# Financing the cruising dream



## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

Trying to get creative about financing big cruising dreams. I'm an MD, and want to leave Stateside to make full-time cruising with my wife and daughter a reality. I'll need an income, of course, and one idea is to set up an Urgent Care type medical center in some far-away yet idyllic sailing destination. Best choices would be locations where there are enough foreign tourists to allow the place to turn a reasonable profit, but not so built up that a strong medical system is already in place and thus my services wouldn't really be needed. Local laws and regs might be too thorny in certain places, which I'll have to investigate further. For you Lefties out there ready to pounce against the greedy doctor or what may sound like medical imperialism, let me plead that I've given my services away for more than a decade and will surely continue to do so in various venues (maybe this one, too, if things work out). But this venture needs to turn a profit or it won't help me or anyone else. So, have you been somewhere with beautiful sailing where you found yourself thinking you would pay good cash if only for an American trained doctor? Were you surrounded by tourists who might have been thinking the same? Which places top the list?


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

most countries have pretty strict laws against foreign doctors practicing in their jurisdiction without doing alot of paperwork. *American trained doesn't necessarily mean you're competent in the rest of the world... *and the local authorities will usually want some paperwork to prove you're not only trained but competent. Also, I, for one, would be hesistant to trust someone about medical care just on their say so that they were American trained... I've dealt with a lot of doctors over the past 30 years, and some were good, some were okay and some were bad...


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

It would seem that you're working at cross purposes here. Either you're cruising, or you're running a shoreside business. And with one where you are the primary employee, that doesn't leave much time for cruising. From reading your post, it sounds like you need to further define to yourself, just what it is you want to do.


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## SimonV (Jul 6, 2006)

Now if you were a dentist I could see you making ends meet sailing in paradise, there are a lot of cruisers out there who at some time would love to get their teeth problems fixed but payment might be more in the way of barter.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Guatemala has need of physicians, as I understand. However, I am not sure about the turning profit thing. Many of the places that need physicians the worst probably won't have much/any money. 

I know my presonal physician (she and I were "friends") said that she was asked to move to the USVI to practice. They were going to give her a pretty reasonable income - but she declined since her husband was involved in building and would have an issue moving. That might be an option.

I noticed that if you are a physician, you can move to Australia. That skill is needed there I believe. THat is is pretty area, though it will put you closer to TDW which carries a whole other risk (smile).

Of course, quite candidly, I think PBeezer is right... sounds more like working to me. Save up your money. Buy a conservative but nice boat. Take off and enjoy what you are doing. If you find an island that needs some help and they are willing to pay, all the better.

My opinions.

- CD


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## GySgt (Jun 11, 2007)

My 2 cents:

There is a great book called "The 4 hour work week" I highly suggest you read it. The bottom line is if you want to cruise, whatever you do for income will have to be automated and passive. If you are going to practice you will be trading time for dollars, that leaves little time for cruising. So write a book on being a smart patient, give lectures, do something that is more product orientated so you free up time to do what we love, which is sail. So what ever you decide Doc, you have to take in money in this economy and spend it where your dollar is worth more. If in your cruising you barter or take in cash "under the mast" fine, but don't count on it, and in many countries...don't get caught. You might also check "Doctors with out Borders" if you want to set up clinics as you sail.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

You might want to consider joining an existing clinic that serves the expat and tourist community in your "far-away yet idyllic sailing destination." It has some advantages: You could rotate through for say 4 months every 12. The patients are foreign nationals (US & Europe) and and used to paying top buck. They have insurance or credit cards and the clinic can bill them. You'll probably have a full time asst./nurse to act as interpreter. Malpractice insurance won't be an issue. The patients are transits so there's no continuum care issues. Licensing can be permitted by association with your colleagues at the clinic. 
I've found these clinics all over the world, even in marinas in the Canaries and Portugal. They had US docs working there that were sailors. Remember the locals usually get subsidized care and don't use them. So you can't extract money from that system unless you work for the government.


