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Old 16-04-2017, 09:07   #16
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

Two other skills in demand are alternator rebuilds and refrigeration/air conditioning. A set of gauges, an evacuation pump, a bottle of coolant and a selection of parts will pay for itself in no time once you have the know how.
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Old 16-04-2017, 09:23   #17
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

We've been told by several that AC and refrigeration will translate into dollars in any US marina. Head for the fanciest marina with the biggest boats and pass the word, they will find you.

We've also been told that they are the crankiest set of people ever put on earth and may haggle a price till you just want to walk away. But it can be done.

As always, a double edged sword.
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Old 16-04-2017, 09:28   #18
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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Yes....likely a good way to get boarded by pirates/government officials.
I meant in foreign countries, full stop.

Poorer countries take visa/work permit violations seriously, and may not stay within the law to punish you if you are trying to compete with the locals.

Visitors from the first world are expected to arrive with their spending money.

Some places teaching English may be an option, but rarely pays well.
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Old 16-04-2017, 09:40   #19
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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We've been told by several that AC and refrigeration will translate into dollars in any US marina. Head for the fanciest marina with the biggest boats and pass the word, they will find you.

We've also been told that they are the crankiest set of people ever put on earth and may haggle a price till you just want to walk away. But it can be done.

As always, a double edged sword.
All the fancy marinas consider the boats a captive market. They do not allow any outside contractors. Same as any union shop, eliminate competitive bids and raise up them prices. Sucks but reality.
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Old 16-04-2017, 09:54   #20
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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Where are the Condos? Sell them if not making $$$.

Heh....I was a salesperson for years and a very good one if I believed in my product. It usually did not take not long to find out that my companies products and services were pretty average. Now...I...can't...stand...sales.
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Old 16-04-2017, 09:59   #21
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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We've been told by several that AC and refrigeration will translate into dollars in any US marina. Head for the fanciest marina with the biggest boats and pass the word, they will find you.

We've also been told that they are the crankiest set of people ever put on earth and may haggle a price till you just want to walk away. But it can be done.

As always, a double edged sword.
The marina owners or the yacht owners? I know the posters at s*****t are generally among the most insufferable group that I have ever encountered. Monsters.

AC is a great field, my brother is the top guy at his employer. Now he is lazy and negative as hell. Thinks his time and efforts are almost priceless.

I have enough things to keep up on without learning refrigeration.
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Old 16-04-2017, 09:59   #22
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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All the fancy marinas consider the boats a captive market. They do not allow any outside contractors. Same as any union shop, eliminate competitive bids and raise up them prices. Sucks but reality.
We were told this over a few beers by a young Australian who'd been doing it for years sub rosa. He said that because he was very good at it his references were impressive and he was insured through some sort of umbrella policy. (I'm going back 10 years or so, so I don't remember all the details). The contractors that had the marina "sewed up" were giving show up dates months down the road and this didn't work in Florida winter sailing season. He networked through some of the locals made a good living doing a good job. My impression was that he pulled into a harbor and stayed a while then cruised on. My husband knows AC and this guy was encouraging him to add refrigeration to the list.

I have no idea if he was spinning a story or not, just thought I would add that for the OP.
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Old 16-04-2017, 10:02   #23
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

Instead of looking for ways to make more money, perhaps you could focus on spending less. Apparently you've got multiple properties, tons of camera equipment, a lot of scuba gear, woodworking gear, and enough broken outboards to last a lifetime. Any chance you are a hoarder? Do you really need a 40 foot boat if its just you alone?

Less is more.

Simplify.

Get rid of all the "stuff" and live a simple life on a simple boat.

If you are good with engines/electrical/woodwork there will always be work for you. You may not be allowed to work in many cruising areas, except your country of citizenship.

