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(no email)
Date: Wed Oct 03 2007 - 22:50:22 EDT
Congratulations on taking some big steps to make it (cruising) happen!
Earlier posts included some excellent advice that bears reiteration. As
another
cruiser and former key contributor to this group frequently said, Go
Simple, Go
Small, Go Now. It´s not far wrong, IMHO; that if you can´t fix it
you don´t
want it on your boat. The same guy also pointed out that you buy boats by the
pound, not by the foot.
What sort of boat to get and how to go about finding it is a separate
or thread;
check this list´s archives.
Good idea to build your sailing and chops on the ICW and with some
coastal work.
As far as earning while you go, it´s not all that easy, at least in Latin
America. The point about making a living off the cruising community is right
on. That said, if you are a diesel or refrigeration tech, you´ll have work
wherever you go. Remember that until you do whichever form of the visa
tango is
appropriate for the country you´re in, you´ll be working under the table and
in competition with the locals, who take a dim view of losing work to
outsiders. In some countries, Mexico and Ecuador coming to mind immediately,
it´s not hard to get a visa that allows you to work legally, it just takes a
fair amount of money and a lot of patience. Barter is a great way to go.
If you can credibly teach English, you´ll likewise be able to find
legal work.
It won´t pay much by US standards, but it should pretty much cover the basic
cost of living in whatever community you´re teaching in.
Fuel and boat parts seem to be ridiculously expensive everywhere. But
by tuning
in to local markets and foods, learning the local "correct" prices, and
staying
out of expensive marinas, bars, and restaurants, you can stretch
dollars pretty
darn far and still be very comfortable and enjoy much richness of cuisine
(including, of course, the locally produced beers and liquors, if you
go in for
such things).
Just my $.02. Cheers,
Phil
s/v Cynosure
lying Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador
Quoting joe_mapango <>:
..Like many others, I have/had
> dreamed of sailing off and experiencing the cruising life.
>
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