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## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

Good thoughts, all of them. Sailingdog, I understand your reluctance to equate "American trained" with quality care, and I agree with you, there are a lot of lousy docs out there, American or otherwise. It happens that I'm an ER doc, so by training I'm pretty good at the Urgent Care type of setting. Hopefully, doing good work would grow referrals and build the business, like any other venture. Being a board certified American trained ER doc might not be much of a selling point in a lot of places I've been since their medical systems are already well developed (ie Costa Rica, Thailand, BVI), but I imagine that isn't the case in a lot of choice destinations around the globe. Somewhere out there, there's likely a place where there are a lot of tourists who would be very relieved to know they didn't necessarily have to navigate a local ER in a foreign country if they got sick or injured.

Pbzeer and CruisingDad, you are right, I could be trading one land-based practice for another, which certainly doesn't get me cruising. I'd fully expect to be married to it 24/7 for a while (6 mos, a year?), but I've got a like-minded partner to share the burden, and the hope would be to grow it enough to employ others so that eventually, we could run it mostly from afar. 

I think GySgt has it exactly right (thanks for the book suggestion, I'll definitely look for it), the ultimate object is to have an "automated and passive" income source, which is the whole idea. Don't need to be making piles of money, just enough to keep the place (and boat) afloat, ultimately without having to keep a strict schedule at the office...

Azeotrope, thanks for your info, I'm glad to hear that others have been doing this sort of thing already. I think doing a stint at an already existing clinic that caters to this sort of thing is an excellent idea. Would learn a lot about how feasable this really is. Let me know if you can recommend any good ones that you've seen...

Cruisingdad: you are right, I've seen ads for MDs in Austraila and New Zealand. It might be that you're also right about keeping it simple and just saving up to go without strings attached...trouble is, that's going to take me a long while (lots of debt from med school, residency, etc still hanging over me). Working shifts at various locales while cruising doesn't lead to the automated income goal, but it might get us living the dream sooner, and maybe with fewer complications. 

Do appreciate your thoughts. This site is an excellent sounding board...


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## Pamlicotraveler (Aug 13, 2006)

How about being one of those mailorder doctors where you consult on the phone and issue prescriptions. That way if someone needs some OxyContin and you happen to be on a broad reach you can still make some money.

I'm just joking, but it probably happens that way....


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## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

Pamlicotraveler: Ok, while I'm not much interested in being THAT kind of doc (they're easy enough to find, I think), what about this: might there not be a place for some sort of telemetric medical "consulting" service for seafarers? Perhaps this is getting hairbrained, or perhaps it already exists, but what about all those commercial (and private) vessels that have the potential to have to deal with medical issues far from land? Especially those without medical officers on board might benefit from a service (subscription based?) with docs on call for guidance, or one which provides the equipment and/or training to crew for dealing with medical issues before they leave port. Not unlike telemetry based EMS systms on land. Ok, maybe I'm getting silly here, and it's hard to imagine this really making any money, but it might be a satisfying project to pursue if only for the interest in intersecting seafaring and medicine...anyone know if it already exists? Would any of you cruisers out there subscribe to a service to know you could reach a doc for advice wherever you are sailing? No? Ok, forget it...


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

Jakmedic, could you not get better or more educated answers to your questions and/or ideas on a medical based forum ?


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## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

Freesail99 said:


> Jakmedic, could you not get better or more educated answers to your questions and/or ideas on a medical based forum ?


In some ways, yes (and I'm looking), but I'm also especially interested in what cruisers think of all this, since its the cruising world I'm hoping to become part of here. You all are the ones who have been out there doing it, I'm still in the dreaming stages. You may know better than anyone what needs are out there being unmet...


