There are days, especially in the fall and spring, that I stare out the window and wish we were "out there cruising." As I get further away from 50, anxiety sets in about time rapidly passing and still paying tribute to the 8 to 5 jobs, trying to get the cruising kitty fixed up. How many of us have wondered if we can make it without our retirement funds in place or wondered if we can just leave and worry about the future as it comes at us? Charles Tuller gives us the courage to just do it. He tells us stories of fellow cruisers, their hesitations, fears, and how they succeeded at finding productive new lives on their boats. Through their chronicals the reader finds new ideas about making a living while enjoying a life on the water. Tuller contends that by working in an area, cruisers get to know their surroundings better because they have more interactions with local residents.
Each chapter of Financial Freedom Afloat covers different types of work available to the cruiser, giving the advantages and disadvantages of each endeavor, as well as any certificates or additional education required. The options of working on shore (teaching, health care, the charter industry, construction, cooks/chef, bar tending, resort work, etc.), or on the boat (boat maintenance, chartering your own boat, jewelry making, writing, artwork, T-shirt painting, etc.) are discussed at length. Some skills are readily acquired, and should be, before untying the lines.
Perhaps the most important part of Financial Freedom Afloat is the well-researched reference area at the back of the book. It cites numerous resources for the would-be entrepreneur: books, schools, Internet sites, and job placement services, all conveniently organized by the type of work in which the reader might have an interest.
Tuller believes the key to making a living while cruising is forging a connection with locals and scouting the area to see what opportunities may be available. Most of us think with blinders on when it comes to work outside our area of expertise, but Tuller points out that we all have skills that are marketable, as well as hidden talents that emerge when each cruiser has the freedom to explore his or her potential fully. Cruising allows us the time for that exploration, providing opportunities to earn our daily bread as we go.
Finanical Freedom Afloat
Charles Tuller
Seaworthy Publications, Inc.
Copyright 2000
240 pages in Paperback
