Make Money While Cruising - List

[laika]

Another web developer here. I have not cruised too far afield yet, but I have been able to work seamlessly from my boat up and down the east coast of the US. I am able to use my phone as a modem which now provides my sole means of connectivity. Even when I'm in marina's with wireless, the phone's data connection is typically much faster, even when the signal is fairly weak. To my eyes, the cost of connecting and transmitting large amounts of data will continue decreasing fairly rapidly, making such work easier and easier to manage afloat and from farther and farther afield. Of course, the verdict is still out as to whether or not that's a really good thing. Good for my work life afloat tho I guess...

[RedHerring]

Originally Posted by Allio

Anybody have any experience going the musician route?

Few thoughts.

From a business perspective, a regular bar needs one thing, and one thing only from you. It's called "pull". Speaking in broad averages, every patron you bring in for the night is worth about 5 bucks to them. So, if you can fill a 100 people venue (and they have nobody else who can do the same thing booked for that night), that's ~$500 you can bargain for.

Any good live music venue (i.e., one that has stage, sound and lights setup) has Fridays and Saturdays booked two months in advance by bands who have the pull.

If you have no pull in their town, free food and a couple of cold ones is all you are worth to them.

There are some venue owners who would pay you 50-100 bucks without pull because they are building a certain artsy vibe for their venue, or maybe they just pity working musicians But these are far and few between.

So, if I were you, I'd just about forget about making money by playing in bars.

FWIW, I once met a travelling musician, who told me that a much better way to make money for him was street busking in Europe. He also complained that it wasn't easy in East Med; so this seems to depend on the region.

If you are a good musician and write original music, you can get on the festival circuit. Playing festivals and selling records there won't make you rich, but will put food on the table.

Finally, there is a live music gig that is suited to vagabonds and pays okay. It's called cruise ships. You need to have really good skills and a pro attitude to be hired there.

In general, playing music is like sports. Many people take it up, but a few make it a profession.

[boden36]

Allio,
My wife and I owned and ran a successful hotel for six years. A musician has to increase the take by three times his fee to just be a break even proposition.
That is a big ask, and most entertainment is a losing proposition unless you have a really big venue and a very popular entertainer.

Regards,

Richard

[David_Old_Jersey]

Not sure if this has been mentioned already, but a new one on me:

Fiverr: Graphics, marketing, fun, and more online services for $5

for 5 US dollars you can get people to do pretty much anything (of use or not!) - or offer to do same yourself, am trying to think of something bucket based .

[MarkJ]

Making porn videos?

[AbaftAndBaffled]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Making porn videos?

Male stripper maybe, if you're on a sailboat you've already got the pole!

I'm hoping there's demand and opportunity to do fiberglass/gelcoat repairs abroad.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by AbaftAndBaffled

Male stripper maybe, if you're on a sailboat you've already got the pole!

I think your User Name could be the title of the first film.

[Sea Frog]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Not sure if this has been mentioned already, but a new one on me:

Fiverr: Graphics, marketing, fun, and more online services for $5

for 5 US dollars you can get people to do pretty much anything (of use or not!) - or offer to do same yourself, am trying to think of something bucket based .

Wow, thanks! I know where I will be getting a proof-reader for my docs next rime! Will save me quite some coin!

[Vino the Dog]

Hi folks,

I have been off this thread for a while, working on getting my boat ready to set sail. Since I am planning extensive voyage on very little money, work while I cruise is necessary. Have done quite a few things suggested on this list. The titles on these links are not very good, but you may enjoy what is there.

Self-published books; I have done two on my art. Sell a few, will sell more, but don't expect to make a lot unless you have a real crowd pleaser and a way to get them to your interested market. Mine appeal to people who like my art and then only if they see it.
Glass

Before setting sail, I have to get rid of what won't fit on the boat, so set up an auction site on my web page. That auction is up now, so will see how it works in the next month. I plan on keeping it up to see if it works while voyaging.
Art Auction - slvanronk.com

Web design; Did all my own web sites and can do it for others, but can't claim to be an expert, so don't expect much from it. Is a possibility though.
Untitled

Craftsmanship and boat work;
Some of my building experience is on my web page above, but what would most interesting to sailors I may meet along the way is my own boat and how it is set up. This link will show you what I have been doing, hence what I an do. If you scroll throught he blog, you will find my answer to having a shop on a 41foot Ketch. The Blog is not up to date because I spend far more time working on the boat the on the computer. Will have plenty of time for that later.
Sailing Mystique

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Making porn videos?

boat porn seems to be a rough market

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Sea Frog

Wow, thanks! I know where I will be getting a proof-reader for my docs next rime! Will save me quite some coin!

