Make Money While Cruising - List

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by pierrrre

Sell pizza.

What? you don't believe me...

Abandoned sailboat transformed into floating pizzeria - Images

If you read that you will find that they are not cruising. The boat works as a pizza factory and they are not allowed to live/sleep on it.

So they live somewhere else and work the pizza boat.

Hardly cruising.

[YoloSF]

Originally Posted by Therapy

If you read that you will find that they are not cruising. The boat works as a pizza factory and they are not allowed to live/sleep on it.

So they live somewhere else and work the pizza boat.

Hardly cruising.

Don't take life so literally! Jeez! Woosahhhhh!

[hellosailor]

"and they are not allowed to live/sleep on it. "
Ah, but once you are CRUISING and outside the 12-mile limit, you CAN sleep on it. Sail with the ARC Rally and sell pizza every day until you arrive in port again.(G)


Then you just have to move into a dingy, lifeboat, or other separate living area.


And of course, stay away from most of the continental US, where certain other business interests may break your legs if you try to sell pizza without permission.

[Freddy_Vagner]

Maybe the global economy is improving, but in my considered opinion we are heading for the rocks...
Whatever, regarding how to make some extra cash while afloat how about making items that will be of use to other cruisers out of paracord? (Lanyards, floating key chains and hammocks, etc.).

[hellosailor]

(Lanyards, floating key chains and hammocks, etc.).
Arrgh! Make 'em from free floating plastic trash, so you can sell 'em as "recycled" and "environmentally made" as well. That way that trip across the Pacific, stopping to gather materials in the Garbage Patch, is fully tax deductible as a cost of getting your supplies!

[Claude_Marie]

Originally Posted by ArtM

Hi, I think we might be missing out on your use of the word "bonds". Are you talking about selling a bond, or buying a bond?

In any case, to address some of your ideas:
- Research; if you're a qualified researcher you might be able to get some grant money to do something from your boat - I like the idea, but my very small experience with the scientific world tells me that's very difficult to do even if you are associated with a research facility, such as a University.
- Charity; I like this idea for those who can raise money for charities. The concept is a good one if you have the savvy to do it.
- Boat based business (filming, chartering, etc) these may be good ways to supplement your income if you have the contacts and/or credentials.

All have the potential issues typically related with working outside your own country - you need permits, visa's, etc.

If it were legal for any of us to work anywhere in the world, this would not even be a topic. Any of us could go anywhere, find a paying job that suits our skills, and earn enough income to "stay afloat".

The problem is that for most of us, it is illegal to do any kind of work - though the charitable foundation is an interesting twist.... that might get you access to a lot of markets, including Cuba.

Hi all,

This Is my first post, I could not resist jumping in.
I have read a good deal of this 78 pages Topic.
Some of you got me bursting out of laughing :-) Great (Anglo-saxon) sense of humour.
I cannot come up with a personal first hand experience as I do not have any.
Still may I suggest two (checkable) successful onboard living famillies : 1) Yacht " Vagabond", skipper Eric Brosier + partner + 1 little girl (nationality French).
They sailed accross the North West Passage (if I got it right ?).
They have been wintering with their yacht "iceproof" several years in Alaska.
Business model : Scientifical studies, data collection about sea temperature, salinity, ice thickness, air temperature at various altitudes (use of hydrogene balloons).
As far I understand, Eric is not strictly speaking a scientist, although he is a graduated engineer.
He operates measuring and recording equipement which lent to him by universities, scientific bodies.
As seen on a documentary filmed by a professional crew, it is an every day work, keeping him busy a couple of hours a day.
(Perhaps, he made a little money out of the documentary, hosting film crew...etc.).
A good six months per year (possibly more, I dunno ?) Vagabond is stuck in the ice pack 1,5 mile away from an Alaskan village.
For a couple of weeks, until the ice is thick enough they can't leave their yacht, they wait for the locals to pay them a visit with their snowmobiles, then they know that the ice is strong enough.
His partner gave birth to a second little girl possibly in Alaska.
Does that maker her an American ?
There is no way that this familly could stay illegally beyond the 90 days visa, IMHO immigration rules apply in Alaska just like in any other US state.
The older girl attend the local school (at the expense of US tax payers or at a cost ? I dunno).
Mum is doing nothing for a living (graduated from university in fine art), but appart from being a full time housewife is a teacher for her two girls, a kinder garden for little one who was 2ish when documentary was filmed.
For transportation in winter, the familly relies on a sled, a pulka (you name it) pulled by 4 Alaskan huskies, on regular basis Polar bears check the dogs as a potential dinner (or lunch ? Go figure, they live in absolute darkness 2 months per year), so you need to have a (long) gun to shoot deterrant/warning shots and keep safe when checking instruments outside.
Agreed, it is a very motionless sailboat, still, Alaska is definetely not the best place to live on thin air.
Everything from diesel to keep your Refleks stove going to fruits and veggies comes with a huge price tag, as much as $ 2.5 for an apple (x1 !!).
I cannot figure out that this guy did not have a business plan PRIOR to moving to Alaska in order to meet US immigration requirements, having legally a fire arm, disposing of garbage (Do they pay local tax ?), paying income tax (where, in the US or in France ?), bank accounts ? Where ? in which currency € or $ ?
I could come up with a endless list of questions ( Please, note that I am NOT looking for answers about these questions), still checking Vagabond blog and from the documentary, this familly (with their new born baby) seems to enjoy an extremely happy life in this place with one of the harshest climate one can thing of.
IMHO, "just" ;-) a question of planning ahead.