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## PBzeer (Nov 11, 2002)

Just what kind of cruising are you thinking of? Circumnavigation type, coastal, Caribbean? That would make a big difference as to what was practical.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

If I were in Jac's situation, I would find the highest paying job in a coastal community where I could live aboard my cruising boat, cheaply, while paying off bills/stuffing the bank. I would also use the time to get used to the boat and prep the boat with all the mod's I would want. Then I'd take off! Jac you are very lucky to have a skill that can easily get good paying jobs almost at will.

Get your affairs in order and then go cruising without strings. When the money runs out you can easily go back to get some more.


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## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

PBzeer said:


> Just what kind of cruising are you thinking of? Circumnavigation type, coastal, Caribbean? That would make a big difference as to what was practical.


Thanks for asking...I almost hesitate to say for fear of sounding too eager while being so green a sailor, but I'm dreaming big... I don't have too much holding me back besides lots of debt which I intend to deal with these next few years, and inexperience on the seas. My sailing has been limited to coastal cruising mostly in the Long Island Sound. Have single-handed NYC to Block, Martha's Vineyard and back a few times, but I'm mostly self-taught and have never been really tested, so there's lots of gaps in knowledge and experience. My wife is adventurous and is itching to sail the world (but no experience), and I can envision a year or two cruising the caribbean and Central America as a start. My daughter is now 6 months old and hasn't weighed in, but I'll work on her. If things go well, who knows, we may decide to just keep going, so sky's the limit... Good thing my debt will keep me here for a while yet so I have time to learn and gain confidence to do this for real...


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## Libellula (Aug 20, 2007)

I have a doctor whom I can call. Since I have an education in biology, I can self diagnose but not prescribe, It is a service worth $$$$ but also with implied liabilities,


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## sevseasail (Jan 15, 2007)

jak...
you do not say how long before you go. you mention a few years to get rid of some debt; but........ how long before you break loose ?
that might help to get some ideas on how to get there.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Cruisingdad said:


> Guatemala has need of physicians, as I understand. However, I am not sure about the turning profit thing. Many of the places that need physicians the worst probably won't have much/any money.
> 
> I know my presonal physician (she and I were "friends") said that she was asked to move to the USVI to practice. They were going to give her a pretty reasonable income - but she declined since her husband was involved in building and would have an issue moving. That might be an option.
> 
> ...


Oi ! Unless your doctors dress up in sheep skins they'll be safe. What's more I employ a generous drop of eau de roden' , so I don't pong. much.

Oz does need Doctors. We keep arresting 'em and having them deported. For some reason this is putting others off from coming here. Don't understand it myself.


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## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

sevseasail said:


> jak...
> you do not say how long before you go. you mention a few years to get rid of some debt; but........ how long before you break loose ?
> that might help to get some ideas on how to get there.


Well...if I were a cautious and reasonable person I'd say not wise to set off without most (all?) debt paid off, and with real privation that means about 3-4 years (I'm talking things like grown man with wife and kid moving back home with the in-laws, or packing up everyone and moving to Waco Texas...moving to Texas is considered a grim sacrifice for a New Yorker)... If I were overly eager and cavalier, I'd say half that time with partial debt paid, but then working enough while cruising to keep us all above water...


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## sevseasail (Jan 15, 2007)

how about partnering up with another MD and opening your own practice.
Three years should give you enough time to get it up and runing and turning a profit. Then you cut back on your hours to become just an investor (income will be less but income non the less). Once or twice a year you could come back and work a litle for extra money while giving your partner some time off.
I don't know how it works for you MDs to keep your licence active but I just wanted to give you an idea.

Good luck...


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

I'm always amused over professionals who dream of casting off the bowlines and leaving everything behind. I consider this a form of escapism, running away from life's real issues to pursue the Buffett life. Why is this so important to a young family - especially while so low in the climb up the social and professional ladders of NY's medical society?

If my opinion is worth anything, I'd say buy a boat suitable for cruising southern New England's beautiful coastline and enjoy the relatively short season here. Once confident in your sailing skills, take a few weeks off during the winter months to charter sailboats down island. After a while, these dreams may transform into something different.


