# Worst funding idea EVER



## stagman (Dec 3, 2013)

So my friend and I were having a brain storming session about how to get the funds to get into this lifestyle. Being the techie that he is, he immediately said _crowdfunding._ And I am like what? No way that would ever work! And so we started checking around on different crowdfunding sites and saw surprising results.

Not surprisingly most people who say something of the extent of "I just want to get away" get nothing. On the other hand, those who have some kind of charitable or artistic goal typically get everything they ask for- usually a 5k boost.

Thoughts?


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## Gadagirl (Apr 4, 2008)

Exactly! Who would you give your money to? We all want a return on our investments. Even if the return doesn't immediately affect us, we like to think it was positive.


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## stagman (Dec 3, 2013)

I'm just curious what "Charitable" works could be done while on a cruising trip. Teach kids to read and write english in Mexico? Deliver used books to islands in the Bahamas? Water purification? Generators? Deliver basic health care?

All ideas welcome people


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## Gadagirl (Apr 4, 2008)

All of the above. You'll find some islands/countries are more in need than others. You should be committed though. Not collect money and then do a drive by dropping off a carton of books in a country is not the same as effecting great change. Opportunities to join in existing projects i'm sure exist. Maybe research through the state department?


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## stagman (Dec 3, 2013)

Haha I am many things but not a scammer and I do actually enjoy helping people. 

I also thought of the idea of partnering with a microfinance organization

That said, I would rather not work with DoS. Working with feds has never ended well for me in the past XD


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Some existing projects: SSCA Clean Wake Projects


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## Ajax_MD (Nov 24, 2009)

I have mixed feelings about crowdfunding.

On one hand, I've seen people with brilliant ideas get the resources they need, quickly. Ideas and products leap forward, and the benefits have been large.

On the other hand, I've seen people use it for "e-panhandling", which is even lazier than begging on the street corner.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

We've seen a couple of shots at this over the years. One I recall was to do research on spiders or something in the Caribbean. It turned out they also got a National Science Foundation grant of several hundred thousand dollars too. The guy was the real deal, a professor at a US university, but the general reaction to the crowed funding was disdain for funding someone's cruising lifestyle. The already had tons of money and hoped we would pay for their boat or something like that. No thanks.

Don't get me started on the politics of who gets NSF grants, which overwhelms any scientific rationale. Then the zero follow up or accountability. Must resist.......


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## Group9 (Oct 3, 2010)

Twenty five years ago, I was assigned to a financial fraud investigations unit. Most people would be shocked to find out how many charities are basically frauds. Even a few of the name brand charities, have ridiculously high administrative costs. We found one, who out of over $3,000,000 raised in one year, actually used only $35,000 for actual charitable work (a molested children's center).

And, we when we prosecuted them, the person running the children's center went on television to say how all we were doing was hurting the children.

Our favorite saying was that if just you raised the average IQ level by just ten points, we would have been out of work.


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## Group9 (Oct 3, 2010)

stagman said:


> I'm just curious what "Charitable" works could be done while on a cruising trip. Teach kids to read and write english in Mexico? Deliver used books to islands in the Bahamas? Water purification? Generators? Deliver basic health care?
> 
> All ideas welcome people


Doctors and nurses on boats. The health care in a lot of these places is really bad.

I met a doctor on my cruise who taken off to cruise. He was the only doctor around, and spent a lot of time just examining people and treating them, who came to his boat. We even did it when my daughter fell and we thought she had broke her arm and there was no one at the local clinic who was qualified to even know.


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## Frogwatch (Jan 22, 2011)

Once met a couple who had convinced people to give them money to sail to Haiti with a load of expired meds. Really seemed kinda dishonest considering that the outdated meds could be shipped there for very little. What seemed weird was that they were actually convinced they were doing the right thing.
Then there was the guy who gave a talk at the local sailing club to beg for funds to pay for him to work on a sailing vessel going to the S. Pacific from Conn. This vessel would load up on local crafts and bring them back to USA and sell them and profits went to vessel owner. The crew actually PAID to work.


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## HighTyde (Feb 5, 2014)

SVAuspicious said:


> Some existing projects: SSCA Clean Wake Projects


Maybe there's actually some potential here for having other people pay for our pleasure!
There are actually some great ideas at that site, especially "Monitoring Radiation in the Pacific".
I would suggest something to do with studying the big floating mass of plastic junk in the middle of the Pacific.
I never thought of funding through crowdsourcing, but thanks for giving me the idea! I think it's all about the spin and presentation.
Another idea to add to my "to do" list.


