Make Money While Cruising - List

[Hatteras37]

Hello,

I think this might help.

Jewelry Making Supplies | Wire Jewelry | Wire Wrap

Women buy these staff while on holidays and a small workshop onboard can deploy in full time business with website as a digital shop too. Artists doesnt need any license.

If you go in any Greek island and you know how to make portraits or caricatures none will ask for a license.

I don't think anywhere else anyone will ask permission for painting or any other art .

Amazing One-Man-Band Street Performer in Croatia (Cigo Man Band) - YouTube

and this one must see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ow8Gut-4XY

Cheers

Bill

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by 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".

Vino, just between you and me, let me tell you how some make money..sssshhhhh. they transport goods and people between locations.
Heavy goods and obnoxious people.

Now as micah indicated, what I would do is create a website to facilitate this with a market for carriers and goods, but as ArtM points out, they can do this in India, so I have no particularly advantage. I'd just be showing there is a market for such a business, and CF would soon just create a new "feature",
and it probably already exists (not just forums, actual market making)

You would probably be hated by everyone, but having a salvage operation seems very profitable.

Frank is taking a good approach, have equipment that few have, so even if skilled, you need the equipment to do the work. Something like a diesel engine rebuilding shop, noone in their right mind would have that on a boat as it weighs tons and takes huge space.

JackB

[micah719]

A sea-rover would need a portfolio of skills. Trading, making stuff, repairing stuff, transporting stuff and people...I wonder just how well one can support cruising by barter. No law against that, yet.

[frank_f]

Originally Posted by micah719

A sea-rover would need a portfolio of skills. Trading, making stuff, repairing stuff, transporting stuff and people...I wonder just how well one can support cruising by barter. No law against that, yet.

Barter works great to a point.

Fixing an uppity outboard for some fish or beer is good. Trying to trade Raymarine some carpentry work for a new gauge set might not work so well.

Of course, if you don't need new, there is a lot of used equipment that could be bartered for. There is also learning a skill in exchange for work supplied. I would think an overworked sail maker would be happy to show you how to patch batten pockets and headboards in exchange for doing them for him. Probably even let you work off that new main or jib you need.

We have to remember that the world outside of North Am is a little more relaxed, slower paced and not quite so money hungry.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by micah719

A sea-rover would need a portfolio of skills. Trading, making stuff, repairing stuff, transporting stuff and people...I wonder just how well one can support cruising by barter. No law against that, yet.

In fact, bartering as most people understand it IS illegal.

Under US law, any goods or services received in barter must be counted as taxable income, and due income tax paid on their reasonable value.

Unfortunately, you cannot pay the tax with a box of eggs or an engine cleaning. It must be paid in cash.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by frank_f

We have to remember that the world outside of North Am is a little more relaxed, slower paced and not quite so money hungry.

Unless of course one drops an anchor. Then the prices go up.

[Vino the Dog]

Paul's response to Brian T's offshore trading post is pretty comprehensive but left out this one thing: NO government likes freedom, so such an idea sitting long-term outside the jurisdiction of all governments would bring the wrath of a coalition of them resulting in some sort of action that would make the hostility of criminals and pirates look pale. Cruise ships get away with it because things like gambling are permitted in some form in most every country and occurring during the relatively short period of a cruise is "picking up a few grains spilled on the table" as boatman61 said.

While the idea is a nice subject for a movie or TV series, out of the range of this thread, dealing with practical and either legal or overlooked enterprise, Paul's reply does bring up a legitimate concept directly related to this thread, which is:

Once one has their skills/trade to make money while cruising - how do you advertise it without bringing on the wrath of locals who feel you are competition or authorities who will punish you?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Vino the Dog

Paul's response to Brian T's offshore trading post is pretty comprehensive but left out this one thing: NO government likes freedom, so such an idea sitting long-term outside the jurisdiction of all governments would bring the wrath of a coalition of them resulting in some sort of action that would make the hostility of criminals and pirates look pale. Cruise ships get away with it because things like gambling are permitted in some form in most every country and occurring during the relatively short period of a cruise is "picking up a few grains spilled on the table" as boatman61 said.

