I forget which vessel Coaster was filmed on. This was 40 years ago. It was all play acting. I attended one of the screenings. Ackerman was in the audience. A few real sailors were laughing and shouting “bullshit” in the more ridiculous parts.
There was a guy that did ok for awhile buying rum at cheap islands and sailing it to islands where it was expensive. When he grew to three boats he attracted attention and got shutdown.
Boats have bought tropical hardwood lumber up some horrible bug, snake, piranha,and crocodile infested river in Guyana. They sailed straight to boatyards in New England to sell it at an enormous mark up. Some of the exotic lumber was suitable for making musical instruments and very valuable.
Last I heard, one of the boats that had been doing lumber was doing something similar with a different commodity in the South Pacific.
I’ve heard about sailing vessels making money buying gemstones, antiques, pottery, textiles, leather goods, and artisanal craft products for resale.
The only proven way of making money under sail is “the skin trade,” carrying passengers. For every boat that is successful, several fail. The key to success is the personality of the Captain.
If this boat in Costa Rica is completed, it will end up carrying passengers somewhere else, perhaps Cabo.