Personally, I repair bicycles. I carry a small kit and I check over peoples bikes. There is almost always repair or adjustment needed. Rather than accept money, I offer friendship and hope to receive the same.
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Old 16-04-2017, 10:14   #24
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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Welding - There are several ways to go with that:

1] Readywelder, 24v battery input, $600-700 Ready Welder » Products Page
2] Small stick welder, 100a output, 110v input, $100-200
3] Small wire feed welder, 100a output, 110v input, $150-250.

Also need protective helmet, gloves, jacket, grinder, wire brushes, chipping hammer, torch and consumables (lenses for helmet, rolls/sticks of weld metal, gases for torch).

For the torch I would get an oxy/propane torch so the only special gas to carry and replace would be oxygen.

For weld metal make sure you carry sticks/rolls for 304, 316 and mild steel and maybe also something appropriate for welding cast iron.

With the Readywelder and inert gas like CO2 you might also be able to weld aluminum.
This is all great advice...thanks. But you want me to do TIG, MIG, and gas? I have a couple small sets of oxy-acetylene welders. Some aluminum and steel rods. I'll get more rods but that may have to do. Becoming a truly competent welder is a much larger undertaking than many realize. May be a good way to pass the time however....developing more welding skills.
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Old 16-04-2017, 10:26   #25
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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An important factor to consider is venue. There are places where cruisers congregate and where boat work gets done (Several in the E Carib like Grenada and Trinidad, USA Ft Lauderdale-Miami/Key West/Kemah-Clear Lake..., W Carib Rio Dulce, Colon/Linton Panama, Cartagena Colombia...). Tons of work in these venues. If you want work you must go where there is work...remote cruising locations...not so much. Most foreigners working in the non-USA venues are working illegally, but since these skills mostly dont compete with locals they are usually ignored.

Youve got some good skills. Add some training/certifications/experience to beef them up.

Outboards have problems all the time. Usually just a good carb cleaning needed to solve 95% of the problems. Easy money. Carry tools for that, maybe a rebuild kit or two for the more common engines (like Yamaha Enduros). A small ultrasonic parts cleaner would be great. I would add changing lower gear oil and impeller.

Basic marine diesels are not in fact much more complicated than outboards, but experience counts and you dont have it...yet.

Carpentry...cabinet maker level skills certainly could be in demand. Yes...but carrying a full compliment of cabinet making tools doesn't fit so well with cruising.

Solar, meeh not much work there since usually zero maintenance required. New installs/upgrades usually get done when not actively cruising in venues where lots of boat work gets done. But most cruisers do the installs/upgrades before they leave cruising. I suspect that you have not lived off of solar? There are two types of people. Those who want solar and those who want more solar. No maintenance? Dang, what equipment do you use?

Water = water makers = maintenance = work. Get some training/experience with water makers. Spectra offers tech classes.

Diver services...yes, often a need for that. Carry a nice big magnet for recoving all those things boaters drop overbaoard too. Love this idea. Thanks. Scraping hulls is also steady money and great exercise performing a needed chore. Nothing wrong with that.

Advertising is usually intentionally word of mouth only amonst the cruiser community in a given venue. Locals/Authorities will usually ignore a bit of low profile illegal work, but if you put up a billboard then its gonna be harder for them to ignore. Advertising is the key issue at this time. I want to travel the world, not stay in one place. While I could place some form of advertising on my boat, that would also invite a number of problems.
See responses in underlined italics.
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Old 16-04-2017, 10:27   #26
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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This is all great advice...thanks. But you want me to do TIG, MIG, and gas? I have a couple small sets of oxy-acetylene welders. Some aluminum and steel rods. I'll get more rods but that may have to do. Becoming a truly competent welder is a much larger undertaking than many realize. May be a good way to pass the time however....developing more welding skills.

TIG, MIG, and gas? No, flux core is what I was thinking.

If you already know how to gas weld maybe stick with that.

The reason to convert to propane torches is availability. Propane you can get anywhere. Acetalene not so much. More importantly there is one less tank of high pressure gas to tote around.

Oxygen is probably a bit more available than acetalene.

