Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

After working in parts and service at truck dealerships for about 5 years and then Toyota dealerships all over Australia for 20 years we settled in Tassie and for the last 7 years i have worked as the depot clerk (bottom of the food chain) for the local rural council

It is a good job with a 9 day fortnight where i often go for a sail on my rdo and i like not having to deal with directly the public any more

There are about 45 country type blokes working out of the depot and i find as long as i keep the milk, sugar, coffee, tea and toilet paper stocked up they are pretty happy

The job is varied and busy and i do a bit of admin stuff, hand out ppe, order stuff including vehicles and plant, unload freight and load gravel onto trucks with the telehandler so i am never board

15 minutes from home and the drive to work is along the river so i get to look at boats twice a day and to be honest it is probably the best job i have ever had but i will never be rich doing it but that doesn't bother me too much

Regards Don

I started off as a fitter machinist,then went into refrigeration briefly and ended up a sparky. being a tradie I choose to work as labour hire because I can't find an employer willing to let me have at least 12 weeks holiday a year. Yes I'm old and heading for retirement.

Thanks Don for starting this topic,and for outlining such a good life.
you understand what really matters.

I am working part time as a paediatrician,in private practice,having given up the joys of being on call and Management 11 years ago when I retired from the public health system.
this allows time for family,friends ,and fettling old boats,ie my Cav 32.
Also fond of tall ships.
Work does sometimes get in the way of other plans,but it it so rewarding,I will keep it up while the brain still works.

cheers,
david

Thanks Don for starting this topic,and for outlining such a good life.
you understand what really matters.

I am working part time as a paediatrician,in private practice,having given up the joys of being on call and Management 11 years ago when I retired from the public health system.
this allows time for family,friends ,and fettling old boats,ie my Cav 32.
Also fond of tall ships.
Work does sometimes get in the way of other plans,but it it so rewarding,I will keep it up while the brain still works.

cheers,
david

Thanks Don for starting this topic,and for outlining such a good life.
you understand what really matters.

I am working part time as a paediatrician,in private practice,having given up the joys of being on call and Management 11 years ago when I retired from the public health system.
this allows time for family,friends ,and fettling old boats,ie my Cav 32.
Also fond of tall ships.
Work does sometimes get in the way of other plans,but it it so rewarding,I will keep it up while the brain still works.

cheers,
david

I started off as an engineering surveyor, had a stint in retail having a couple of shops, then had a cleaning company for 15 years & have been in the rigging game for the last 20 years subcontracting building commercial buildings - mainly car yards etc.

I will be retiring this Xmas :)








Cheers,
Larry

Twenty years in the navy. First six as a seaman, sonar operator seamanship instructor etc. Last 14 as aircrew in Grumman Trackers, fixed wing carrier aircraft as a radar operator and sonar operator. Twenty six years as a professional fisherman out of Greenwell Point. Now retired for the last 10 years and just bum about in boats.

Navy seven and a half years trained as fitter/machinist and engine room artificer, trawler engineer, motor mechanic, motorbike mechanic, bull dozer mechanic, motorman offshore drilling rig, coastal engineer on tourist vessels, pipeline welder, panto-graph engraver, fitter at Port Hedland, real estate development land salesman and manager 15 years, investor in real estate (still), Master V and charter yacht operator, cable ferry driver for Bundaberg Sugar, fitter at Gladstone Power station, semi retired at 55 now fully retired at 68 but there is always something to do when you have rental real estate.

You always have a job when you own a yacht.

Retired now. Best job ever.
Accounting background.
Auditor with large CA
Foriegn Exchange dealer with Stock Broker
Ditto with Japanese Trading House
Sales and Marketing
CFO with Aust. Private Coy
Sat on Bum and did nothing for 6 months.
Road Transport Operator.
In between, Meatworks Manager, Primary Produce Export Trader.
When I was at College Brother Purcell's advice in final year was always seek out new opportunities and plan to change path every five years. I did for first 25/30 years of working life. No regrets .

Crikey I've had so many jobs I've lost count. Started life as a boilermaker/ welder and worked at Whyalla shipyard then went on to plant operating for a local road paver. Moved to Quorn SA. (where Missus was born) and built the Pichi Richi engine sheds (Missus's brother Reg started the Pichi Richi Steam Preservation Society). From then on Missus and I have been together 24 hours a day in various businesses from owning a restaurant in Adelaide to renovating Victorian era houses. One interesting reno was the Albert Mill in Nairne, built in 1857 and derilict . three floors we turned it into a coffee/eatery on ground floor, an antique shop on the middle floor and a house on the top floor. We sold the Mill to take up the restaurant in Gouger St. We've been fencing contractors and couriers for Russel Ebert Deliveries. In amongst all of this I found time to take a Master Class 5 course in case we went into the boating business. That eventually became useful when I was invited to skipper a paddle wheeler for a friend of a friend at Echuca Northern Victoria. The boat was too big for a Class 5 so I had to take a Class 4 exam which Obviously I passed so I ended My working life as a Paddle Steamer Captain. Been retired now for many years and Missus and I are still together 24/7. What a great life I have had....I hope you can all say the same thing.

