very true in my real life cruising experience - but - that only works for a time or two. Then if the quality of the work is better than local - cruisers start bragging to each other while in local bars and restaurants and the locals get wind of the "free-lancer" and things then start to get very sticky for the boat "selling" services. Usually they are simply told to stop or told to leave the country.

If you do it without any exchange of money or remuneration (i.e., for free) the locals cannot complain as much - still - you have to be careful to keep the whole thing quiet. What I did on occasion was to "advise" and teach the cruiser how to D-I-Y the job themselves with some "hands on" help from me.

We are "guests" in these little countries (and some big ones) and there to enjoy the place. If you have insufficient funds then it is advisable (in the Caribbean at least) to sail to one of the islands that is a possession of your home country and where you can legally replenish your cruising kitty.

[Fearnow]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

A couple months back we made the decision to sell our canvas business and head out again..
But we soon move to plan "B" and we're taking the business "On The Road" or should I say "On The Water" ... I put the word out to kinda get replys to see if in fact there would be a use for custom canvas and a My Wife, a dress maker..
We posted it on a number of world cruising forums and the replys were outstanding as we recieved more than 60 replys saying "YES" we need work done.. And even to the point we've already set appointments for work to be done on our way south to Mexico..
So with a few mods, we're converting our industrial machines to portable, Having custon fold away tables made for the cockpit to turn our large area into a loft, and stocking up on a few rolls of fabric and sunbrella..
Because or 42 has an ample amount of extra room, we have more than enough room to keep the machines and still have our home on the water..
So for us, we'll be sewing our way around the world......

Don't you need work visas do that? eg. You're in the Caribbean doing work on someones boat.

[shadow]

I would think that it would be a grey area, meaning the exchange of services in a anchorage.. My point is that if you are at an anchorage with other foreign flagged vessels, preferably same as yours, then you are doing business with your own countryman?? I'm obviously NOT a maritime law professor, but if you are helping each other, shouldn't be that crazy.. I fully agree if you were offering your services to the local people of the town/village.. Or offering a service that isn't even available for miles outside of the anchorage.. But, keeping it between yachts of foreign flags should be a definite grey area..

[Travelnik]

I don't recall if anyone mentioned pet services, like grooming, pet sitting, dog walking, etc.

Many countries don't pamper pets like we do in the the West, so there may not be a local competition for grooming or things like that.

Also, in countries that won't allow pets ashore, you could pet sit while the owners visited or took care of other business.

[hellosailor]

Shadow-
" then you are doing business with your own countryman??"
It isn't who you are doing, it is where you are doing it. Where is the basis of almost all taxation. Who? Not so much. Except that foreigners rarely are treated better than natives.
Whether a mobile canvas shop could fly below the radar or would need a work permit, same as any other business. Will depend on where. And might run into inspectors who decide that rolls of canvas need to be taxed, either with import duty or mordida. Like any other commercial inventory.

[Fearnow]

I would like to teach kitesurfing in the Caribbean. I thought I could run some advertising in the US and take customers out on my boat for some lessons or maybe some scuba. Would I need any permits for that? I don't want my boat seized.

[tbodine88]

I would like to teach kitesurfing in the Caribbean. I thought I could run some advertising in the US and take customers out on my boat for some lessons or maybe some scuba. Would I need any permits for that? I don't want my boat seized.

Yep where ever theres a government, there's regulations. The permits might be a mere formality on some islands. If you are a US citizen stick to US Islands like Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Expect a lot of competition though.

On non American Islands you'll need a local citizen-partner. In Antigua there were lawyers who served as "partners" for a fee.

Good luck and be safe.

[Fearnow]

Thanks. That's the best and most straight forward advice I have received yet!

[Greenhand]

Originally Posted by Fearnow

I would like to teach kitesurfing in the Caribbean. I thought I could run some advertising in the US and take customers out on my boat for some lessons or maybe some scuba. Would I need any permits for that? I don't want my boat seized.

Are you also planning to switch your insurance to commercial?

[Fearnow]

Yes! I will also get my 6pack as required. My biggest fear is getting in trouble for running a business on my boat. I have no plans to sollicit in the areas I am cruising. I only plan to run some ads in the us and pick up a few customers, who will meet me at certain locations.

[hellosailor]

The Caribbean is not a country.

The laws will vary in each country you want to operate in. You will need to chekc them for each cvountry. Whether an alien is allowed to work, whether your business will need licensing and insurance, whether you will need a domestic partner, etc.

There's usually a commercial attache at a consulate who is supposed to be able to answer those things for you. Assuming of course that you have business experience so you know which questions to ask them. If you're jumping in totally new to the business, you can expect surprises along the way.

If your vessel is being used for local commercial activity, it may also need to be flagged in that country. And you may need a captain's license. More to ask about.

[tbodine88]

There's been a lot of posts about working with out a permit in other countries.

If you are going to be somewhere for a while, some places will allow you to start a business there. They may have some weird rules where you have to have a partner who is a citizen. Or you might have to have a corporation that takes in the income, doesn't pay you but can pay your expenses.

These little legal niceties were a part of doing business for the expats I knew running businesses in the Caribbean.

One thing to know if working with out a permit is don't advertise. It wasn't working but advertising which got me thrown out of one country.

Another thing is you should know some one in the government with power to grant you a permit. I got to stay and work in that same country once my friend knew my situation and fixed it.