Most of us love boating, and most of us love the idea of making a little extra money. Wouldn't it be great if we could make a little extra money by tapping into our passion for boating?
With the right side gigs, this could be your reality.
The Best Side Gigs for Boaters
These are some of the best side gigs available for people already enthusiastic about boating.
- Peer rentals. Do you own your own boat? Can you bear the thought of parting with it for extended periods of time? If so, you can look into pure renting. This side gig is exactly what it sounds like; you'll rent your boat to other people, temporarily, in exchange for payment, using one of several apps or services designed for this purpose or by advertising the service yourself. This option is ideal for people who don't use their boat as often as they'd like, and for people interested in subsidising the cost of owning a boat. However, if you're the type of person who likes to take their boat out every day with good weather, it may not be a good fit for you.
- Charter fishing. Another option is to go on charter fishing trips. The idea here is to take people interested in fishing on your vessel in exchange for a fee. Of course, one of the drawbacks here (and with many options on this list) is that you’re going to be limited by the weather; if there's a bad storm that comes in, you may have to cancel the trip and refund the money. However, you can generally make good money doing this. Just make sure you have all the licensing requirements, following the laws and ordinances in your area.
- Miscellaneous vending. Do you typically boat in an area with lots of other people around? If so, you could consider starting some kind of vending service. As a simple example, you could bring a large cooler full of cold beverages and sell those beverages to other boaters who might have forgotten to bring their own beverages. In fact, you may be interested in opening up your own convenience stand. You can sell just about anything with this side gig, so feel free to get creative. Just be wary that laws and ordinances may prohibit certain selling activity without proper licensure.
- Tours. If you're more interested in piloting your boat, consider giving people sightseeing tours in exchange for money. People who are new to your area may be eager to enjoy the water and see some of the famous landmarks of your city or visit specific areas with thrilling attractions. You can serve as the guide, telling people all about the area and getting them to their ideal destinations.
- Instruction. Do you have excellent skills that you can teach to someone else? You could become a professional instructor. You could teach people how to sail, how to do their own boat maintenance, how to dive safely, or how to participate in any number of different aquatic sports. All that really matters here is that you have the competence to do the instructing and the credentials and advertising to generate new customers.
- Coaching. You may also serve a role as a coach in certain aquatic sports. There may be people who already know and participate in these sports, but they're looking for a more competitive edge. If you already have experience and knowledge in this area, you could be the one to give them that edge.
- Nature watching. Another option is to go on nature-watching tours. For example, you could take people out on your boat to go whale watching. This is generally a peaceful and relaxing type of side gig, and you might be surprised to find out how much people are willing to pay for this type of experience. Before getting involved here, make sure to brush up on your knowledge of the local ecosystem. That way, you'll be able to give people more value – and you'll generate more referrals.
- Towboat services. You may also offer towboat services to people who are stranded on the water – or vessels that have become inoperable. Driving a towboat is very similar to driving any other type of boat, so it shouldn't take much of an adjustment for you.
- Taxiing/ferrying. In some areas, you may also be able to offer services as a captain taxiing or ferrying people from one place to another. This can become a tedious side gig eventually, but as long as you're not doing it too frequently, you should get at least some enjoyment out of it.
- Yacht delivery. Finally, consider getting involved in yacht delivery. Your job will be taking boats from one destination to another, transporting the vessels from the seller to the buyer. This may include driving the boat on the water or towing it using a conventional land vehicle. It all depends on the needs of your clients.
Bonus: Anything Digital
With a mobile hotspot and a laptop computer with a full battery, you can practice all kinds of digital side gigs on the back of your boat. Freelance photography, freelance writing, and establishing your own blog with monetisation in the form of advertising or affiliate links are just a few of the examples here. Why should you have to be on land to do your best work?
Are you frustrated that your current boat can’t support one or more of these side gigs? Now could be the perfect time to sell it. TheYachtMarket makes it easy, with low costs, three months of advertising, and live statistics and reporting tools to help you sell your boat fast.
And if you’re in the market for something new, we can help you with that too – check out all the new and used boats we have for sale today!