 Check out the bookstore at IRBS.com |
|
|
|
|||||
|
||||||
From: Rit (no email)
Date: Wed Oct 03 2007 - 15:05:40 EDT
Joe,
Congrats on the move to independence.
As for working underway…..I think it depends on how broad your skill
level/base is.
Making a living while cruising involves being in the right place at the
right time, having the skills needed and the ability to capitalize on them,
there and then.
IMHO it’s a difficult row if you think you can make a living OFF the
cruising community. That idea won’t fly. All cruisers are looking for a
bargain. If you’re a refrigeration technician or diesel mechanic or sail
maker you’ve got an in. For others out there, bartering is the only way
cruisers can afford some services.
I’ve found bartering for services (I’m a retired commercial diver) has been
the best way to sustain and augment my cruising budget and I remain a barter
supporter. I love to bartering and I think it’s the wave of the future.
For example…while crossing the Bahamas bank we encountered some fishermen
who had done very well that day. They wanted to sell their catch and an
acceptable payment was a bottle of wine. The barter worked out for all
concerned.
If you remain in the USA “domain”, then working ashore, as you cruise, is a
viable option. However, once you leave the confines of the USA economy
making money becomes a more difficult challenge. Many countries will not
allow you to work and if you do and get caught, it can be an expensive
lesson.
The key, again, IMHO is to go as small as possible, live a frugal life and
properly prepare you boat while you still have a valid income. Always save
some portion of your cruising budget for emergencies and that all important
flight home.
I wish you well. The years you’ll spend cruising will be some of the most
frustrating but REWARDING years of your life.
All the best,
Rit
-----Original Message-----
From:
[mailto:]On Behalf Of joe_mapango
Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 11:46 AM
To:
Subject: [world-cruising] New "world Cruiser" and some questions
Hello All. I am primarily a "lerker" on this list, until now. I had
not been commenting due to the fact that I normally sail boats less
than 25 feet on a large inland lake. Like many others, I have/had
dreamed of sailing off and experiencing the cruising life.
After a few years of my wife hearing me lamenting about cruising we
were recently discussing selling our house in the country and (I
thought) moving into town. She asked me "are we selling to move to
town, or to buy a boat and go cruising". Up until that point, I had
no idea that cruising was even an option for our family (I was stunned
to say the least!).
So here I am today, planning to put my house on the market in the
spring. Planning on leaving my business and town the following year
and taking my entire family with me. We are not independently
wealthy, but my wife has a "di-gree!" and I have a very sell-able
skill (computer "systems" engineer). We are currently planning on
taking the money we get from our house and splitting it three ways. A
third for the boat (and outfitting it), a third for cruising, a third
as a failsafe if we decide cruising is not our thing. We wanted a
"fund" to start over with if we decided cruising was a failure.
We would like to start on the ICW/eastern shore. As someone who has
very little time on a larger vessel, I was thinking that the ICW would
be good training grounds. Once our skills improve, head down the the
Caribbean. If we still enjoy the process head down to South America,
and possibly beyond.
My wife and I are in our mid 40's. We have two children, 7 and 9. I
grew up overseas (Africa) and traveled extensively as a child (with my
parents of course!). I feel like the contact with other cultures
will be critical to our kids up-bringing, after all, it did not damage
me too much ;0).
My biggest issues of concern are financial (who would guess!). I
think we will have enough to cruise for 1.5 to 2.5 years at a minimum.
I have ready probably all of the Parde's books. They seem to feel
that one can find work along the way. I'm wondering if others on this
group feel that "working as you cruise" is actually a viable way to
go. I'm wondering how other non wealthy cruisers do it, and if
stopping every now and then to work is actually a viable way to go.
What do you in the group think? Does one have to me rich to cruise?
Are the Parde's correct in that you can work and cruise?
Comments, encouragement, or outright flaming all OK.
Chris Curtis
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.14.0/1046 - Release Date: 10/3/2007
10:08 AM
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
|