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## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

tdw said:


> Oi ! Unless your doctors dress up in sheep skins they'll be safe. What's more I employ a generous drop of eau de roden' , so I don't pong. much.
> 
> Oz does need Doctors. We keep arresting 'em and having them deported. For some reason this is putting others off from coming here. Don't understand it myself.


Cruisingdad: I want's sure what was meant by the "risks of TDW" in Australia and didn't want to ask for fear of sounding uninformed, but now I see...Not sure if I was just invited to come down there or threatened with rodent fluids and arrest if I do...maybe both. Sounds like a colorful experience, either way...


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## Libellula (Aug 20, 2007)

Life is short and uncertain


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

Jak,
I suspect you will have two major problems:
Many parts of the world will only allow aliens to won 49% of a business, so you'd need a local partner. And, most of the world would get rather upset and perhaps toss you in the pokey for practicing medicine without the proper local licenses.
Somewhere in between your vessel might get seized as an accessory to the crime, leaving you with just the shirt on your back in a foreign jail hole.

Of course, offering to do high seas surgery in international waters might not attract the same trade but it might be safer.<G>

Working in foreign ports and keeping a low profile so as to, frankly, work off the books illegally, is kindof at odds with practicing medicine, unless you are sewing up the local gangsters.


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## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

TrueBlue said:


> I'm always amused over professionals who dream of casting off the bowlines and leaving everything behind. I consider this a form of escapism, running away from life's real issues to pursue the Buffett life. Why is this so important to a young family - especially while so low in the climb up the social and professional ladders of NY's medical society?
> 
> If my opinion is worth anything, I'd say buy a boat suitable for cruising southern New England's beautiful coastline and enjoy the relatively short season here. Once confident in your sailing skills, take a few weeks off during the winter months to charter sailboats down island. After a while, these dreams may transform into something different.


TrueBlue: your opinion is worth a lot, as I've read many of your excellent posts over time. Not exactly sure what it is about professionals' dreams that amuses you (as opposed to non-professionals?) though...regardless, what you say is clearly the most reasonable and practical approach. It's EXACTLY the advice my father is giving me, incidentally, and while I have endless love and respect for him and his enduring pragmatism, I have to say it's Libellula's comment, "Life is short and uncertain" that immediately grabs me and pierces through like a clear bell.

I certainly don't wish to disparage my career-I'm very thankful to have it, and it's a great way to live a life-, but I personally have little interest in pursuing the 'social and professional ladders of NY's medical society' (not entirely sure what that is, even...picture stuffy doctors in bow-ties??). In my case at least, I don't agree that this is escapism...Ok, maybe just a little, but I honestly think that doing this and doing it well will in many ways be a lot more challenging than was the whole medical process I just spent the last 12 years negotiating. I risk overstating my case, but I think that much of the process of becoming a doctor requires having a family capable of writing checks, possessing some capacity to suffer, and mostly, being willing to follow direction and put one foot in front of the other when and where your are told. If you do that, you travel a well-worn path and more likely than not arrive exactly where you expected to be..a good place, surely, and also fairly a sure thing. As I see it, not true with being a cruising sailor, as there's no program to follow and everything to learn, you sink or sail by virtue of your skills alone and no guarantee of a safety net if things go wrong, and no promise of anything along the way or in the end except the experience that you make for yourself. I expect it to be mostly frustration and discomfort, actually, punctuated by moments of pleasure and maybe occasional exhilleration to hopefully make it all worthwhile. It seems much less of a sure thing to me, and frankly it scares me a lot more than I ever was going into medicine. But if I can pull it off, I have a sense that the satisfaction of doing this hard thing well will be most gratifying. Could be dreaming, but I won't know unless I actually do it. Sorry for indulging in auto-analysis of myself here for all to see, but I couldn't seem to stop once started...


