Supplementing income by working

[lumphammer]

How realistic is it to think that I could find much work to help with living expenses if we head off as planned to the Med.

I'm a qualified electrician (domestic not marine). My partner is excellent with the sewing machine.

Any info gratefully received

 

[ccscott49]

To be honest you dont have to much hope of even a reasonable amount of work, but could always try, in the meddy you are in a very cheap market and construction is at a standstill, everywhere. Your missus, if she can sew canvas, may have abetter chance, making covers awnings etc. But again dont hold you breath, sorry I cannot be more optimistic.

 

[chinita]

If I was a qualified electrician I would transfer my skills to 12/24v. Buy a van, fit it out with sensible spares and be prepared to travel.

In my experience one of the common scenarios would be a Brit family coming out to spend a week or two on their yacht or MoBo, then finding that their GPS, radio, fridge or whatever is u/s.

Good, native reliable and affordable sparkies are like hens teeth and someone such as yourself would be snapped up.

As an example, about seven years ago, my fridge packed in whilst in Cartagena. It took a week to find a local Spanish electrician, he turned up a week late, took six weeks to get the gear delivered from Germany. It was the wrong size evaporator and he had to re-order - another three weeks. He finally fitted it and charged me €1,000.

Not, perhaps, regular work but worth a shot.

The big problem with work for your wife is sourcing the material. Unless you carry a stock of all natures, weights, colours of canvas you will have difficulty locating suppliers - especially at wholesale prices.

Good luck to you anyway.

 

[curlysue]

We met a few liveaboards in Gibraltar Marina Bay that worked in the construction industry on the Rock. Apparently there is loads of work there. A sparky should have no problem getting work there.

 

[ccscott49]

We met a few liveaboards in Gibraltar Marina Bay that worked in the construction industry on the Rock. Apparently there is loads of work there. A sparky should have no problem getting work there.

There WAS a lot of work on the rock, unfortunately that is no longer true, quite a few of the guys working on projects in Barcelkona, that I knew, were all laid off due to downturn and went to Gib, only to be laid off six months down the line. I dont want to sound negative, but I am afraid that is the way things are at the moment, superyacht work in Barce is well down and you need to be registered etc. Guardia were around the marinas checking.

 

[affinite]

Just a thought

I think its unlikely that you will get in front of the locals looking for work but perhaps as suggested if you converted to 12v then you might get a look in ...

maybe there ought to be a "Tradesman/skill/service For Hire" and "Tradesman Wanted" section on this forum; similar to the items For Sale and Wanted ?
I've no wish to take the food from the mouths of the local tradesmen but members of the EU are suppossed to be able to offer their services across Europe.

If you went down that route you would have to keep your head down though. Most marinas are a closed shop, and presumably only allow in those tradesmen who will pay them a cut

 

[25931]

I think its unlikely that you will get in front of the locals looking for work but perhaps as suggested if you converted to 12v then you might get a look in ...

maybe there ought to be a "Tradesman/skill/service For Hire" and "Tradesman Wanted" section on this forum; similar to the items For Sale and Wanted ?
I've no wish to take the food from the mouths of the local tradesmen but members of the EU are suppossed to be able to offer their services across Europe.

If you went down that route you would have to keep your head down though. Most marinas are a closed shop, and presumably only allow in those tradesmen who will pay them a cut

Members of the EU are also supposed to be insured and tax registered locally.

 

[douglas_family]

How realistic is it to think that I could find much work to help with living expenses if we head off as planned to the Med.

I'm a qualified electrician (domestic not marine). My partner is excellent with the sewing machine.

Any info gratefully received

I would think you would be able to pick up work doing boat electrics quite a bit. It depends how on the move you are and where you winter. places where lots of people winter such as almerimar there will be work available. However most liveaboards have a help each other out attitude so you'll have to be clear about pay before you start each job. Work is likely to be sporadic though or you'll end up finding some regular jobs and jobs leading to jobs which will limit your cruising!

If your partner can sew with heavy fabrics and has a machine up to the job she may get some work to. The best advertisement is your own high quality sun awnings etc.

 

[Eurydice]

Watch Marina Rules

It has been our experience that a women who can sew is a very good commodity during the winter months - however I would warn that due to the economic climate a lot of the marinas are now saying that you cannot work on other peoples boats you either do it yourself or employ one of the marina staff. Our last winter if some-one did work (such as your wife and canvass) the work would have to be done through the marina management and they would take a cut.

Just something to add to the pot - don't let it put you off you really don't need much to go sailing if you live simply we know cause we did it almost of fresh air, we had too!!!

 

[mike_bryon]

“The best advertisement is your own high quality sun awnings etc”.

A better advertisement might be to rename your boat ‘Awnings, Biminis, Covers and Cushions’.

 

[ukmctc]

You can work without any problem in the Med, there are lots of UK holiday companies who are always looking for staff from reps to maintenace, so being an electrician would be a great help, getting your British gas cert would be good too, heating etc;.
But all that aside, Tui, Keycamp, Crystal, Eurocamp, and many others all UK companies looking for staff staying locally. Also see TNT magazine, its free at railway stations and can be accessed online, it has jobs overseas and in the UK for travellers, the wife and I have had no problems finding paid work.

 

[jacaldo]

I'm a 50 + self employed motor mechanic and I too have been looking for a way to spend more time out in the Ionian. Although a lot of fellow boat owners we meet out there say they would use me to maintain their boats and engines, in reality I would be up against the likes of CYS and Paleros yacht services to name a couple of well established companies. The chances of making a living seem slight to me and I am not someone that can duck and dive. I may be wrong but to earn a living would mean a great deal of initial expenditure and a lot of luck. Sorry to sound negative, I wish you good luck if you decide to go for it.

 

[phantomlady]

I always thought that being a hairdresser would be a great thing for cruising. People will always want their hair cut!! There seems to be a great shortage amongst the places I've frequented over the years....
Also, I think that getting any type of work is often by word of mouth and not what you know but who you know.

 

[chinita]

I always thought that being a hairdresser would be a great thing for cruising. People will always want their hair cut!!

My SWMBO cuts mine. This guarantees that I will not leave the boat for at least three weeks.

 

[chinita]

"places where lots of people winter such as almerimar there will be work available"

Last time I was in Almerimar you were not even allowed to antifoul your own boat. I doubt the Marina would take kindly to a freelance Brit looking for work.