remote jobs ideas from a boat

[recurveman]

I have a buddy that is done with the rat race. He still need to work and is looking for ideas for working on a boat. I guess working remote is a good first step but some "remote" jobs mean you need to be available all the time from 9-5. That might not be a good option. Has anyone had good experiences with having a job while living on a boat? What types of jobs work well. He would like to cruise around too so it couldn't be job where he was in one location.

Thanks,

Chad

[ThereAndBack]

Gain skills in information technology, find a niche, get a job, work from anywhere.

[Lake-Effect]

A friend of mine who's an architect employed a guy sailing around Polynesia, as a draftsman (AutoCAD). When it's piecework like that, you don't have to pull a 9-5, you just have to deliver finished work at the time you agreed to. Software can be like that too. Reliable internet is required to deliver the work and to stay in touch with employers & clients.

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

A friend of mine who's an architect employed a guy sailing around Polynesia, as a draftsman (AutoCAD). When it's piecework like that, you don't have to pull a 9-5, you just have to deliver finished work at the time you agreed to. Software can be like that too. Reliable internet is required to deliver the work and to stay in touch with employers & clients.

Software would be difficult unless it was a one person team that didn't require any sort of outside collaboration.


Contract software work would be a possibility but employers generally require you to be "connected" and available during your work day, no matter where you are physically located.

[ThereAndBack]

Originally Posted by NaClyDog

Software would be difficult unless it was a one person team that didn't require any sort of outside collaboration.


Contract software work would be a possibility but employers generally require you to be "connected" and available during your work day, no matter where you are physically located.

This is true if you want a full time job, but contract work is often bid by the job or hour block.

[psk125]

Writer -- if you can find someone to pay you for articles.
Author-- if you can find a publisher who wants to print your book
Mechanic -- if you know marine engines and work legally in whatever country you're in. (Other countries may have legal requirements for offering services for sale.)

[Tetepare]

There’s a long thread on this, something like how to make money while cruising. Actually I’m sure there’s more than one. But the same old will be along to offer the same answers.

[carlosproa]

I met many people with mechanical skills who did well everywhere they went

One guy from Spain had the skills of a crane operator with license in container movement as well as high rise crane for building rise

I also met two accountants who did well. All requiring 2 months of work and working visa in some countries

[gonesail]

stay with the rat race until you save up enough money to buy a boat and then some. none of the marinas I have experienced have reliable WIFI.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by gonesail

... none of the marinas I have experienced have reliable WIFI.

That's why a lot of us use 4G data these days.

[McBrian]

I think it depends on how much you're willing to work. If you want a standard office job but remote you'd be on the hook most days to be logged on, but it would cut down on the specialty skills requirement. I guess it would be worth it to ask, what sort of skills does your friend have? Can they do something in that same field but that would require less time/dedication?

[mvweebles]

I spent almost 5-years living on a boat as a full-time delivery skipper. I also worked from my boat as a writer for a couple national boating magazines, but that didn't pay much - mostly fed my delivery business.

As an observation, skilled marine tradespeople do pretty well. Riggers, canvas maker/repair, welder, mechanic, head-systems. Anything electronics these days, especially with networking/wifi. Marine electrician is probably top of the heap. Refrigeration/HVAC is pretty desireable depending on location.

Finally, try fiverr.com or freelancer.com. These are both gig-bulletin boards for all sorts of stuff like translaters, graphic designers, voice-over actors, Excel gurus, SEO experts - you name it. Peruse those pages to see if anything strikes your fancy. The caution is you are competing with people from low-cost countries.

[psk125]

One half of an online couple that cruised extensively in the Pacific was a nurse. Readily employed everywhere they went - but it meant sticking around for long enough to replenish the cruising kitty in places (like cities) with hospitals.

[Siberian Sea]

So with the covid problem many companies made adjustments to allow a percentage of their employees to work from home. Now unfortunately many of these same companies are realizing that they have no need to employ someone from the First Nations to work remotely and pay them a competitive wage. No, they can get the same service done by employing skilled talent in cheap places like India and Philippines. Of course it’s nothing new to use these nations as a worker’s pool however, the recent covid remote workers trend has hastened the process greatly. Why hire you on your sailboat when there is a whole team in Pakistan for half price.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Siberian Sea

So with the covid problem many companies made adjustments to allow a percentage of their employees to work from home. Now unfortunately many of these same companies are realizing that they have no need to employ someone from the First Nations to work remotely and pay them a competitive wage. No, they can get the same service done by employing skilled talent in cheap places like India and Philippines. Of course it’s nothing new to use these nations as a worker’s pool however, the recent covid remote workers trend has hastened the process greatly. Why hire you on your sailboat when there is a whole team in Pakistan for half price.

Exactly. That work from home crowd never understood this. I was saying this since the day they started working from home.

If you don’t have a personal connection with your employer, There is no reason they will keep you over somebody that will do your work for half the price.