Non tech ways of supporting the cruisers lifestyle?

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by softdown

Isn't this the #1 problem for most? It seems like money never lasts a fraction as long as I thought it would. Life is expensive.

Computer geeks may be able to do geek work whenever they have a good internet connection. What about the rest of us?

Just started thinking about this. My liveaboard goal is a few years away. That is why I bought a 26 footer, to gain significant experience first.

Here are a couple current ideas:
1) Buying old, broke down outboards and learning how to fix them. I have seven that need fixing and four that run. I have rebuilt a few motors, I am mechanically inclined.
This will depend on where you are, and what spares you carry. My Jim (check the profile for experience) repaired a number of outboards, but for locals, in foreign countries, and for free, so I don't know how it would work in the US.

2) Diesels? Lot harder to do the same thing with diesels. Concentrating on outboards for now. Most cruisers have an outboard on their dinghy, many also use them on their sailboat.
We knew a guy who did this. Consultations were free, if he took his tools to your boat, he received an hourly wage. Supported their cruising.

3) Solar? Been meaning to go solar professional for awhile. Have the knowledge, just too busy with other demands.
4) Water? Been a custom aquarium specialist for 24 years. Filtration, pumping, plumbing.......plenty of experience here.
5) Carpentry? Built my own 8000' shop. Then the county assessor measured things and quite literally drove me into the seas. I've been a cabinet maker as well.
We knew someone who did this, and also built nesting dinghies. I think it helped support, rather than completely support, their cruising; his wife wrote magazine articles about cruising, and sold the same articles to different magazines.

6) Underwater services such as hull cleaning? Well....it pays and is good exercise while performing a vital function. Master diver with good strength and endurance. Nine scuba tanks. There are some places you could do this, don't think it, by itself, would support your boat, but the smaller the boat, the less expensive it is to keep it.
7) Photography/Videography? Was a wedding and event photographer and videographer for a decade. Spent tens of thousands on gear that is now often worthless. Oh well. We have all been down that road. Your abilities here will mainly add to your fun, but you might pick up something.
Most civilized places have plenty photo- and videographers.

8) High seas gigolo? Ummm.....no.
9) Own two S Florida rentals. Sometimes they make a little money. Sometimes they lose a lot.....air conditioners and drain fields etc.
10) Edited in a bit later. Advertising always proved to be very necessary. I can update my own web site. The challenge would be advertising. I'd rather not name my boat something commercial like Boat Mechanic. Then get banging on the hull at all types of unwanted hours. Being on call 24/7 is pretty much hellish.

Expecting to get beat up a bit. Hopefully yielding more wheat than chaff. Reasoned responses may be helpful to dreamers and newbies alike.

In our experience, many beginning cruisers have refrigeration problems, and also, with generating enough electricity. Ability with small gasoline motors is good, for gensets, as well as outboards.

There were a few women and a couple of men who did freelance magazine writing.

Maybe, call your boat "Jack" (of all Trades). People always ask, "how did your boat get its name?" -- a perfect excuse to say you're looking for work when you are. [In addition, it's quick to spell phonetically on the VHF.] Also, your reputation as a competent, honest helper will get around, "bush telegraph" is alive and well in the cruising fleet.
Ann

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

You cannot weld with propane. Only cut, solder and braze at best. If you go the welding root, a small DC inverter stick welder with DC tig capability will let you do most jobs on stainless and carbon steels. If you want to extend to aluminium, then invest in an AC/DC unit. The latter will perhaps struggle to run with an onboard generator. In both cases you just need to carry a small cylinder of argon to use for shielding gas.

Actually you can weld with Oxy-propane, it's just difficult. For cutting, etc. on a boat it's that way to go.

[softdown]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

In our experience, many beginning cruisers have refrigeration problems, and also, with generating enough electricity. Ability with small gasoline motors is good, for gensets, as well as outboards.

There were a few women and a couple of men who did freelance magazine writing.

Maybe, call your boat "Jack" (of all Trades). People always ask, "how did your boat get its name?" -- a perfect excuse to say you're looking for work when you are. [In addition, it's quick to spell phonetically on the VHF.] Also, your reputation as a competent, honest helper will get around, "bush telegraph" is alive and well in the cruising fleet.
Ann

Yes.....advertising is the problem. Nobody has said "Hull cleaning, now that is great idea." Well....cruiser bottoms should be scraped once a month. Plenty of people are averse to doing it for various reasons. Why do I keep harkening back to it? Because it is great exercise and being underwater beats being topside.

One could call their boat "Cleaner". As long as one stayed out of the slips, the locals shouldn't get too excited. I could tell the locals that I do laundry. Jack of all trades don't have the greatest reputations....masters of none.

How about "Mechanic"? Or "SolarWorld"? "Diver"? One could have a group of signs, much like a fisherman has any number of lures.

Problems with the locals is something I need to avoid. How far away does one normally need to be if one wants to avoid the locals?

[zstine]

This is important... If you are not in US territory, you can't and should not work for pay. Unless you get a work visa and that's a PITA, so I assume you won't do that. Do you want to risk loosing your boat, freedom or even just a ton of fines and BS just to make some money on the backs of the locals in some foreign island. The laws protect people who need the work more than you. Stay within the law, it is there for a reason. If you're taking work away from locals, who I guarantee don't own 2 condos, then you are unethical... And you won't have insurance to protect you either.

