Questions about working while cruising Bahamas

[Gerrit Coetzee]

Originally Posted by SV WELDER

Doesnt Usps Operate in Puerto Rico? US Virgin Islands? Key west?

Yes, UPS and USPS operate here in Puerto Rico. So does FedEx to.

Many many working opportunities in Puerto Rico. Every service is in demand. Quote reasonable and you will have more work than you can handle.

[redneckrob]

"Illegals" coming into a country seem to be arousing strong feelings in another active thread here (https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...on-251647.html) but somehow we've decided not to label the OP or the other posters who have admitted to such behavior in this thread as "illegals". I guess because they're coming from a first world country to take jobs in a less developed country and that's just against the rules, not something that would brand them as "illegals"? Maybe because they're not desperate for basic necessities but simply don't like working at a yard in the U.S., so it's much better? I'm going to go ahead and start calling you all "illegals", but as a great man on the other thread once said, "I would be obliged if you would not try to label me anti-immigrant, I am not, I am however against people who do not follow official procedures for entering a country"

To add more color to the subject at hand, the Bahamas has nicely provided a legal pathway to permanent residency which includes the right to work in the Bahamas. I am currently in the process, which has required me to go to some lengths and pay $10,000 for the privilige, in addition to buying a home there. So I too would ask why anyone on this thread feels entitled to ignore my adopted country's rules simply for their own selfish convenience, and if they can honestly say they feel there should be full reciprocity in this behavior from any of the folks in poorer countries who are "just looking to make a buck" in the U.S.?

[SV WELDER]

Guys, the whole reason I posted this question was because I had a feeling that this would be illegal and/or unethical but I wasn’t sure. I have friends who have done work in Bahamas who were flown in because nobody there could do the work. What I would be offering was what I’d assumed was similar class of work, just not available, therefore not stepping on toes and in fact maybe even adding to local economy in terms of services offered in any given port. Just a discussion. Some seem to get a little bunched up over this. And as an American born in America I’m not one of the people who is offended by “illegals” entering the country to try and eat and survive. Isn’t that all my ancestors were doing also? So that argument doesn’t wash with me. I believe people should be allowed in and allowed to earn a living. I won’t be doing anything that takes food off someone’s plate rest assured. Just trying keep myself busy. I’ll find other ways to help other people.

[JoeRobertJr]

Originally Posted by SV WELDER

Guys, the whole reason I posted this question was because I had a feeling that this would be illegal and/or unethical but I wasn’t sure. I have friends who have done work in Bahamas who were flown in because nobody there could do the work. What I would be offering was what I’d assumed was similar class of work, just not available, therefore not stepping on toes and in fact maybe even adding to local economy in terms of services offered in any given port. Just a discussion. Some seem to get a little bunched up over this. And as an American born in America I’m not one of the people who is offended by “illegals” entering the country to try and eat and survive. Isn’t that all my ancestors were doing also? So that argument doesn’t wash with me. I believe people should be allowed in and allowed to earn a living. I won’t be doing anything that takes food off someone’s plate rest assured. Just trying keep myself busy. I’ll find other ways to help other people.

Well said!

[mvweebles]

I've bumped into all manner of cruisers with a skill (including welding but also fiberglass, canvas, etc) who were able to quietly monetize. A lot depends on where you are. Some marinas are highly structured and regulate/control work closely. Other marinas are much more casual about DIY work. I met an American on a motoryacht in Isla Mujeres MX who mad decent beer money welding for fellow cruisers. If he were to do the same thing in Puerto Aventuras 40 miles away, he'd be shut down or have to pay a decent fee to the marina management. Like so much about travel, you have to use discretion and be a bit wise

Cruising for a month or two in a location with goal of picking up some spending money vs earning a living is workable.

But technically, it's illegal.

Peter

[onestepcsy37]

and sometimes you just happen to be in the right place at the right time with the right skills.
we stopped at yacht haven in nassau for a week, not because i like hanging out in marinas but because the admiral needed a break. we docked next to a 40 something couple on a hunter 40. we got friendly and talked over a few beers.

they retired early when their kids moved on, sold the house and bought the boat having never actually sailed anything anywhere before that. but he was pretty sharp and more than eager to learn - bought 'sailing for dummies' and a handheld gps and some charts and eventually made it to nassau from their former home in central florida.

there they discovered that you could pay sixty bucks a day for a slip - like we did - or buy a monthy ticket for five hundred bucks. they mostly lived at the dock but did the occasional local sail for a few days just to say they did but at five hundred a month it was cheaper thanr renting an apartment in melbourne florida. they also got to know a lot of the locals.

one of them discovered that he was a retired finish carpenter. like doors and windows. just across the harbor, on hog island - whoops, that's paradise island now - they were building condos. the local help was less than good, much less. they could not hire him as a carpenter, too many local 'carpenters' out of work. but they could hire him as a 'carpentry instructor'. they arranged to get the necessary work permits for him. every day he would walk across the bridge to the building site and proceed to 'instruct' the locals on how to hang doors and windows. by hanging them himself as they watched. then he would spend the rest of the day fixing the jobs that his students had attempted. he had been doing this for a few months when we met up with him and getting $150 a day in cash for his work as an 'instructor'. and this with the blessings of both the builder and the government.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by SV WELDER

Doesnt Usps Operate in Puerto Rico? US Virgin Islands? Key west?