Started off in Australia prawn trawling in carnavon steel fixing on the Gold Coast and then last 30 plus years as a firefighter in NZ probably retire in 2 years or so.

Had a choice at 21, crewing a catermaran doing dolphin tours out of Monkey Mia or a career in comms. Went with comms, specializing in fibre optic cable systems. Did a few years running around the world working on submarine fibre cable systems, then came back and set up my own business in comms distribution. Bailed out at Xmas after 15 years as the CTO, and since I'm having a break which I'm enjoying immensely.
Too young to retire yet!

Hi Don, interesting topic!

I'd be interested to know if there are any full time cruisers out there, earning an income while sailing, and how they are paying the bills.

I've met people who have set themselves up financially and are now living the dream - paying their way from passive investments. Others who are still working, but only cruising when possible. And a few who earn a living while they are cruising! This interests me greatly.

Like you Bananabender, I have traded stocks and in particular Forex online for the last 10 years. One day I hope to be able to cruise full time with this as a sourceincome to pay my way. Having lived the dream for a couple of years, my wife and I reckon nothing short of around $45k a year to cover all expenses involved with cruising and general living. A flight home to WA thrown into the mix once a year.

I might have tunnel vision - thinking that I will only be able to bring in enough income doing something online while cruising, any ideas people??

Cheers!

After a Chemistry degree, worked while I qualified. Ended up as Chartered Engineer (specialising in Fire Engineering), Chartered Risk Manager, Chartered Insurer, Certified Project Manager and Qualified Quality Manager. Too many exams!

My most memorable job was as a risk engineer specialising in UK church & historic buildings. All the UK cathedrals, St Paul's, Eton College, Oxford & Cambridge Colleges etc.

Ended up with 150 staff and 3 offices in NSW.

All the while, I also worked as a professional musician doing 150+ gigs a year.

At 47, with a big job in Sydney, I packed it in and did 5 years working and volunteering in remote Australia. Maatsuyker Island, Tas to Cape York with everything in between. Accompanied, of course, by the lovely Anna.

We never spent big - we preferred a camp & hike - so we have enough in our real estate, investments and super to enjoy life.

Now it's time for some sailing!

Cheers

Bristol

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NowandZen said..
Hi Don, interesting topic!

I'd be interested to know if there are any full time cruisers out there, earning an income while sailing, and how they are paying the bills.

I've met people who have set themselves up financially and are now living the dream - paying their way from passive investments. Others who are still working, but only cruising when possible. And a few who earn a living while they are cruising! This interests me greatly.

Like you Bananabender, I have traded stocks and in particular Forex online for the last 10 years. One day I hope to be able to cruise full time with this as a sourceincome to pay my way. Having lived the dream for a couple of years, my wife and I reckon nothing short of around $45k a year to cover all expenses involved with cruising and general living. A flight home to WA thrown into the mix once a year.

I might have tunnel vision - thinking that I will only be able to bring in enough income doing something online while cruising, any ideas people??

Cheers!

Hi N&Z, we've been cruising for 2 years and kept a record of expenditure . We reckon your 45k figure is realistic.

If you have a portable real world skill that other yachties would want, that can earn some cash.

Hairdresser
Marine electrician
Trimmer
Diesel mechanic
Etc

You could also consider markets - there are often good markets in cruising areas. I occasionally busk, it's good pin money.

Cheers

Bristol

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NowandZen said..
Hi Don, interesting topic!

I'd be interested to know if there are any full time cruisers out there, earning an income while sailing, and how they are paying the bills.

I've met people who have set themselves up financially and are now living the dream - paying their way from passive investments. Others who are still working, but only cruising when possible. And a few who earn a living while they are cruising! This interests me greatly.

Like you Bananabender, I have traded stocks and in particular Forex online for the last 10 years. One day I hope to be able to cruise full time with this as a sourceincome to pay my way. Having lived the dream for a couple of years, my wife and I reckon nothing short of around $45k a year to cover all expenses involved with cruising and general living. A flight home to WA thrown into the mix once a year.