Sounds to me like you have enough assets to cruise for years without working. Number 1 priority is 'do not hurt others'. If you run an under the radar outboard repair shop off your boat in the caribbean or mexico, then you are hurting others who need the business more than you and they have the law on their side and you shouldn't do it even if you can get away with it... So, be aware that all your options listed will keep you cruising in USA.

Not saying to deny your skills to a cruiser in need in a place that has no repair service... but pay it forward, not off the backs of others.

[JPA Cate]

On the boat name, maybe "Divers", because it's a pun.

Some places, I bet you could clean boat bottoms, a lot depends on where you are, and who else is in the water with you. In far away places, most of those people do all this for themselves, it's a matter of pride and independence, not one of money. Plus, you gotta do it to keep aware of what's happening with the zincs, and everything you wouldn't see if you had someone else dive your boat.

'Bye,

Ann

[softdown]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

On the boat name, maybe "Divers", because it's a pun.

Some places, I bet you could clean boat bottoms, a lot depends on where you are, and who else is in the water with you. In far away places, most of those people do all this for themselves, it's a matter of pride and independence, not one of money. Plus, you gotta do it to keep aware of what's happening with the zincs, and everything you wouldn't see if you had someone else dive your boat.

'Bye,

Ann

Heh, with no new resistance to the idea of working on boat bottoms, the concept has suddenly lost some allure. Maybe it is words "boat bottoms"? Always looked like great exercise to me. Easy to work the legs, upper body is another story.

Why is "Divers" a pun?

[john61ct]

Diverse skills?

Practicality is fly "home" to earn good money, fill up the accounts quick as possible (van dwelling?), then fly back to relax, make it last long as possible.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by softdown

Problems with the locals is something I need to avoid. How far away does one normally need to be if one wants to avoid the locals?

Beyond the 12 mile limit?

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by StuM

Beyond the 12 mile limit?

12nm is the limit of territorial waters. I would bet that most countries would frown on your setting up shop on your boat to do work within their EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) which goes out 200nm.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by softdown

[quote name="belizesailor" post=2372315]...
Solar, meeh not much work there since usually zero maintenance required. New installs/upgrades usually get done when not actively cruising in venues where lots of boat work gets done. But most cruisers do the installs/upgrades before they leave cruising. <u><i>I suspect that you have not lived off of solar? There are two types of people. Those who want solar and those who want more solar. No maintenance? Dang, what equipment do you use?...

<br />
<br />
See responses in underlined italics.[/QUOTE]

Nah never, just ashore and afloat for over a decade. My home in Guatemala is off grid as of course is the boat. Designed and installed both systems. Zero maintenance on the solar components of either except for cleaning panels occassionally. Replaced 1 malfunctioning controller in a decade.

The related components: batteries, generators, etc of course require maintenace, but not the solar installation per se. Design it right the first time, use quality comoponents, and then u dont need more nor need maintenance.

What SOLAR compoments do you use that require so much maintenance?

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Actually you can weld with Oxy-propane, it's just difficult. For cutting, etc. on a boat it's that way to go.

No; actually you can't weld with propane if you depend on the strength of the joint. It introduces excessive water vapour into the weld pool and insufficient inert shielding gases due to combustion chemistry. This is why expensive acetylene is used (aside from it's higher burning temperature). Propane, on the other hand, is preferred for thermal cutting of carbon steels because of it's cooler and somewhat softer flame.

[Adelie]

I stand corrected. You can do it for a short term fix but not for permanent use.

[softdown]

Originally Posted by Adelie

12nm is the limit of territorial waters. I would bet that most countries would frown on your setting up shop on your boat to do work within their EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) which goes out 200nm.

For the record, I have no interest in "setting up shop" anywhere. A sailor staying in one location makes as much sense as a backpacker staying in one camp. Of course the locals are going to be upset if a sailor literally "sets up shop" and competes with them.

It isn't always possible to find the help that one needs in any single location. For example, a sailor may need some solar help and not be able to find any local help with our 110/120 volt 60Hz electrical apparatus. Something important may be broken with a hurricane approaching and no way to move. It would be foolhardy to think that the locals can always fix anything. With sailing, there may be no locals for 1000 miles.

It takes a certain amount of mental gymnastics to even visualize a few of the accusations: Sail to a third world country and compete with third world labor rates.....from a sailboat?

On the other hand, sometimes the most necessary help is the help that arrives on its own accord. Cars and boats sometimes break down in very adverse conditions.

I got completely lost on the California Delta three days ago. Found some locals and asked for directions to Franks Tract. They did not speak English. Good thing that I was able to exercise more options.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by softdown

Heh, with no new resistance to the idea of working on boat bottoms, the concept has suddenly lost some allure. Maybe it is words "boat bottoms"? Always looked like great exercise to me. Easy to work the legs, upper body is another story.

Why is "Divers" a pun?

The smart--alecky answer is because I couldn't resist! I believe it is also British spelling for "diverse". Sorry for subjecting you to that.

Ann

[AKA-None]

I got it Ann, that was pretty funny.