cost of cruising

[ongolo]

Cost of cruising has been discussed repeatedly. I had a visitor who is currently assembling a 48'Wharram. We discussed prices.

He has a friend who sailed off with wife and three kids and USD1000,- (one K only) four years ago, and is still going strong.

I can find out in a while where the boat is and how they make a living while cruising.

regards ongolo


<hr width=100% size=1>So what......... it floats

 

[Talbot]

He must have some good marketable skills (welding, GRP repairs, IT etc)

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[snowleopard]

interesting idea - how do you go about selling IT skills while cruising? - i'd love to be able to do it as i could then finance my trips without worrying about letting the house etc!

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[AndrewB]

IT? There seem to be armies of people out there struggling to communicate, has to be an honest buck in it somewhere.

Otherwise, the only people I've met admitting to making a reasonable living while cruising around have been (i) a dentist, (ii) dive instructors. Earning money from other cruisers. Other enterprises are just pin money, or if shore-side risk upsetting locals. Oh for the days of the Hiscocks and the Smeetons, who only had to turn out a pot-boiler about each cruise in order to fund the next.

I guess we've all met water-gypsies, generally solo men, who seem to get by on casual odd-jobbing here and there. If you keep your boat really, really simple - crucially no engine or electrics - I guess its still possible to get by on little more than thin air. Though it must be more difficult with rapidly rising costs as so many desirable places cash in on the blue-water boom. Having seen people leading this life-style, it's not what I'd fancy personally, though a bit of pin money (putting swmbo out busking) always comes in handy.

 

[ongolo]

I dont know about IT skills, but I have a buddy who ishired regularly for his autocad and design skills.

It was mentioned, that the guy has a generator/welder on his deck and would not go sailing without it.

Dont know, have good welding skills, would anybody need these skills. Except me fr my own boat? I think teaching english is easier.

If I see the number of small ISP's springin up, I think even as an IT specialist you could make it.

Depends where you are, not questioning your skills, but in the land of the blind... the one eyed is king.

In my case, I would not need, would not even anybody allow to work on my boat. So all maintenance gets done by me, including prop balancing. That will never be a cost item, but spares obviously are needed, and cordage and sails and a few other things such as oil and diesel.

My time here in this forum is also probably coming to an end soon.

regards ongolo


Where is a will there is a way.

<hr width=100% size=1>So what......... it floats

 

[snowleopard]

a point well made...

<I would not need, would not even anybody allow to work on my boat. So all maintenance gets done by me>

all too many people think that having a few DIY skills means they will be able to make a living doing work for other yachties. not so, even if the locals didn't get you booted out for encroaching on their monopoly.

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[cliffb]

Why are you off soon? Where you going to? From all the posts I've read from you it sounds like you have a good thing going.

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[ongolo]

Not sure, doing what I want, when I want. Cant say yet. Maybe going to angola for a while, maybe down south. Whatever, I will not be able to access the net regularly I think.

But I am having a problem with a crane for launching, must keep all weight out of the boat, even diesel and anchor chain. So for some time I am totally helpless.

It was nice to listen to the english humor. Maybe I am going to post occasionally.

My boat is unique in design and features (not at all luxurious but practical) and when (if ever) there is time, I shall write a few articles.

As I have designed and built my own boat and had to make almost anything, from belay pin to hydrophone and gas sensor, except the radar and other instruments, readers might find useful tips.

Also, what has been in my mind for some time, I would like to spend a few months in the baltics, but I dont feel like sailing there, maybe someone from there would sail with us in the Indian Ocean. So I have been wondering, whether one could not set up an "exchange program" between like minded people.

regards ongolo


<hr width=100% size=1>So what......... it floats

 

[ongolo]

Re: a point well made...

I am not heading for that at all, I have enough work on my gaff schooner.

But here are a few facts:

Utz Mueller-Treu on SY FRAUKE, gaff rigged whaling boat converted to sail,when I saw him last in about 91 had done 4 circumnavigations in 27 years. Initially he left Bremerhaven with virtually no money, made a living initially by splicing and doing makrami. The because of his excellent reputation did one or two delivery per year more or less for USD20000,- for half around the globe including air tickets to and fro. Such people do not write in fora or write books he could not be bothered.
I saw large wads sorted in different currencies when I organized him a tour in Namibia.

Shane Aktins story I am sure you know, left with GBP170,- no navigation skills at all, came back 8 years later after having a good time. He certainly did not live on GBP170 for 8 years.