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Jak,

First of all, the TDW comment was aimed at TDW - someone I often tease when Sailaway is not in my cross hairs. He is a good fellow. It was, of course, nothing more than a joke.

Now on this, I am not joking:

I was a premed student, (gulp) Baylor. I did well. Part of the honors program is to spend time at the hospital(s). I chose the ER. As a professor turned friend told me, there is no quicker burnout profession than an ER physician. For those that have not done it or spent any time in it, I will say that those are the most stressed, over worked, most prone to psych problem people I have ever met. It also ranked as one of the highest professions for drug abuse (in the ER)... at least that is what I was told. I can definitely see why.

You have had a VERY difficult run. Perhaps some time away would do you good. THere are a lot of different ways. Maybe you really should look into the physician practices in Guatemala or the islands. You won't make anything, but it will be beautiful and you will feel very good about what you do. You and your family could be travelling physicians that live on your boat? I envy you for it. Make it something that fulfills you, your family, and others and it will be worth it. You can always come back to private practice and it will look good on your CV. Don't worry, with the insurance companies dedication to irritating physicians, there will be no shortage of positions for good people.

Take a look here at this web site. THese physicians may help to guide you and your family. And if I can EVER GET OUT OF TEXAS, I hope your family and mine can meet one day. Guatemala is HIGH on our list.

All the best. Fair winds.

- CD

http://www.junglemedicmissions.org/


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Jak.
re: your tel-med service, if it hasn't been posted already, you should know that such company already exists. It's widely used by shipping companies, oil rigs and some yachtsmen.


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## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

CD: Much appreciate your thoughtful answer, and there probably is some truth to the burnout issue you raise (though I admit to no regrets! Would choose the same specialty all over again! I'm having fun! Right! ). Ok, I may be a little tired. That's a great web site you list, and I'll contact them to learn more...really like your vision of the liveaboard travelling physician. Sorry about the Texas slip, I knew I'd misstep with that one. 

Thanks to everyone for your attentive replies. You've all been enormously helpful...


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## Valdensule (Mar 2, 2007)

*Stop it John*

You should know better than to try your oil rig tricks out here.


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

jakmedic said:


> Pamlicotraveler: Ok, while I'm not much interested in being THAT kind of doc (they're easy enough to find, I think), what about this: might there not be a place for some sort of telemetric medical "consulting" service for seafarers? Perhaps this is getting hairbrained, or perhaps it already exists, but what about all those commercial (and private) vessels that have the potential to have to deal with medical issues far from land? Especially those without medical officers on board might benefit from a service (subscription based?) with docs on call for guidance, or one which provides the equipment and/or training to crew for dealing with medical issues before they leave port. Not unlike telemetry based EMS systms on land. Ok, maybe I'm getting silly here, and it's hard to imagine this really making any money, but it might be a satisfying project to pursue if only for the interest in intersecting seafaring and medicine...anyone know if it already exists? Would any of you cruisers out there subscribe to a service to know you could reach a doc for advice wherever you are sailing? No? Ok, forget it...


Actually, I only got this far in the thread. I had this same idea in a simpler form at about the third post.

Why not have a subscription phone and Internet consultancy? For a set base price, plus a per-call charge via satphone to your boat, offer a "first alert" style of diagnosis that helps other cruisers to determine the seriousness of the medical issue, and guidance on how to proceed. Guarantee a response within one hour or better, depending on the time zone, and develop a list of English-speaking doctors in cruising grounds that you endorse.

As a sideline, you could write scrips, obviously, but you could also pack medicine chests (and provide proper instruction beyond first aid) with hard-to-get drugs like anti-biotics and heart medicines.

My wife's in the wildlife rehab game, and while she can set bones and sew lacerations, we are trying to figure out how to manage burns, poisonings or certain fevers offshore.

Most stuff is minor aboard, but if we could phone a primary care M.D. when we thought..."hmm...what if this is something worse?", then we could respond better should a medical issue arise.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Valdensule said:


> You should know better than to try your oil rig tricks out here.