I might have tunnel vision - thinking that I will only be able to bring in enough income doing something online while cruising, any ideas people??

Cheers!

Hi N&Z, we've been cruising for 2 years and kept a record of expenditure . We reckon your 45k figure is realistic.

If you have a portable real world skill that other yachties would want, that can earn some cash.

Hairdresser
Marine electrician
Trimmer
Diesel mechanic
Etc

You could also consider markets - there are often good markets in cruising areas. I occasionally busk, it's good pin money.

Cheers

Bristol

Hi all

I have been kicking the idea around of buying a boat in survey (or one not in survey but able to be put into survey) and taking people day sailing on the Huon but i an not sure if I would make a living or go broke

I would have to make enough in the warmer months as it is fairly quite tourist wise down here in winter

Also the weather can be a bit changeable as well so it would be a bit of a lottery as to what sort of a day you would get if you booked in advance

As far as a choice of boat I am thing a catamaran over a mono for the deck and cockpit space, a flat platform for those who want to look and photograph the scenery without having to hang on to a heeled boat and it would still have a view if the weather turned bad and the passengers ended up inside

I looked at this Easy www.boatsalestas.com.au/sail-multihulls/easy-37-modified-catamaran/141795/ with this in mind and spoke to a surveyor and the designer of the boat but i am not sure of the viability of the idea

When we recently went to New Zealand there was a bloke doing this in Akaroa (he had a lot of takers when the cruise boats were in) but despite the advertising blurb it was more of a motor than a sail but the non sailors on board loved it

If i was to do it i would sail when possible (weather permitting) to try to give people a real sailing experience

Wondering what the forum members thoughts are on this idea

Regards Don

It's an interesting idea Don. S.E. Tasmania does seem to be a tourist hotspot at the moment. You do have some strong boatie (but not sailing) competition from Pennicot.

I guess you've really got to pin down the market, cheap thrills for backpackers, a somewhat more expensive adventure experience for the 30 to 50 range or a gentle sight see for tourists (or any combination).

Once that's done, it's spreadsheet time for costs and income.

If you can break even, enjoy the experience and have a "free" boat to sail at other times, that might be a good outcome.

Market research is tricky. You could come up with a few options and take friends & acquaintances out in exchange for their frank & honest feedback.

The Tassie food experience is really strong at the moment, so if you can offer something a bit special in this area, that's a big plus. Maybe lunch at the wooden boat place in Franklin would tie in with the sailing theme, perhaps with a little chat or tour. Or sushi from that great place in Geeveston. I haven't been there, but what's the Kermandie Hotel like? The other boatie places that come mind are the Woodbridge Hotel or Alonnah Hotel.

Great idea anyway. I'd go if I was on hols because I'd like the sailing experience and enjoy trying new boats. As a little extra, you could sign the logbook of anyone who participates in the sailing, so if they are going for qualifications, they get a few more logged sea miles - if they don't have a log book, you could have some preprinted certificates to issue.

Cheers

Bristol

"Like you Bananabender, I have traded stocks and in particular Forex online for the last 10 years. "
So NowandZen if it's anything like it was back in the Seventies you must be just about at burn out stage . Back then at the Stock Brokers it was 18 hour days and the company provided lunch and dinner from the Australia Hotel in Collins street to your desk and taxi home if needed. Mind you no computers ,mobile phones back then . Telex machines and booked phone calls .
The Nippon Trading house , Being the only "National" in finance trading I broke all the rules regarding Japanese business culture .

well that's another story however No one was allowed to leave the trading room till the Leader decided to and then if he decided to go drinking and eating in Chinatown Melb you were obligated to go.
It was ok for him he would sleep at his desk the following day.

Navy Fleet Air Arm for 26 years flying in Grumman Trackers (sometimes serving and flying with Ramona) between 1973 and 1984. A couple of years on helicopters then various management positions.
The most memorable were XO (2ic) HMAS WATERHEN minewarfare and patrol boat base and Commanding Officer HMAS PLATYPUS submarine base, both on the north shore in Sydney.
Did an MBA and moved into management consulting in a variety of industries in Sydney.
I've always been a bit of a financial nut so have owned a number of properties in Canberra, traded derivatives (mainly options and physical stock) and invested in the share market.
I am still in the Navy Reserves but have really retired and play with Triumph sports cars (two TR2s and a TR6), spend a lot of time running the NSW chapter of the club, sailing MB and travelling with my wife of 40 years.
And enjoy our 4 kids (just got home from a day watching the Swans and then the Waratahs with the youngest son) and delight in our 4 grandkids.

