Working While Living Aboard

[Tori]

I am the manager of a veterinary clinic and work five days a week at the clinic and live aboard with my husband. Joe does part time security work.
We take the boat out evenings and weekends and enjoy the marina the rest of the time....

[rebel heart]

My land-job is software development, I don't like working on the boat. I'd rather go to a public library. When I lived on land I needed an office space that was separate from my living room / bedroom, an area that was specifically for working. On the boat I don't have that and I'm not as productive.

We have a storage unit in the marina that functions as an office as well. Maybe 12'x12' with power, air conditioning, etc.

[Capt. lulz]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

Well of course! If we could all work from home, we would...

Most extroverts would disagree. Interaction is what drives them.

[deepstar]

Whilst the comments/Posts so far have been interesting..... Most people seem to be living on board still in their native country (apologies for any Canadians working in the US whilst on-board - or vice versa).....

What example jobs are people doing say cruising through Australia/Japan/India/Europe or US (for non North American passport holders) ?

I accept being an IT dude with some support/tele arrangement may work if you have the communications.... but how about the remaining 95% of people.

What do people with skills such a marine engineering, electronics, hairdressing, baking, cooking, scuba, teaching, nursing, farming etc do ? If you use these skills are you only doing jobs for fellow yachties ?? i.e. working as part of the 'black economy' ?? - Or have you been able to get by without paperwork/Work Permits?

[spostamento nobile]

Making money underway under the radar is not something people want to openly discuss, even in person, let alone on the web.
Cruisers are all cheapskates (including me), so unless you have a skill or item to sell that they Really Really need ..........

[boatman61]

Living aboard and working is for 'Blue collars' is no harder than from a house... for you 'White collar' folk that we carry on our shoulders... thats another matter..
Sure you guys will find loads to complain about....

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Depends on what you mean by living aboard. If the boat is your static home and you go to work somewhere during the day, then no problem, you just have a different kind of home from the landlubbers.
- - When not working or on days off then heading out sailing is a fine way to get used to the boat and how it handles.
- - If you plan to "cruise" with the boat to distant and different places within your home country and do some kind of temporary work ashore, then - also - no big problems.
- - If you plan to cruise with the boat and do some kind of work "from" the boat like an internet/computer business then things get more complicated. Getting reliable internet and actually making money that way is not easy unless you are a whiz at that kind of stuff.
- - Leaving your home country and trying to work also raises a lot of complications about getting work permits and permissions.

These four varieties of living aboard while working are an important addition to this discussion. We always had consistant jobs at a shore location near our marina, but with many days off for cruising,- the easiest condition. The least viable option has always been to sail off as an escape from a lack of opportunity to find an easier and simple life in the islands.

I would be quick to dismiss the concept that living aboard is easier for "blue collar" workers than others. The idea has been proposed that it's difficult to maintain the clothing required for some jobs, but this is usually not a factor if you are at a marina instead of anchored out. I know that the great majority of liveaboards on the US East Coast are retired, but my employed neighbors have been mechanics, physicians, airline pilots, merchant mariners, chefs, restaurant workers, military personel, lawyers, nurses, contractors, teachers and more.

[Capn Morgan]

The main differences I found when I moved to my boat was that, more than ever, I looked forward to going back 'home' and that when at home, there was absolutely always work to do. The boat spends its time in a marina nowadays when I am away, but I manage to spend 4 or 5 months of the year in another country, I just commute. I wish I could have done it earlier. I miss the company of a dog, not the boat's fault, I must add.

[osirissail]

I really cannot understand where this "prison" analogy thing came from. Living on a boat is more like living in a well equipped "tee-pee" out on the American Plains where the whole world is just outside and available to you. Of course, "well-equipped" means all or most of the comforts of the best living on land but in a more economically compressed space.
- - Although there is plenty of work/maintenance needed to keep your "tee-pee" functioning, even that is scaled down compared to a land house that is mostly space you do not use except to store things.
- - Trying to get a grip around this "prison" thing, maybe it refers to working onboard for a living as keeping you from roaming free around outside your boat whenever you wish. Still that is stretching it as you can take plenty of breaks to step outside and smell the roses, salt air, or sea breezes so long as you have the self-discipline to get your "work" done.
- - On the contrary in many aspects I would consider living aboard as "liberating" in that you are liberated from the need to "fill up" your living space with large amounts of stuff as is the case when living in a house. The smallness/compactness of life on a boat helps you resist accumulating stuff that you really don't need. So life is a lot "lighter" in that you cannot drag around a heavy load of useless stuff with you while living on a boat.
- - On the other hand, if you are the type of person who must have truckloads of stuff surrounding you to feel happy/fulfilled then living on a boat is not a good idea. But even then it is not a prison as you can walk away and go back to living on land.

[deepstar]

Nobleshift ..... you got it; Alas the rest seem to be living aboard to avoid some state tax.

[ssanzone]

i make sure i always have dry cleaning in the office because cramming business clothes into my too small on board lockers defeats the purpose of dry cleaning (i do NOT iron on board) and for the days when i show up and coworkers say 'you reek of diesel'.

the only other problem i have had from time to time is it is not always easy (possible) to get a decent night sleep. rough water and high winds can make for tired mornings which result in LONG days when tied to a desk till 5ish pm.

[teejayevans]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

My land-job is software development, I don't like working on the boat. I'd rather go to a public library. When I lived on land I needed an office space that was separate from my living room / bedroom, an area that was specifically for working. On the boat I don't have that and I'm not as productive.

Same job, completely different opinion, I like being able to work from the boat, stop work for a while and being able to be back at work within a minute. Since I deal with China timezone, its nice to work from the boat.
Cell/Internet is all I need, although that eliminates the Bahamas
Tom

[virginia boy]

I live at anchor and yes, it does seem a bit like prison at times. I decided not to replace my stolen outboard, so I row quite a long distance to shore. It's not physically difficult but it has become a chore, and lately I find myself staying on the boat rather than rowing to shore and going out.

[deepstar]

Ok ... so it seems one guy who talks to China but not in the Bahamas has some non US out of state Tax-Break .... and everyone one else is living in State X.... avoiding Sate Y's taxes also.....

Err... I think the question of "Working While Living Aboard" meaning outside your county of residence/domicile has - with the Chinese exception not been answered.

Please correct me if I have mis understood

Tim

[ssanzone]

Originally Posted by deepstar

Ok ... so it seems one guy who talks to China but not in the Bahamas has some non US out of state Tax-Break .... and everyone one else is living in State X.... avoiding Sate Y's taxes also.....

Err... I think the question of "Working While Living Aboard" meaning outside your county of residence/domicile has - with the Chinese exception not been answered.

Please correct me if I have mis understood

Tim

technically, one needs to pay taxes bother where they live AND where they work. e.g i live in New Hampshire and work in Massachusetts. in these types of situations, your residential state taxes are often offset by payments to the state where you work.

there are some tax codes about paying taxes on monies earned in state regardless of state of residence (put in place for pro athletes who earn 500K for a game in X state (an away game) and X state wants the tax revenue for that 500K).

if one was a sole proprietor one would , in the grey area of tax law, not need to pay taxes to the state where the income is earned...

my business is in the north east, i am working for 18 months in cali. i should pay taxes in MA and CA because i am physically here delivering services.

make sense?

-s