There is also this Swiss familly, check their blog " From top to top", who departed from Switzerland with one daughter, by now 3 kids, none of them born in the same country !
They have been travelling for several years, last time I checked their blog they were in Australia.
They are sponsored by a Swiss compagny named SBS ( NOT a bank) and by Victorinox, THE famous folding knife, they are surging on this Greenie, Treehugging trend.
By the look of it, it is a different business model, works more like a charity, one can donate to support their trip.
I haven't yet checked 100% of their extensive blog, their approach is different from Vagabond, still, it works.
In both cases, my understanding is that being able to show proof that one can support himself and familly without competing with the locals, in a way which prevents also the locals to compete with you, makes ones life easier with immigration officers.
My two (€) cents.
C.
Sorry, for typpo and broken English.

[onestepcsy37]

Interesting, but not everyone's cup of tea. Being immobile in an ice pack for half your life doesn't qualify as cruising to me, but that's just my opinion...

[hellosailor]

Clause-
You need to check your facts. On Eric's web site, which is easily found, he says "2011-2015: sailing and wintering for scientific projects in Greenland and Nunavut (Canada)" so no, they haven't been magically staying in US waters, they've been transiting in and out.
I expect there are many similarly simple explanations for the other things you take issue with.


You should also note that Alaska is not at all like what we call the "continental" US. Alaskan pilots are required, not allowed but required, to carry firearms as part of their mandatory survival equipment, because a forced landing in the Alaskan "bush" usually means something wants to meet you for dinner. And that caused quite a conflict with neighboring Canadian authorities some years ago, when Canada was trying to ban guns and forced to deal with foreigners coming in who were required to carry them.


Many things are "special" when you live someplace where the local wildlife tries to eat you, and the local weather routinely supports the wildlife more than the humans.


In some ways (the wildlife) well more hostile than living in the worst of the Alps.

[Claude_Marie]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Clause-
You need to check your facts. On Eric's web site, which is easily found, he says "2011-2015: sailing and wintering for scientific projects in Greenland and Nunavut (Canada)" so no, they haven't been magically staying in US waters, they've been transiting in and out.
I expect there are many similarly simple explanations for the other things you take issue with.


You should also note that Alaska is not at all like what we call the "continental" US. Alaskan pilots are required, not allowed but required, to carry firearms as part of their mandatory survival equipment, because a forced landing in the Alaskan "bush" usually means something wants to meet you for dinner. And that caused quite a conflict with neighboring Canadian authorities some years ago, when Canada was trying to ban guns and forced to deal with foreigners coming in who were required to carry them.


Many things are "special" when you live someplace where the local wildlife tries to eat you, and the local weather routinely supports the wildlife more than the humans.