Huh? What does that mean?

- CD


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

Why not try the simple-safe-and-legal route: go to St. Thomas and work a little and sail a lot. Rent or buy a tiny condo, own a nice, modest but sound boat. Beats getting your ass shot off or shot at in Guatamala. A few years ago I met a family whose daughter was kidnapped there by Ak-47-wielding freaks, so I'm definitely biased.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

CD-

Press the red button...nuke him... I didn't understand that post either... 



Valdensule said:


> You should know better than to try your oil rig tricks out here.


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

sailingdog said:


> CD-
> 
> Press the red button...nuke him... I didn't understand that post either...


I didn't say anything disgusting! I even left out my suggestion to become a man-whore in the USVI...


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Sailhog-

You need to go back on your meds... my post was directed at Valdensule... not you my friendly but paranoid porcine...


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

Back on the meds. Thanks for the reminder, SD. As I was saying, JakMedic should consider a life as a man-wh...


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Thank god the meds finally took effect...


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

sailhog said:


> I didn't say anything disgusting! I even left out my suggestion to become a man-whore in the USVI...


I'm assuming the moniker you chose was well earned from your M-W experience on tropical islands?


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## chris_gee (May 31, 2006)

There seem to be some contradictions here. You want a challenge of some sailing. You want full time cruising in some idyllic island location. You need an income from perhaps halftime work, like many others.
Life may be short and uncertain or long and uncertain.
When you are say overworked and burned out, the idea of looking at waves and sunsets may seem appealing. But how much of it can you take? The novelty can quickly wear off, and much of its appeal lies in contrast.
You have various options. Longterm cruising financed by half time ie 6 months work in some place like US or Australia wherever you can get a work permit and permanent residency and understand the locals' weird humour.
Or mainly local cruising whether in some idyllic island setting, or more locally, made possible by negotiating some work life balance of say 10 hrs 4x pw for say 9 mths pa. That may pose some difficulty in negotiating in the US with their lousy holidays but may be possible as many hold parttime positions.
Later you may cruise full time. Remember most starting out to do so don't last 6 months.
If you want both a challenge and to feel uncomfortable, any significant ocean leg particularly in a race boat will do.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

TrueBlue said:


> I'm always amused over professionals who dream of casting off the bowlines and leaving everything behind. I consider this a form of escapism, running away from life's real issues to pursue the Buffett life. Why is this so important to a young family - especially while so low in the climb up the social and professional ladders of NY's medical society?
> 
> If my opinion is worth anything, I'd say buy a boat suitable for cruising southern New England's beautiful coastline and enjoy the relatively short season here. Once confident in your sailing skills, take a few weeks off during the winter months to charter sailboats down island. After a while, these dreams may transform into something different.


I'm not a doctor, but I play one on the Internet. 

I am getting burned out in a different industry and I feel the desire to pack up and go ______. I can fill in the blank with sailing, of course, but truth be told there are probably other interests I could become equally obsessed with. I have a young family, but the kids are old enough to have roots; cruising or ______ really isn't a viable option right now. The wife is definitely not on board right now. So I got a small boat and I am working on them (kids enjoy sailing, but they also enjoy going home, seeing friends, etc).

But I also have a couterpoint. In my case, this is not a new desire at all. Taking steps toward making it happen someday is what's new. Circumstances now dictate that I won't really have the chance to do it until my mid to late 50s. Had I made a bold move earlier, well???


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

arbarnhart said:


> Taking steps toward making it happen someday is what's new. Circumstances now dictate that I won't really have the chance to do it until my mid to late 50s. Had I made a bold move earlier, well???


Mr. Barnhardt's a realist. I am one as well. However, talk of cruising and working simultaneously, in my opinion, is not realistic.