USPS operates in those locations just like the rest of the US. May be slightly slower to USVI or PR. Setting up a business in USVI or PR may be similar to the mainland or maybe not.

If you want to make money working on boats it needs to be off the beaten path in order not to run afoul of the locals, official or otherwise.
Chunks of the Pacific are off the beaten path. The Caribbean is not.

What kind of boat are you looking for and what are you budgets to buy, outfit & cruise?

[KateMid]

Has anybody of you considered about working online. I don't talk about YouTube neither. But maybe some writing tasks for additional income? A friend of mine is writing essays for https://writingunivеrse.com/essay-types/persuasive-essays/. She's a former teacher, so it's easy for her. I'm thinking about copywriting or sth similar. Any experience?

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by KateMid

Has anybody of you considered about working online. I don't talk about YouTube neither. But maybe some writing tasks for additional income? A friend of mine is writing essays for https://writingunivеrse.com/essay-types/persuasive-essays/. She's a former teacher, so it's easy for her. I'm thinking about copywriting or sth similar. Any experience?

No direct experience, but from others I've heard that the writing gigs available online pay a pittance for the time required, until you have enough reputation and repeat customers that you can command a decent rate (that the listing agency will take 25% of). Also, the stuff you end up writing about is pretty soul-destroying. I don't think I'd want to have to bang out 1000 words of BS for $15 while my friends are snorkelling in the sunshine.

I looked into something similar (programming gigs) and the stuff online paid terribly, compared to my usual rate.

But good remote online work is possible. My friend, an architect, has remotely employed a draftsman for several years, who lives on his boat in French Polynesia.

If you would like to make reliable online income while out cruising, the best advice is to get into it now and "climb the ladder" while you're still ashore. So when you do get out cruising, you'll already have an idea of how much you'll be able to earn, and some steady customers.

[flightlead404]

I am starting a translation service for text books, technical documentation, and potentially UIs. Those services can be fully remote and pay by the word. Pay is pretty good for at least some languages.

My fiancee is a native Mandarin and Hokken speaker/literate as well as fluent in English. So we'll start there.

We will be hiring (as sub-contractors) NATIVE speakers of other languages with technical backgrounds.

Hopefully it will make a little money. If not, it'll still be a fun experience, I always enjoy starting a new biz.

[ChrisJHC]

A friend of mine is an audio engineer who claims he’ll be able to do his work remotely while cruising.
The plan is to download files while online, edit* them while offline then upload them when back online.

He is already well established in that field and has a good list of current clients.

Hope he makes it work!



* - or whatever he does to them.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

I am starting a translation service for text books, technical documentation, and potentially UIs. Those services can be fully remote and pay by the word. Pay is pretty good for at least some languages.



My fiancee is a native Mandarin and Hokken speaker/literate as well as fluent in English. So we'll start there.



We will be hiring (as sub-contractors) NATIVE speakers of other languages with technical backgrounds.



Hopefully it will make a little money. If not, it'll still be a fun experience, I always enjoy starting a new biz.

Last month, I had a 4 page legal document translated from English to Spanish. I have used Fiverr.com and Freelancer.com in the past, though this one was Fiverr.

I ended up paying $20 for the translation, and I paid extra for someone from Canada with equivalent of masters degree in Spanish. I could have paid $10 for someone from India but wanted someone with at least English or Spanish as native language. Translation was very

Translation worked out well
Best I can tell,, work isn't difficult for someone with requisite skills, but a time consuming way to earn $20.

Peter

[KateMid]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

I am starting a translation service for text books, technical documentation, and potentially UIs. Those services can be fully remote and pay by the word. Pay is pretty good for at least some languages.

My fiancee is a native Mandarin and Hokken speaker/literate as well as fluent in English. So we'll start there.

We will be hiring (as sub-contractors) NATIVE speakers of other languages with technical backgrounds.

Hopefully it will make a little money. If not, it'll still be a fun experience, I always enjoy starting a new biz.

And what languages are you planning to involve in future?

[KateMid]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Last month, I had a 4 page legal document translated from English to Spanish. I have used Fiverr.com and Freelancer.com in the past, though this one was Fiverr.

I ended up paying $20 for the translation, and I paid extra for someone from Canada with equivalent of masters degree in Spanish. I could have paid $10 for someone from India but wanted someone with at least English or Spanish as native language. Translation was very

Translation worked out well
Best I can tell,, work isn't difficult for someone with requisite skills, but a time consuming way to earn $20.

Peter

I need to agree that it's very time comsuming. I'm on Freelancer for about 4 month now, but didn't get any work yet.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

I am starting a translation service for text books, technical documentation, and potentially UIs. Those services can be fully remote and pay by the word. Pay is pretty good for at least some languages.

My fiancee is a native Mandarin and Hokken speaker/literate as well as fluent in English. So we'll start there.

We will be hiring (as sub-contractors) NATIVE speakers of other languages with technical backgrounds.

Hopefully it will make a little money. If not, it'll still be a fun experience, I always enjoy starting a new biz.

If you are truly fluent and have related technical background, it can be a good option...especially if you have a relationship in the industry.

Technical documents are where I can see value but you need to have at least a modest understanding of what you are writing about.

Example: I was reviewing a report about traffic volumes that was in dual languages and writer was using the term for the volume of sound. They didn't understand the difference. It was only because I was working with a native speaker who was also technical that we caught it.