sailing business

[Ed A]

I tried it and i learned the best way to not boat is to be in the boat business.
You work when everyone else plays. you dont make much and you work all the time. The fun goes away in the first 6 months then your close enough to watch everyone else going to have fun while you work.

my advice, get a good job elsewhere to pay for your fun.

 

[Witzend]

I bet in the summer at your popular gunk holes you could sell one hell-of-a lot of pizza and beer from a pontoon boat outfitted with a propane oven and a big cooler.
Paste some fake paddle wheels on the side with rotating lights, get on the horn and call it "Paddle Boat Pizza".
Just some ideas for ya.
Cheers

 

[Ross]

Basically there are two vocations. One is a means to making a living and the other is a way of life. Some vocations will never make you wealthy and will never give you a heart attack and some can make you able to leave a very wealthy widow.

 

[Benny]

Why ruin a good hobby by turning it into a business? The activities are mutually exclusive.

 

[Steve Dion]

OC has got it right. MS may have started in a recession, but the demand and need for computers/software has been on a 30 year growth path.

Check out the growth of the boating/sailboat industry for the same period.

This is probably one of the worst industries to be in considering the current economic times. Even when things are good it is not great.

Think about buying an established Quiznos or Subway so you do not loose so much money and you still have purchased yourself a job. Everyone eats, not many sail! <g>

 

[Joe]

My Mrs. was contemplating starting a little sideline business...cleaning boat interiors. She doesn't mind getting down and dirty, and gets a lot of satisfaction making things sparkle.

So, is there a market for that kind of service? Kinda like MERRY MERMAIDS...

There are many, many businesses like that... boat detailing companies, dive services, interior cleaning services....etc. There isn't a bulletin board in any marina, any chandlery that doesn't have flyers for boat cleaning services.

Your wife should check with the local marinals to see what restrictions they have for vendors... insurance, security etc. and if she can get on their call list. That's how I found my very excellent diver, through a recommendation from the marina secretary.

 

[Joe]

Even if you REALLY like working on boats, I bet you like eating too. So please make a plan. I just went 6 months with no income from my business, try that with out a plan.

Sorry.. I think you missed my point... but it probably was not too clear anyway. I am not advocating starting a business without a plan.... What I am advocating is not to go into any kind of business without knowing what to expect... i.e. get a little experience first. How can you write a business plan when you know nothing about the business you're going into?

If your passion is sailing... you should be writing a plan on how you can get more sailing time.... and I guarantee, starting your own business is not going to give you more time to sail.

 

[woodster]

OC has got it right. MS may have started in a recession, but the demand and need for computers/software has been on a 30 year growth path.

Check out the growth of the boating/sailboat industry for the same period.

This is probably one of the worst industries to be in considering the current economic times. Even when things are good it is not great.

Think about buying an established Quiznos or Subway so you do not loose so much money and you still have purchased yourself a job. Everyone eats, not many sail! <g>

if you read the history of some of the sailboat mfgs that are no longer making sail boats you will find in the last energy crunch the were power boat cos that started making sail boats to off set the lack of power boat sales and when the crunch faided away they did the same ei/ Allmand ...S-2 and the like

regards

woody

 

[OldCat]

Sidelines

My Mrs. was contemplating starting a little sideline business...cleaning boat interiors. She doesn't mind getting down and dirty, and gets a lot of satisfaction making things sparkle.

So, is there a market for that kind of service? Kinda like MERRY MERMAIDS...

Like others, I think that this is a worthwhile idea. A sideline business with minimal investment carries little risk. If you don't get the advertising and business promotion right the first time, you don't starve while you make changes in your approach. If there are big expensive boats in your area - and the market is not over saturated, it seems worth investigating locally. The key, I think, would be to get local information, talking to locals in the marine business or boating club types who know a lot of folks.

Sideline business have other advantages, they can help a lot with work and family (esp kids) balance as compared to a full time job; especially if 'the other half' has most of the financial side covered.

OC