Use the skills you have

[oldsalt_1942]

While staying on the Rio Dulce several years ago there was one young man who left with more money than he came with. He knew how to repair radios and outboard motors. He worked three or four hours a day Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and was in great demand. He repaired my VHF at a very reasonable price and was in great demand.

Use the skills you have or develop some before you cast off.

[Pblais]

Use the skills you have or develop some before you cast off.

That would depend on the skills. Those that can be paid in cash or barter would be the prefered kind.

[Celestialsailor]

Keep in mine this type of work in a foreign port has to be kept very low key. Someone tipping off an official could winde you up in really hot water.

[stevensc]

"Keep in mine this type of work in a foreign port has to be kept very low key. Someone tipping off an official could winde you up in really hot water."

I would think the local repair folks will see this as infringing on their market (as it would be) and could wind up reporting it or maybe doing something worse.
Steve

[Celestialsailor]

The worst case of this was in Mexico where the cruisers were requesting help on the VHF and other cruisers offering help the same way. Why can't they figure out that Port authorities and other idividuals might be listening in?

[oldsalt_1942]

Originally Posted by stevensc

"Keep in mine this type of work in a foreign port has to be kept very low key. Someone tipping off an official could winde you up in really hot water."

I would think the local repair folks will see this as infringing on their market (as it would be) and could wind up reporting it or maybe doing something worse.
Steve

In 1992 there sure wasn't any competition for fixing VHFs on the Rio Dulce and I bet it hasn't changed a whole lot, either, there or other out of the way cruising destinations.

[Randyonr3]

This infringment thing, I did some canvas repair on a boat in a marina we stopped in a month or so ago.. The guy was refered to me by the local Canvas shop as he was really busy and the guy wanted it done quickly.
I'm also a photographer, and sell some through a stock-house, but was recently approched to do a wedding of someone with a boat on the same dock... The wife is doing some volenteer work today BUT, she'll make contacts and those contacts will be profitable..
Awhile back, I stopped at a marina, it was full but the sales dock had a couple slips empty, as I approached, I heard them talking about finding someone to wash the boats.. well you can see where this is going, so for washing 5 or 6 boats each week, my slip was paid... not a bad trade.
In the same marina, a fellow cruiser pulled in with some canvas work,
Well we all know cruisers are cheep, so the job was in trade for dinner that night,
his wife cooked a great stew and we all sat around telling stories all evening.
We left 4 years ago and have almost the same money in the bank as we did when we left.. Our goal,(with avalable money) was to stay out for 5 years.. we're almost at that point right now... and still have our savings.....

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

This infringment thing, I did some canvas repair on a boat in a marina we stopped in a month or so ago.. The guy was refered to me by the local Canvas shop as he was really busy and the guy wanted it done quickly.
I'm also a photographer, and sell some through a stock-house, but was recently approched to do a wedding of someone with a boat on the same dock... The wife is doing some volenteer work today BUT, she'll make contacts and those contacts will be profitable..
Awhile back, I stopped at a marina, it was full but the sales dock had a couple slips empty, as I approached, I heard them talking about finding someone to wash the boats.. well you can see where this is going, so for washing 5 or 6 boats each week, my slip was paid... not a bad trade.
In the same marina, a fellow cruiser pulled in with some canvas work,
Well we all know cruisers are cheep, so the job was in trade for dinner that night,
his wife cooked a great stew and we all sat around telling stories all evening.
We left 4 years ago and have almost the same money in the bank as we did when we left.. Our goal,(with avalable money) was to stay out for 5 years.. we're almost at that point right now... and still have our savings.....

Positive proof that it can be done. I think excersizing caution and keeping it low key as possible is key though. In your cases, most jobs were offered and not announced throughout the marina.