Make Money While Cruising - List

[Hatteras37]

What about a fishing and diving buddy for a sport fishing vessel ?

Can this type of vessel attract global customers in the Greek islands ?

What is your opinion ?

Any other ideas in other islands for this specific type ?

Thank you

Bill

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Hatteras37

What about a fishing and diving buddy for a sport fishing vessel ?

Can this type of vessel attract global customers in the Greek islands ?

What is your opinion ?

Any other ideas in other islands for this specific type ?

Thank you

Bill

My thoughts are there are way too many people with a vessel like that trying to get fishing customers.

But I am neither a customer or owner, I am only going by what I see in the Marinas. I may be wrong.

[Tomi]

What about web design? I found a great site that teaches you to code web pages - easy to learn and free...
Code.org | Anybody can learn
Many businesses will pay a lump sum for the design and then a monthly fee for maintaining the site.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by Tomi

What about web design? I found a great site that teaches you to code web pages - easy to learn and free...
Code.org | Anybody can learn
Many businesses will pay a lump sum for the design and then a monthly fee for maintaining the site.

The difficulty here is in foreign competition. It is similarly easy for people in China, India, Malaysia, and Africa to learn those skills. You would be competing against 1/2 the world's population - and they are the poorest half.

Someday, when all the world is fully industrialized, all will be equal. But for today, it's tough to compete against the Indians in this field.

Not impossible, though. Remote software or digital design work is very competitive globally and demands the highest level of skills to be viable as a mainstream source of income.

[frank_f]

Originally Posted by ArtM

The difficulty here is in foreign competition. It is similarly easy for people in China, India, Malaysia, and Africa to learn those skills. You would be competing against 1/2 the world's population - and they are the poorest half.

Someday, when all the world is fully industrialized, all will be equal. But for today, it's tough to compete against the Indians in this field.

Not impossible, though. Remote software or digital design work is very competitive globally and demands the highest level of skills to be viable as a mainstream source of income.

I hear this a lot but I have to wonder how true this is. Most third world country suppliers of this type of technology seem to be corporations not individuals.

As an individual, I don't have the costs associated with a corporation and can work cheaper. As an individual working from my own boat, cheaper yet. Try getting some clients in your area and see how it goes before you try picking up clients while you're cruising. Once you have the clients and a stable internet connection, I don't think it would matter where you do the work from.

It would be interesting to hear from people who are actually out there making a living as they go.

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by ArtM

The difficulty here is in foreign competition. It is similarly easy for people in China, India, Malaysia, and Africa to learn those skills. You would be competing against 1/2 the world's population - and they are the poorest half.

Someday, when all the world is fully industrialized, all will be equal. But for today, it's tough to compete against the Indians in this field.

Not impossible, though. Remote software or digital design work is very competitive globally and demands the highest level of skills to be viable as a mainstream source of income.

I've had a few jobs rewriting cheap Indian software. It is like that commercial,
when the $5 haircut business opens next door, and the skilled guy puts up a sign "we fix $5 haircuts".

One would needs a solid internet connection, for website work they often want you oncall 24/7 to fix things asap. This might be an issue if truly cruising.

However, I agree that any skill/work you can do that can only be done locally has distinct advantages. So being able to repair/configure a boat electronics system would be valuable. But how much work one can find locally seems hit or miss.

JackB

[Vino the Dog]

I agree with Frank, it would be more informative to hear from full time live aboards who are successfully working from their boat.

There is no end to the "What about..." speculations and all of them tend to be same/similar to "how can I make a living on land" speculations - such as web page design or charter boat speculations when one only has the boat but no clients or business structure. All such speculations are basically starting a business, which is OK if one already has the skills, knows the market, has the right boat big enough and set up properly as a business location, etc.

If you are someone who IS making a living off their boat, please let us know HOW. For example, if you suggest web page design, how do you maintain an internet connection while cruising and how do you find your market?