Nick and Jill Shinas (contributed some article on PBO) lived for 22 years on their boat and I believe all three their children were born on the boat. Jill did some writing, she is busy with a book and Nick made a living with his hands in boatyards or whatever. I think DYI skills sounds a bit cheap in Nicks case, like me referring to my partner as "girlfriend". He was much more skilled than amatuer status.

The Family I mentioned initially makes a living somehow, they could not have lived for on USD1000,- for four years.

A couple he Aussi, she Skandinavian (swedish??) made a living, she as physitherapist and he as a building site foreman. Last they worked in Singhapore. When I expressed my surprise that he could actually get a job against asians he laughed and said, no, the clever ones all work in offices, banks and insurance, and computers. Nobody wants to work on constuction sites. He made about USD5000,- month of which marina cost were USD1300,- and living USD500,- per month. Interestingly, the Municipal Police collects the rent for the Marina. Dont know what she earned. They worked for a year or less there and recon they can live for two to three years well on the saving. I bought their bycicles for my Chief Engineer, who had tem both stolen. The went to europe and would not need them there.

Then you could read:"SAILING THE FARM" and see how a vegetarian (does not eat fish even) makes basically a free living on his sloop 38 or 40ft??

In my case, I know places where the meat is for free if you like to slaughter and have the skill to do it. Fish Kablejou (maby known to you as cob) up to 50kg (I could scan and post a picture of that), can be caught. That fish of 50kg cannot be eaten any longer, but there are plenty of small ones, two thre kg which you catcha sfast as you can do it. A river where Crocodiles abound, a crocs tail is a beautiful muscle, white meat, in taste between chicken and fish, Oryx drinking from the river, there is nothing like an Oryx fillet or an Oryx ghulash, a puff adder and more so a gabbon adder have incredible meat, and if I served you one grilled (obviously I would not tell you what it is) you woud lick your fingers after wards.

As a bonus (I amnot interested) there are diamonds in the ground, on the beach and in the sea. There is a handfull people there growing veggies for their onw consumption, you bring them fish, they give you veggies. Or you have tools and machinery, you might help them repairing/servicing a truck or caterpillar they use for prospecting a few km away.

It just depends how many practical skills you have for making a direct living, not a roundabout way of making money and then buying your survival with it. I will even post the co-ordinates where that is. Because I know virtually nobody here will dare for having lost these required skills, it will never be overrun. Hope I am right on this one. I am glad to have the boat I have, but for that part I wish I had a Cat. The sea is not save, it is called the skeleton coast for a good reason. But then they did not have eninges in those days. I post now and look up the coordinates and try and post a map reference of the Cunene mouth which is the border between Namibia and Angola. Have a look at the best map (not chart) of the area you find, and you will see that the nearest telephone is about 300km away the east. I know (no insult intented) that you people cannot imagine something like that. I cannot imagine Living in London either, not for a week would I survice, I am f..d up for a civilized living as you would put it. But I am free and that is what counts.

regards ongolo

next post coming in 15 min or so.


<hr width=100% size=1>So what......... it floats

 

[ongolo]

Re: a point well made...

Yes have a look at 11,45' E and 17,15'S and you are there. Or follow this link
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/featu...ylesList=Comprehensive&ZoomOnMapClickCheck=on

I do not want to offend anyone, but I read here on PBO or buttle scutt that they disxcussed the heated or not heated seat of their volvo and shook my head in wonder. I have met such people in the bush, some of them got more miserable every day, when they were near collapse after four days, it turned out they never slept a minute they were so scared at night.

Oh I forgot abalones (dont eat them or snails) the size of dinner plates are normal and caryfish/lobsters are about 400mm. To be taken with dinghy (no aircondition unheated seats) away from the crocs, some going into saltwater here too. One on standby with rifle against sharks and crocs. It is not a problem, one is just careful and has a loaded rifle at hand.

To go back to the other post, if I would offer my skills (I have a samll lathe/mill/drill on board) in a fishing village on souther tip of Argentina for instance, I would not expect money for that. I would be paid back a 100 times with friendship and in other ways, that is also part of life that is lost. Giving (and accepting things for free)

now enough motor mouth, or is it motor fingers this time.

Just thought I share another part of the world with you.

regards Ongolo (language = Oshivambo meaning Zebra)

Regards Ongolo





<hr width=100% size=1>So what......... it floats