It all says "from five dollars".

Let us know.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by Roy M

Anyone that is truly gifted with the skills of refrigeration repair, outboard motor repair or electrical/electronics repair will never suffer for customers, or experience real competition.

I sure hope that's the case! I'm an ex Navy submarine ET with 10 yrs of ESM/Navigation experience (think Ship's Inertial Nav. Sys., LORAN C, OMEGA, the original SATNAV NNSS system) then 15 yrs with Special Projects helping to design ESM system upgrades for electronic surveillance "from DC to Daylight" in addition to antenna design for DF systems, stealth ELINT systems, etc.

In addition to that, as part of sub quals, every member is require to learn every facet of every system on board ship, including hydraulics, pneumatics, electrical (AC and DC), nuclear propulsion and reactor design, sonar, radar, fire control, weapons systems (tactical and conventional), oxygen generation, CO2 scrubbing, water purification and de-ionization, refrigeration, including gas expansion (R12, R114, R134) and absorption (lithium bromide), plus diesel engine principles and operation.

Lately I've been selling "race radios" out of my house - VHF HT and mobile transceivers for SCORE Baja racers as well as off roaders with rock crawlers, sand rails, UTVs, ATVs, KOH, you name it. I've got a lot of very satisfied clients all from word of mouth by providing better radios, programmed with 2-5x more channels, with a tuned antenna designed for their application (either ground plane or non ground plane, base station, mobile, etc) with a guaranteed 2-6x more effective range than my competitors, all of whom are larger and more expensive than I am. The trick is that none of them know anything about radio wave propagation or antenna tuning, and I don't let anything go out the door unless it's been chosen exactly for their application and tuned precisely for their transmit frequency.

I've also been designing and installing medium to large solar charging systems, inverter/chargers and battery systems for toyhauler trailers and motorhomes, allowing them to dry camp indefinitely with minimal genny usage, limited only by their water cap. and how long they can get off from work.

I'm hoping to sell off a house in about 5 yrs, buy a 45' cat and cruise the sea of Cortez, the Caribbean and perhaps the south Pacific if it turns out to be as much fun as I hope. We'll see how many of my skills translate into paying trades. We used to keep a 360' long nuclear powered weapons and surveillance platform full of alcoholic perverts at a controlled depth, course and speed with baling wire, EB green (duct tape) and bubble gum. I don't think keeping a sailboat afloat will be any more work.

"We've been doing so much with so little for so long that we are now qualified to accomplish the impossible with virtually nothing for an indefinite period."

[Delfin]

It's clearly not for everyone, but spread trading is about as simple a way of making a living while cruising as I have found that involves an hour or so a week. After 15 years of experience, I'm comfortable enough with the methodology to recommend it to others. I've posted this information a couple of times and while few have taken up the opportunity, those that have, have been grateful. Or perhaps I've only heard from those that are successful? Beats me, but the approach is adequately described here:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ing-78100.html

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by socaldmax

. . . I'm hoping to sell off a house in about 5 yrs, buy a 45' cat and cruise the sea of Cortez, the Caribbean and perhaps the south Pacific if it turns out to be as much fun as I hope. We'll see how many of my skills translate into paying trades. . .

If you go back to the beginning of this rather long thread you will find out that so long as you are cruising in your home country or its possessions (islands) you can "maybe" make some money by your listed skills.

Don't get your hopes up, however, for as soon as you leave the territorial waters of your home country do not bet on making any significant money for 2 reasons: 1- other cruisers are as poor or "cheap" as you or more, and do not and will not pay for "free-lance" repairs beyond beer, dinner or trade of services, and 2- it is illegal to work or sell for money in most countries unless you have a work permit or residency and the locals will get rather hostile if they perceive you are taking away potential customers or revenue they need to feed their families.

[socaldmax]

Originally Posted by osirissail

If you go back to the beginning of this rather long thread you will find out that so long as you are cruising in your home country or its possessions (islands) you can "maybe" make some money by your listed skills.

Don't get your hopes up, however, for as soon as you leave the territorial waters of your home country do not bet on making any significant money for 2 reasons: 1- other cruisers are as poor or "cheap" as you or more, and do not and will not pay for "free-lance" repairs beyond beer, dinner or trade of services, and 2- it is illegal to work or sell for money in most countries unless you have a work permit or residency and the locals will get rather hostile if they perceive you are taking away potential customers or revenue they need to feed their families.

So what do cruisers do when their diesel engine stops running, or their fridge or SSB radio stops working? They just give up and never get it fixed?

I've never seen a diesel mechanic, refrigeration tech or electronic tech work for free or just for beer...


Well, at the very least, I'll be able to keep my own stuff running! LOL