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Donk107 said..
Hi all

I have been kicking the idea around of buying a boat in survey (or one not in survey but able to be put into survey) and taking people day sailing on the Huon but i an not sure if I would make a living or go broke

Two major problems with this idea. First is the survey and the annual survey inspection. If the boat is not already in survey you will be looking at things like core samples and supplying plans etc and constant government hassles, licenses and survey. Insurances. Second is you will have to deal with people. Some of your customers may not be pleasant people. Talk to some of the charter fishing boat operators about the crap they have to endure. As we get older I have found we get less tolerant of idiots and I have made a point of avoiding government stuff as much as possible. Friend of mine who semi retired and ran a Bed and breakfast recently sold up. Got jack of dealing with pain in the arse customers!

Being a tradie ,I can at least cruise oz and pick up work along the way. Not ideal but I'm over the yellow shirt slave trade. My parents push the line every time I see them. " son go now and sail away today ,tomorrow is to late . You will have the money if you keep working full time but most probably won't have the health to go with it" my parents from 55 worked less and travelled more around oz ,they are now 80 and still travelling. ( I was thinking about doing it 5 years ago ,I spent two years getting my boat into top seaworthy condition then had an accident. I could no longer walk more than 50 metres or row to my boat . Workers comp wrote me off ,no insurance payouts now, it took me two years and all my money to get back to good health ) . I have now taken there advice,as you should ,they know best. I leave in two weeks. If I have to sell the house later ,so be it ,I've seen what happens if you loose your health. So in 15 years time you will see me in Bunnings looking after you,I will be the old bloke who has lots of stories to tell. Sorry to rant.

I'm impressed by the experiences you guys have had, and there are some pretty cool pics.
Im 47 at last count, and what I do and have done so far, seems small in comparison.

Most days, I don't know what I do actually, (put out fires it seems) working in a small IT company, where I have done for 27 years.It was my first real job starting as a technician, and I later studied manufacturing engineering off campus.After 8 year part time, I got a bachelor degree and huge HECs debt, but never used the qualification, maybe just the thinking it taught. Now I finance and install computer hardware networks.

By the time I get to retire, the govt will have me working till i'm 80, so Bunnings jobs will be in high demand.
Sailing fits in around work, kids,house, usually in that order, I envy you guys who are now enjoying the fruits of you hard working lives.

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oldboyracer said..
Being a tradie ,I can at least cruise oz and pick up work along the way. Not ideal but I'm over the yellow shirt slave trade. My parents push the line every time I see them. " son go now and sail away today ,tomorrow is to late . You will have the money if you keep working full time but most probably won't have the health to go with it" my parents from 55 worked less and travelled more around oz ,they are now 80 and still travelling. ( I was thinking about doing it 5 years ago ,I spent two years getting my boat into top seaworthy condition then had an accident. I could no longer walk more than 50 metres or row to my boat . Workers comp wrote me off ,no insurance payouts now, it took me two years and all my money to get back to good health ) . I have now taken there advice,as you should ,they know best. I leave in two weeks. If I have to sell the house later ,so be it ,I've seen what happens if you loose your health. So in 15 years time you will see me in Bunnings looking after you,I will be the old bloke who has lots of stories to tell. Sorry to rant.

This is gold Old Boy. I also had a bad car accident breaking me back, in January which could have ended everything. I recovered enough to solo sail my boat from Mooloolaba to Hervey Bay and back to Yamba before returning to work.

I'm back at work with every thing in me wanting to be at sea, so I might be following you soon.

Yes mcNautical I now say the best thing that happened to me was my accident. It totally changes what you value out of life , for me I was going to work full time "for just a bit longer" now I have reavaluated. I'm fortunate that I'm in a position to be able to do it , though it does come at a cost later on in life.

Welp, I'm a youngin at 38 and still working.

In IT, maintaining call centres. You know when you call a company, press option 1, then option 2 and end up in the wrong department? Yeh, that's usually my fault. I'm still a bit weird amongst my friends in that I've been with the one company for 19 years (ok, I've moved around a fair bit internally before getting to this job). Got a couple of irons in the fire for some new jobs as the last couple of months I've been pretty bored and disatisfied with my work. Could be a new job internally, or with a bit (or a lot) of luck, working with one of our suppliers.

I think after just that one more step up the career ladder, I'll be pretty happy though. Just need enough to pay off the house, maybe upgrade the boat at some point in the future and I'm done. By that point, my daughter will no doubt be banking at the Bank of Dad ATM, so after I make it through that, it'll all be sweet.