While the idea is a nice subject for a movie or TV series, out of the range of this thread, dealing with practical and either legal or overlooked enterprise, Paul's reply does bring up a legitimate concept directly related to this thread, which is:

Once one has their skills/trade to make money while cruising - how do you advertise it without bringing on the wrath of locals who feel you are competition or authorities who will punish you?

Guess what. This trading post would not be outside all government, it would by necessity be government.

Any group of people will have to have some sort of rules. On the trading post I'm sure no one would want to allow one trader to steal from another trader or to murder his competitors. So there will be rules against stealing, killing, and a few other unpleasantries.

Then of course you will have to have some method to keep track of these rules and to enforce them. Voila, you have government. Maybe a very limited form of government but at the end of the day that's what it is.

Bottom line, unless you are one person living in total isolation there will be some kind of government or rule or restrictions on acceptable behavior.

[Capt Rottnest]

Originally Posted by Vino the Dog

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?

Not working from the boat.. yet. But doing the business now, from home, with next to no face to face with the client. This is the work I intend to continue doing from the boat in the near future.

The point is to already have your market while land based and take them with you as you move to the boat. The key is to have built up your business already.

It means staying in a compact area (for us, that would be Oz and SE Asia), but thats no problem, as we intend to save for retirement this way and start crossing oceans later (when retired).

If you dont have the above, then looks like boat handyman is the way, I dont know.
Are there that many cruisers out there who never fix their own systems, rely on hired help for everything?

[RedHerring]

Originally Posted by Pblais

It's not totally dumb but mostly. There is a proposal to have a cruise ship anchored off San Francisco (13 miles) as a residence for high tech workers that can't get a US VISA.

I do remote work for Silicon Valley clients (from Canada), and this is totally dumb, in fact. There are much easier, cheaper and politically feasible ways to achieve timezone proximity to San Francisco. Like taking up residence in some Latin American or Caribbean country.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Vino the Dog

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?

Sales. I import, export and trade chemicals. 99% of what I do is telephone and email. Did this on board for a few months when I first bought the boat and once I'm done with the refit and back in the water will resume. Basically can do this anywhere I can connect to the outside world.

I would think one could do all sorts of sales and marketing jobs from a boat.

[frank_f]

Originally Posted by Capt Rottnest

If you dont have the above, then looks like boat handyman is the way, I dont know.
Are there that many cruisers out there who never fix their own systems, rely on hired help for everything?

Long term cruisers seem to be more self sufficient. They usually have redundant systems for things they can't fix (backup GPS ('s)) or have substituted mechanical items for electronics (sextant, manual windlass, manual bilge pump, etc). Some even go so far as to substitute thing's like multiple jibs with a downhaul for furling jibs.

I imagine that the folks out for shorter times (6 months or so) would be less inclined to make their boat "goof proof" since they would usually be close to some sort of repair centre.

[fisherman.ben]

one of the problems with the boat handyman idea is that most people who would use them go to the shipyard. you might be able to scratch up a few bucks cleaning bottoms or clearing props, but there are usually a few guys that cruise around in zodiaks that do that.
i've found that most places that you go have commercial fishing fleets, and have been able to find work in a few days. or you can make up a bunch of cards and start a boat cleaning biz, i know a couple who do that and it seems to do well for them.

[frank_f]

Originally Posted by fisherman.ben

one of the problems with the boat handyman idea is that most people who would use them go to the shipyard. you might be able to scratch up a few bucks cleaning bottoms or clearing props, but there are usually a few guys that cruise around in zodiaks that do that.
i've found that most places that you go have commercial fishing fleets, and have been able to find work in a few days. or you can make up a bunch of cards and start a boat cleaning biz, i know a couple who do that and it seems to do well for them.

I think the problem there is that you would have to stay in the same area for a few years to build a reputation and a clientele.

I would rather work for a few months to top up the kitty and move on, that's why I would be cruising. Not really interested in opening a business in the tropics, I can open one here cheaper and with a lot less hassles.

Besides, here I could complain about some illegal immigrant stealing MY job. Oh, that's right. It doesn't work the same way here.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by frank_f

Besides, here I could complain about some illegal immigrant stealing MY job. Oh, that's right. It doesn't work the same way here.

Just wait until people adapt to colder climates, You'll see more up that way.

This is an interesting thread. I've been thinking of what kind of work I'm going to do when I retire from current employment. Can't stand office work but I'm sure I can find something a bit more active.