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## jeremiahblatz (Sep 23, 2013)

I don't have any answers, but here's an example of a successfully crowdfunded sailing project: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1985222961/launch-a-schooner

Honestly, I think it you get enough attention, and your goals are modest enough, any project can get funded.


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## Sail444 (Feb 6, 2014)

I am familiar with crowd funding and doing for obtaining cruising funds will not work, in my view. Even ideas with possible investment return require lots of marketing and social networking to get funded. Crowd funding sides will closely examine new listings.

I would recommend saving for cruising kitty, crewing for others, and acquiring a skill (diesel mechanic, refrigeration mechanic, sail/canvas repair, etc.) that will be useful for working along the way to supplement cruising kitty.

Fair Winds,
Steve Szirom


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## beezer (Jun 23, 2013)

If you want to have a look at somone who is raising funds to do a sailing trip for real good in the world, look no further than Matt Rutherford's Ocean Research Project website. They are leaving in April on a 29 foot sailboat to do the first nonstop marine plastics survey from California to Japan, through the North Pacific Gyre (AKA the Pacific Garbage Patch). 

All under sail, nonstop, and they aren't just sailing it, they have to trawl a net behind them along the way to collect samples. Tokyo university will run the samples, which should fill the boat by the time they get there. This is the first guy to ever sail singlehanded around north and south america by way of Cape Horn and the Northwest Passage. Balls of Steel my friends.

Oceanresearchproject.org 100% of funds go to equipment, food and satelite phone time to teach kids in school about marine pollution along the way. For perspecitve, a traditional research vessel is 15K per day. So for an 80 day expedition, figure 1.2 million worth of research data is getting collected. If you ever meet him say thank you, cause that trip is no joke. Better still hit their website up with a couple bucks for a donation.


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## HighTyde (Feb 5, 2014)

jeremiahblatz said:


> I don't have any answers, but here's an example of a successfully crowdfunded sailing project:
> 
> Honestly, I think it you get enough attention, and your goals are modest enough, any project can get funded.


Cool link, and you can then click through to his website on building this 42ft schooner. That said, he didn't crowdsource to pay for the whole boat... he raised money to replace $8500 in stolen brass parts. Still cool though, and I love the pictures!


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## HighTyde (Feb 5, 2014)

stagman said:


> Haha I am many things but not a scammer and I do actually enjoy helping people.
> 
> I also thought of the idea of partnering with a microfinance organization
> 
> That said, I would rather not work with DoS. Working with feds has never ended well for me in the past XD


stagman, Can you elaborate on "Working with feds has never ended well for me in the past"?


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## HighTyde (Feb 5, 2014)

beezer said:


> If you want to have a look at somone who is raising funds to do a sailing trip for real good in the world, look no further than Matt Rutherford's Ocean Research Project website. They are leaving in April on a 29 foot sailboat to do the first nonstop marine plastics survey from California to Japan, through the North Pacific Gyre (*AKA the Pacific Garbage Patch*).
> 
> All under sail, nonstop, and they aren't just sailing it, they have to trawl a net behind them along the way to collect samples. Tokyo university will run the samples, which should fill the boat by the time they get there. This is the first guy to ever sail singlehanded around north and south america by way of Cape Horn and the Northwest Passage. Balls of Steel my friends.
> 
> Oceanresearchproject.org 100% of funds go to equipment, food and satelite phone time to teach kids in school about marine pollution along the way. For perspecitve, a traditional research vessel is 15K per day. So for an 80 day expedition, figure 1.2 million worth of research data is getting collected. If you ever meet him say thank you, cause that trip is no joke. Better still hit their website up with a couple bucks for a donation.


Hey! They stole my idea! I already posted that idea (studying the great Pacific plastic patch) earlier yesterday! I guess great minds think alike! 
I've been looking into this a little more.
One of the links above goes to kickstarter, but they seem to focus on developing products, and the donators get a sample of something.
Are there other crowdsourcing sites that focus more on supporting good causes?


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## olysux (Feb 17, 2014)

i want people to fund my cruising....


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## Group9 (Oct 3, 2010)

I want a research grant. I plan to research whether I get happier or sadder the farther south I go.

Hey, is it really a stupider idea than a lot of other federal grants?


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