A year ago my wife, two daughters and I moved from Steamboat Springs, Colorado to HHI. After 20 winters there, we wanted a break from the snow, and I wanted to sail. We didn't move to the Caribe; we kept our house in Colorado (rented it out), and moved here, where we own yet another overpriced house. My wife is in marketing and I'm a writer, so it has worked. I'd love to work and live on a boat in the Caribbean, but it would never come to anything because I've got to make a living. I have an editor or co-author call me once in a blue moon, asking me to do some stupid bullshit for them, and I've got to be able to handle it right away.

My point is this: if anyone could make the cruising/working dream happen, it would be a somebody like myself... and I'm telling you, there is NO WAY I could do it. No way. It's impossible. Years ago I coauthored a book with an MD and was surrounded by a pajillion doctors for nearly two years. They are very busy people, as I'm sure you are, Jakmedic. I know I'm going on and on, but I don't have a lot of time... Anyway, don't listen to people who tell you to "follow your dream." Just move CLOSER TO IT. Move to some place like HHI or Florida (wait for the RE market to collapse, and then move), buy a hearty boat, sail your ass off, and keep your place in NYC so that you can always go back.

Listen to Sailhog! Do as Sailhog says! Sailhog knows best!


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

Exactly my prior point! Sailhog does know best.

I had dreamed of doing the same several years ago - but there aren't many Caribbean locals who have the intent, or the means, to hire me to custom design an island estate, or to reconstruct their tin-roof shack. Nor could I manage to fulfill architectural contracts on distant shores from the confines of my boat.

In my current situation, we enjoy the waters we live on to the fullest extent and take vacations to the places we dream of off-season. This way, professional obligations are maintained and since I'm self-employed, I go sailing whenever I want - here or down island.


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

TB,
I'm a he-whore-man-hog who doesn't want the good doctor to lose his ass setting broken bones while he sweats his testicles off!


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

sailhog said:


> Mr. Barnhart's a realist. I am one as well.
> [...]
> Listen to Sailhog! Do as Sailhog says! Sailhog knows best!


I've been called worse, I guess. 

But I am having trouble reconciling your statement that you are a realist with that last bit.


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

sailhog said:


> TB,
> I'm a he-whore-man-hog who doesn't want the good doctor to lose his ass setting broken bones while he sweats his testicles off!


A he-whore by the seashore?


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## byrondv (Jan 6, 2007)

Valiente said:


> A he-whore by the seashore?




Thanks. Now I have to explain to everyone at work why I just laughed that loud. And I don't think HR would like me to repeat this...


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

Valiente said:


> A he-whore by the seashore?


A man-hog by the... I can't think of anything that goes with man-hog.


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

Is it safe to say you're not a poet? Besides the drivel we read here, what kind of writing do people pay you for?


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

TrueBlue said:


> Is it safe to say you're not a poet? Besides the drivel we read here, what kind of writing do people pay you for?


Always full of compliments...


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

Sorry sh, you know I love you . . . just yanking your snout bristles.


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## ReverendMike (Aug 1, 2006)

Another thread gone off the rails....

Ditto the sentiment of 'do what you can but don't give up the practice'. LI sound is a great cruising ground. Learn all you can, get a boat, pay off the bills, take one step at a time. Planning too far ahead invites Murphy to mess with your plans.....


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

The Man-hog found a bog and thought it was the shore.
He built a boat, sure and strong, so he could explore,
the nameless wonders of the sea, places far and wide.
And not long after he left the beach, he reached the other side.
He stepped off of his yacht and smiled, "Wow, what a RIDE!"

Success is not how far you go, it's how hard you tried.

- CD

(My little bit of poetry today for hog and our doctor friend)


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## Pamlicotraveler (Aug 13, 2006)

dang CD that was good


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

Pamlicotraveler said:


> dang CD that was good


Thank you.

- CD


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

CD makes the bard look like a fortune cookie scribe! He-hog kind of misted up when he read it...


