$15k would be a pretty lean cruising budget, most especially if you’re taking care of the boat with that money as well. Even so, some do it for quite a bit less & live accordingly. I’d guess that that’s do-able, especially if you have a kitty stashed back for maintenance & repairs.
Mention of costs of living in various areas can be found in other threads or you could start one for more discussion. Bear in mind that most if not all of the Caribbean lives on imports, much of what you’re used to at home will be more expensive but “going native” can be a good way to travel well on a budget. i.e. local seafood & produce instead of burgers & fries (almost nobody else in the world eats beef like we do). Also be aware that while most cruisers spend the vast majority of their time in port, one sure way to put the brakes on spending is to be at sea.
Offshore purchasing of boats has been discussed but possibly not to the degree that you'll require for a decision, another good thread option & we’ll hope for responses from people that have done it & know what the associated expenses are.
As near as I can tell, few people insure their boats for offshore cruising. Two adults with a child are considered short handed & in that case offshore insurance is expensive but should be available if you want it. The same applies to health insurance & life insurance … it’s there if you can afford it but under your circumstances the costs will be such that you’ll really have to consider the expenditure & whether or not it’s worth it.
While I don't think that any of us would claim to have definitive answers to questions about how another might earn income while cruising, we've discussed such things quite a bit & you may find ideas that will work for you. For example, without 30 years or so of tooling experience one of my options might not be available to you but I'm sure you have knowledge & skills that would mystify me. Somewhere within the range of your own interests & experience you'll find options & opportunities.
You might take some time to read through threads of interest to you & stimulate some thinking. You're also asking good questions that would make good discussion threads. Now that you've introduced yourself, come on out & play. If we bite you'll like it, I promise.
Troubledour