In some ways (the wildlife) well more hostile than living in the worst of the Alps.

I stand corrected, thanks.
;-)
I am ashamed to say that I have spent more time watching this beautiful documentary, than actually checking Eric blog.
From what I saw, but perhaps, I got it wrong Eric older daughter was attending school in this remote Inuit village, she was even learning the language, and was charmingly speaking.
I definetely do not want to get into an argument straight upon arrival here.
;-)
I am not prejudiced against fire arms at all, your point makes absolutely sense.
Still, I do not understand how once Vagabond is stuck in the ice pack in US waters how she could depart from said US waters ??
As for sailing in Greenland and Canadian waters we are talking of 3 months, possibly a bit more if you sail south of ice free waters.
What about the 9 to 8 other months ?

[hellosailor]

From Alaska through Canada and then Greenland, that's a lot of territory. I would suggest that you can study the pack ice and the northwest passage and the various issues of ice vs water for that huge area and find your own answer as to how Eric's boat could move. It is not the mysterious frozen north of 100 years ago.

When something appears to violate all the "rules of nature" it usually means a powerful magician is involved. Or, you simply haven't grasped what the rules really are.

Could go either way.

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

From Alaska through Canada and then Greenland, that's a lot of territory. I would suggest that you can study the pack ice and the northwest passage and the various issues of ice vs water for that huge area and find your own answer as to how Eric's boat could move. It is not the mysterious frozen north of 100 years ago.

When something appears to violate all the "rules of nature" it usually means a powerful magician is involved. Or, you simply haven't grasped what the rules really are.

Could go either way.

Let's try to be nice to the newbie. I think that she has excellent questions and I'm grateful that she introduced me to this documentary. I must find it.

[Randyonr3]

if you are setting in one spot working while living on your boat, are you actually cruising.. Many people including myself have taken off for periods of time to build the kitty so we can travel again, but to take a position where you are locked into one area while you work, not sure if that would be concidered cruising..
And if thats the case, you are not making money while cruising.. you're living on your boat and working..........

[Claude_Marie]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

Let's try to be nice to the newbie. I think that she has excellent questions and I'm grateful that she introduced me to this documentary. I must find it.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bkFZRHLqVDY

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by Claude_Marie

Hi all,

This Is my first post, I could not resist jumping in.
I have read a good deal of this 78 pages Topic.
Some of you got me bursting out of laughing :-) Great (Anglo-saxon) sense of humour.
I cannot come up with a personal first hand experience as I do not have any.
Still may I suggest two (checkable) successful onboard living famillies : 1) Yacht " Vagabond", skipper Eric Brosier + partner + 1 little girl (nationality French).

Welcome. Although interesting, the lifestyles of the two families you referenced are far away from anything I would ever want to wake up to each morning. Especially in the frozen arctic.

For me, you either already have the capital (i.e., the means $$$) to go cruising, or you already have an established business that you can transition onto a live aboard situation. To first have the dream of sailing, then later trying to figure out how to support yourself, is the wrong way to approach it, unless you are a gypsy at heart, with a moth-eaten t-shirt that reads "I can do without!".

There are numerous videos on-line of gypsies sailing. Mostly with broken boats, no money, and trying to find jobs scraping hulls in St. Martin in order to buy their hungry baby some food. No thanks!

[Claude_Marie]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

if you are setting in one spot working while living on your boat, are you actually cruising.. Many people including myself have taken off for periods of time to build the kitty so we can travel again, but to take a position where you are locked into one area while you work, not sure if that would be concidered cruising..
And if thats the case, you are not making money while cruising.. you're living on your boat and working..........

Correct, you are living on a boat and working legally.
Depending upon your life style, you have to work six months per year or more....or just 3 months.
I have cared to read and had fun by doing so most of these 78 pages of this topic safe from posts about trading, commodities etc...
Everything useful has been said, in a much better than I could.
Working (possibly less if you are an expat "outsourced" by a compagny) raises legal issues...work permit, taxes, VAT, Insurrance...etc.
Just not worth it for a couple of weeks, let aside for a day job.

Either way, you will be working illegally...at your own risks.