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

There was a young piggy on Hilton Head
Who wrote and wrote till nearly dead

He told Mrs.Hog he was bi
She was so mortified that she died

And now he's screwing himself in bed! 

(G)


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## sailhog (Dec 11, 2006)

camaraderie said:


> There was a young piggy on Hilton Head
> Who wrote and wrote till nearly dead
> 
> He told Mrs.Hog he was bi
> ...


Cam, when I first read this, I walked to the back of the barn, slumped down in the slop, and just thought about pig I'd become... Then I squirted some Jergins into my cloven hoof, and did my business. Guess it goes to show that you can take the hog out of the Vegas, but you can't take Vegas out of the hog...


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## rtbates (Jan 30, 2007)

You're an MD and you can not manage to save enough to go crusing. Shame on you. Live BELOW your means for a few years and save save save.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

rtbates said:


> You're an MD and you can not manage to save enough to go crusing. Shame on you. Live BELOW your means for a few years and save save save.


Since I have been "close to there", let me say that it is not the money it may be cracked up to be. I remember my friend telling me she pays 250k/year for 300k/year insurance coverage (malpractice). He also has ENORMOUS medical bills from college. Only paid mine off a couple of years ago.

- CD


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Cruisingdad said:


> The Man-hog found a bog and thought it was the shore.
> He built a boat, sure and strong, so he could explore,
> the nameless wonders of the sea, places far and wide.
> And not long after he left the beach, he reached the other side.
> ...


Quick, change his name to CrusingBardonAvon.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

As an anesthesiologist/pain management doc with my own practice I have had the same dream many times. I have quickly put that aside as I see how the family and I are living so well after 4 years of being on my own. (And no I will not call in Oxycontin for anyone, but I will inject your spine or implant a dorsal column stimulator if you like) At this point I have put the wheels in motion for coastal cruising around NE, as so many wise ones have suggested on this site. Back to your dream..... I have known physicians from Brown and Loyola that have taken on teaching jobs in the carib(med schools) on occasions when they needed a vacation.(most single with no baggage) Some of them go down to teach every chance they get. Nothing beats getting your airfare, room and board taken care of while you vacation. I hear it is hard to get citizenship in these countries, and thats what it will take to get in the door to practice medicine. I do think it will be required that you give up your US citizenship in order to do this. Very few countries allow dual citizenship and I believe the US is not one of them. Some countries will not accept our American training as some here have mentioned. Not a big surprise since WHO list some of the top med schools and these are not all on American soil. If you havent spent alot of time in some of the locations you dream of I suggest you test the water by going down and spending a few months to see if you and the family can deal with third world conditions. You may love some the topless french carib locations (dont ask me how I know) but the wife, that may be a different story. 
Also my cousin, who is a heme pathologist told me a group of radiologist with offshore accounts/companies read films from their boats for hospitals in the states. Damn, maybe I should have gone into radiology. On another note coding, billing and getting paid while an land is hard enough these days.


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## jakmedic (Aug 28, 2006)

Well, everyone's been such an inspiration here that I decided to quit yapping and do something since my last post to move this project forward...as disappearing the debt seems the major unifying priority, we just arranged to leave our apartment and move somewhere cheap...ok, it's back in with the in-laws. No kidding. I can't believe we're really doing that, I must be nuts (how's THAT for belt-tightening rtbates!?!). It seemed a better option than Texas, for now at least. I also went out and got a second moonlighting job today. So much for avoiding burnout. If I haven't plunged a fork into my eye one year hence, maybe around then then I'll be asking for advice on boat shopping...a happy day that will be...


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

Congrats Jak... sounds like a good start.


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

sailhog said:


> A man-hog by the... I can't think of anything that goes with man-hog.


A nice Chablis, perhaps? I dunno. My religion forbids man-hog.


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## chris_gee (May 31, 2006)

Go sailing in the meantime.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)

Live aboard the boat during the summer to get out of the house and live with the in-laws over winter!

Did you take the second job for the money or to get out of the house???


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