The advantage of the flux core welding is that you minimize the gases used in favor of using electricity that you can generate for free anywhere from solar panels.
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Old 16-04-2017, 12:12   #27
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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(...)

Do you really need a 40 foot boat if its just you alone?

(...)
No. A 25 to 30' boat will do fine. But you can work twice as many hours to keep it up if you have a 40' boat. Or else you can ask twice as much per trick. Except asking twice as much is not an option where local services are an alternative. And local services are today, nearly, omnipresent. And working more is only fine if you are not a bum.

To me, it is sort of contradictory to own a big boat and then to HAVE TO work. Why not get a smaller boat and simply work when work is available?

But there are many motivations for going sailing. To some it is simply yet another excuse to keep on working.

b.
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Old 16-04-2017, 14:13   #28
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

You can also put your boat on the hard during non sailing season and go to where you can work hard at gathering legal tenders for your next season's exploits. Sail for 6-7 months, fly home and work 5-6 months in gathering mode. Enjoy your sail season without encumbering yourself with the stress of money ebb versus flood ratios.

Look at it this way...are you really sailing if you have to stay in one local area trying to build interest in your skill sets, dealing with red tape of illegal revenue ( I am not adverse to that...but who needs that kind of hassle), waiting for revenues to fall in your lap...I don't have the patience for such risk. I want to know where is my next destination, what do I have to do to get there financially, do I have enough in the accounts to accomplish it?

I think you are a smart guy, good skill sets, and good way of thinking. I will tell you a little story that is tangential to your outboard motor thinking. I knew I would have two outboard motors on my boat and dingy. So, I wanted to make sure I had some skill at fixing these type of motors. I began by searching the internet for companies that did weekend classes or semester classes like at local junior colleges for outboard motor repairs. Got nothing. Finally I found a class in Florida. I talked to the administrator personnel. It was a semester class and it was over 20 k dollars. We laughed together. I said for that kind of money I will just buy a new one every 4-5 years if the old one craps out on me. So, I still haven't found a place yet. So, I think it is one of your better ideas if you have the skill set for it.
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Old 16-04-2017, 14:57   #29
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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No. A 25 to 30' boat will do fine. But you can work twice as many hours to keep it up if you have a 40' boat. Or else you can ask twice as much per trick. Except asking twice as much is not an option where local services are an alternative. And local services are today, nearly, omnipresent. And working more is only fine if you are not a bum.

To me, it is sort of contradictory to own a big boat and then to HAVE TO work. Why not get a smaller boat and simply work when work is available?

But there are many motivations for going sailing. To some it is simply yet another excuse to keep on working.

b.
It all comes down to what we like. I like older, larger , sturdier, simpler boats with some hand made craftsmanship. When people took pride in their work instead of simply "maximizing profits". Why do I single out the "maximize profit" mentality? Because I was an econ major and that was all we heard.

Larger, heavier, sturdier boats are safer boats for the stuff I plan to do. You usually want your boat to be as long as the wave that is coming your way. You guys can be googling the string bikinis. I'll have seawater smashing into my face around Cape Horn. Bikinis = Trouble
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Old 16-04-2017, 15:28   #30
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Re: Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

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Originally Posted by Adelie View Post
TIG, MIG, and gas? No, flux core is what I was thinking.

If you already know how to gas weld maybe stick with that.

The reason to convert to propane torches is availability. Propane you can get anywhere. Acetalene not so much. More importantly there is one less tank of high pressure gas to tote around.

Oxygen is probably a bit more available than acetalene.

The advantage of the flux core welding is that you minimize the gases used in favor of using electricity that you can generate for free anywhere from solar panels.
You cannot weld with propane. Only cut, solder and braze at best. If you go the welding root, a small DC inverter stick welder with DC tig capability will let you do most jobs on stainless and carbon steels. If you want to extend to aluminium, then invest in an AC/DC unit. The latter will perhaps struggle to run with an onboard generator. In both cases you just need to carry a small cylinder of argon to use for shielding gas.
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