Great Topic Donk!
Im working with a "Fuel Major" selling Marine Fuel to everything from recreational vessels to Oil and Gas support Vessels and Bulk Vessels. Got plenty of years ahead before I can retire alas but I love the job, my office is 15 mins from home and overlooks the water where I get to see all sorts come n go from the harbour.
Sailing dinghies again as I have a young family, and running the local association for that class, but hope to buy another keelboat again when they get older.
Parents sailed and got me into it during the Trailer Sailer boom of the 80s and I was hooked as a teen after hanging around Freo during the Americas Cup. Have been a member of the same yacht club for almost 40 years.

Wow!! Such diversity!!

Finished high school and spent 3 years in an administrative role for a quasi-government agency.
Joined Customs and was a Customs Officer in Brisbane, Gladstone and Bundaberg for 16 years. The district offices were great as I had the job of clearing all smallcraft and liaising with folks in remote areas promoting the CustomsWatch initiative.
I resigned in 2005 and extremely happy not to be associated with the organisation it has become.

Since then, I have raised my two amazing children, getting my little one over some significant hurdles from a very traumatic birth. I have toyed with degrees in Humanities, Midwifery and Surveying. Clearly, I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up

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Donk107 said..
Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

After working in parts and service at truck dealerships for about 5 years and then Toyota dealerships all over Australia for 20 years we settled in Tassie and for the last 7 years i have worked as the depot clerk (bottom of the food chain) for the local rural council

It is a good job with a 9 day fortnight where i often go for a sail on my rdo and i like not having to deal with directly the public any more

There are about 45 country type blokes working out of the depot and i find as long as i keep the milk, sugar, coffee, tea and toilet paper stocked up they are pretty happy

The job is varied and busy and i do a bit of admin stuff, hand out ppe, order stuff including vehicles and plant, unload freight and load gravel onto trucks with the telehandler so i am never board

15 minutes from home and the drive to work is along the river so i get to look at boats twice a day and to be honest it is probably the best job i have ever had but i will never be rich doing it but that doesn't bother me too much

Regards Don

I suspect I'm the only archivist (and amateur violin maker) here Most of my career has been in higher education, The University of Sydney since 1989, University Archivist for 21 years. My unit also looks after current recordkeeping, GIPA (NSW speak for FOI), and privacy (where I spend most of my time, and increasingly important).

My office has harbour glimpses and I often sit here wondering... I have terrific colleagues and the Uni is a great place but I think the time for spending much more time on, in and under the water is fast approaching. The might keep me part time, which would be good as I have a 1968 Datsun 2000 Sports to rebuild (in addition the 1993 MX5 LE that is daily transport) and the acquisition of Patsy happened in an unplanned way.

Regards,

Tim

I had heaps of different jobs until I had children then I settled down and have run a Pest Control business for the last 22years

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Purfler said..

Donk107 said..
Hi all

I was wondering what other forum members do to earn a living or if retired what did they used to do

I will kick it off

After working in parts and service at truck dealerships for about 5 years and then Toyota dealerships all over Australia for 20 years we settled in Tassie and for the last 7 years i have worked as the depot clerk (bottom of the food chain) for the local rural council

It is a good job with a 9 day fortnight where i often go for a sail on my rdo and i like not having to deal with directly the public any more

There are about 45 country type blokes working out of the depot and i find as long as i keep the milk, sugar, coffee, tea and toilet paper stocked up they are pretty happy

The job is varied and busy and i do a bit of admin stuff, hand out ppe, order stuff including vehicles and plant, unload freight and load gravel onto trucks with the telehandler so i am never board

15 minutes from home and the drive to work is along the river so i get to look at boats twice a day and to be honest it is probably the best job i have ever had but i will never be rich doing it but that doesn't bother me too much

Regards Don

I suspect I'm the only archivist (and amateur violin maker) here Most of my career has been in higher education, The University of Sydney since 1989, University Archivist for 21 years. My unit also looks after current recordkeeping, GIPA (NSW speak for FOI), and privacy (where I spend most of my time, and increasingly important).

My office has harbour glimpses and I often sit here wondering... I have terrific colleagues and the Uni is a great place but I think the time for spending much more time on, in and under the water is fast approaching. The might keep me part time, which would be good as I have a 1968 Datsun 2000 Sports to rebuild (in addition the 1993 MX5 LE that is daily transport) and the acquisition of Patsy happened in an unplanned way.

Regards,

Tim

not an armature violin maker but did 4 weeks work experience as one in the late seventies went on to do cabinetmaking apprenticeship did restoration and maintenance work on skiffs and wooden boats as a side line till i bought the slipway in 2001 now stuck fixing stuffed old boats fulltime don't know weather i love or hate it