Iterms of bartering ?

[HVYJimmy]

some things can be plentiful here ,and at the same time valuable barter items at the destination you are headed to. like say fishing hooks barter for a side of goat kind of thing . is there a web site or something that has the value of goods in different areas of the world ?? I am looking to sail the south pacific islands from the BVI , so taking good barter goods maybe well worth the trouble of hauling it across the Ocean thank you all

cheers

jimmy

[seandepagnier]

I have used the following items for very successful barters:

• headphones
• sunglasses
• fishing stuff
• galvanized steel wire
• bicycles
• solar panels
• decent working lead acid batteries
• copper wire
• solder
• leds
• seeds for garden (many varieties)
• shells
• radios
• rope
• diving masks
• flippers
• wet suits
• knives
• plastic buckets
• tape measure
• angle grinder
• zip ties
• wind surfer rig
• ...

Actually the list goes on and on. I can survive from barter alone in many places. Also don't forget to take locals sailing or give them a ride to another island etc.. In all cases the above items were obtained with no cost. If you have to buy it, then bartering is a bit ridiculous.

[Cheechako]

I once traded a freshly baked banana bread and a pack of Lucky Strikes for a bucket of prawns and a fish filet. Rusty old shrimper was anchored next to me in Mexico.

[u4ea32]

Read up on the Cargo Cult.

Anything is useful. Get a bunch of stuff from a church sale, or even better, most charities have far more inventory than they can handle, as everyone has garages stuff with crap. Clothes, kitchen stuff, really anything is HUGELY appreciated, and can lead to lots of great experiences.

[JPA Cate]

HVYJMY,

How is it that from Maitland you and your trailer sailer are going to cross from BVI to Oz?

Ann

[HVYJimmy]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

HVYJMY,

How is it that from Maitland you and your trailer sailer are going to cross from BVI to Oz?

Ann

LOL Hello Ann , yes I am looking at buying a 38 ft+ mono hull sailing boat .
the 17ft baby has been for learning on. there's a nice looking Koopmans 41
for sale in BVI ,+ a lot of boats of sail in that area of the world. So one day within 2 years, I hope to be one of the Puddle Jumpers and cruise the south Pacific , having read a lot of Blogs and forum postings it seams that some islanders like to barter for goods that cruisers may carry .so that's the reason for my O.P.

cheers

jimmy

[svTOTEM]

We didn’t find as much trading in south pacific as we’d expected. Maybe we didn’t have interesting enough items? In Papua New Guinea, trading is EVERYTHING. We were like a superstore from space, trading nearly sunrise to sunset for the first couple days at many of the islands. Each trader would wait their turn, bailing water from the always leaky canoes, until we invited them up.
Trade items: rice, flour, sugar, salt, soap, laundry detergent, clothes pins (pegs), fishing hooks (different sizes) and line, rope, batteries AA/AAA/D, clothes (t-shirts, ball caps, shorts), dive masks/fins, replacement rubber for spear guns, soccer balls, hand tools (saws, planes, drills, plastic, carving tools), old glossy magazines (to see outside world), school supplies (often donated not traded), zoom (outboard gas/oil mix – few outboard only but fuel was hard to come by), glasses/sunglasses, nails, wire…..
The culture of trading is fascinating and so much more than a transaction.

[HVYJimmy]

Originally Posted by svTOTEM

We didn’t find as much trading in south pacific as we’d expected. Maybe we didn’t have interesting enough items? In Papua New Guinea, trading is EVERYTHING. We were like a superstore from space, trading nearly sunrise to sunset for the first couple days at many of the islands. Each trader would wait their turn, bailing water from the always leaky canoes, until we invited them up.
Trade items: rice, flour, sugar, salt, soap, laundry detergent, clothes pins (pegs), fishing hooks (different sizes) and line, rope, batteries AA/AAA/D, clothes (t-shirts, ball caps, shorts), dive masks/fins, replacement rubber for spear guns, soccer balls, hand tools (saws, planes, drills, plastic, carving tools), old glossy magazines (to see outside world), school supplies (often donated not traded), zoom (outboard gas/oil mix – few outboard only but fuel was hard to come by), glasses/sunglasses, nails, wire…..
The culture of trading is fascinating and so much more than a transaction.

so what did you get in return , fresh fruit and vegetables ???

[bobconnie]

Connies been tradeing Fresh baked bread and sweet rolls for everything ya can think of for years !! Almost any place semi remote is great for tradeing! She has received fresh fruit and local veggies, meat of MANY types LOL And the kids favorite a pretty parrot In the Pi ! Learn to bake it tastes great and trades real good !!

[svTOTEM]

Fresh produce, lobsters/fish/squid, carvings, woven baskets/mats, bagi (shell money necklaces), and countless friends.

[JPA Cate]

Okay HVYJMY,

We have found ball point pens, "blue books", small note books for exams, paper, text books, and your coaching knowledge in algebra and upwards much in demand.

Also, stuff everyone needs, flour, sugar, oil, sometimes fresfruit/veg (as when going from the Marquesas to the Tuamotus); sometimes lengths of cheap Chinese made "tropical" fabrics in cotton. Sweet smelling glossy hand soaps and shampoo. We knew a lady traded a Salvation Army frock for which she'd paid $1 or 2, for a watermelon in the Solomons. Stuff you get for free (if you have figured out how to look for it) can be reciprocally gifted for lots of fresh fruit and veg, and sometimes beautiful carvings, stonework (heavy) or basketry. Some places, currency is way over value for villages, because it is so hard to come by. You are going to be meeting people who have so much less material possessions than you as a yachtie--it's a real eye opener. And then you have to decide what to give them that will do no damage. Tricky, sometimes.

Ann

[HVYJimmy]

thanks everyone that's all good feed back .I greatly appreciate all your posts

thanks

cheers
jimmy

[cruiser_wannabe]

We traded corned beef and beauty store samples for carved wood masks in Tonga. It was quite fun.