I have gained a lot of good insight from this thread and since following it, have set up my foc'sle as a tiny workshop, equipped for carpentry, mechanics, electrical, painting, and art glass. Also equipped for internet stuff while in a port, bought a commercial sewing machine to do canvas and sail repair. The boat is still at the dock, but getting ready to see how it all works out soon.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

I've had a few jobs rewriting cheap Indian software. It is like that commercial,
when the $5 haircut business opens next door, and the skilled guy puts up a sign "we fix $5 haircuts".

One would needs a solid internet connection, for website work they often want you oncall 24/7 to fix things asap. This might be an issue if truly cruising.

However, I agree that any skill/work you can do that can only be done locally has distinct advantages. So being able to repair/configure a boat electronics system would be valuable. But how much work one can find locally seems hit or miss.

JackB

Redoing botched Indian jobs is currently my main source of business, but I have very high level skills. The OP on this branch suggested that it is easy to get into the business, and that anyone can learn to do it.

Regarding the internet connection, you do not need an internet connection at all - at least, not a persistent one - to do design or development work.

Regarding 24/7 support, this is not the job of the designer/developer, though I'm sure that the developer often does provide the support. For coastal cruisers, though, continuous internet access is within the capabilities of current technology.

[ArtM]

Work from boat is similar to work from home. If you are going to depend on income while cruising, you should developer your business first from land, then transition to the boat when you are sure you can maintain an income.

If your new home business depends on face-2-face or local customers, it will not be suitable for cruising.

[frank_f]

Originally Posted by ArtM

Work from boat is similar to work from home. If you are going to depend on income while cruising, you should developer your business first from land, then transition to the boat when you are sure you can maintain an income.

Exactly. Unless you intend to make your living scrubbing boat bottoms, you need to gear up before you leave.

[frank_f]

Originally Posted by Vino the Dog

I have gained a lot of good insight from this thread and since following it, have set up my foc'sle as a tiny workshop, equipped for carpentry, mechanics, electrical, painting, and art glass. Also equipped for internet stuff while in a port, bought a commercial sewing machine to do canvas and sail repair. The boat is still at the dock, but getting ready to see how it all works out soon.

See, this is a great idea.

I really like the idea of not putting all of your eggs in one basket. I'm doing the above (OK, not the art glass) and have added refrigeration and aluminum/light gauge steel welding.

[nimblemotors]

Agree If something was easy, any/every one could do it. Everyone wants to make easy money even if NOT cruising! The question is what uniqueness or advantage of cruising provides that can create value, if it isn't just yet another home-based business or working from home for a corporation that happen to be from a boat. Fixing boats seems clearly one of them, boatyards get paid a lot by some cruisers. While many like to share, anyone making good money tends not to tell everyone!

JackB

[Vino the Dog]

Jack,
I agree that people making good money tend not to tell anyone, but that usually means making good money off of gimmicks that don't require much skill or take time to learn. The competitive nature of our society tends toward lots of people doing the same repetitive thing and fighting each other for "market share". "Easy money" usually falls into this category.

If it requires developing skill, it ain't gonna be "easy money" and there is far less worry about someone figuring it out and taking your business. If it requires several skills and a collection of tools, there is almost no one going to take your business.

Then the question of "good money" also differs from land business and cruising business. Good money on land usually means "wealth" (relative to an individual's expectations), but good money while cruising usually means enough to fix what broke and stock up for the next leg of the voyage.

People who live on their boat at a dock because it is cheap rent in a city are still working land based jobs. People who live on their boat over thousands of miles of sea have different requirements and I would expect less worry over someone else "stealing their idea".

[Sailing Cowboy]

1. Become a PADI Pro Scuba Instructor
2. Get your ASA Sail Instructor cert.
3. Get USCG license.


Going to sea to make good money isnt going to happen for most. It also depends where you want to go. Having some certifications like above where you can occassionally fill in somewhere is a bonus and extra loot to put in the kitty. If you have an established a trade on the mainland you may be able to use that. i.e web design is a good one, but you have to be known and can show specifics and a good portfolio.. Trades are good as well, carpenter, plumber, electrical. (You know those not so glamours trades that no one wants to do in todays age).
Make your money on the mainland and then retire in the sun.

[micah719]

Start a cruising forum and sell advertising space. Oh, wait....