Forum future

[Skipper599]

This used to be a vibrant forum with many people posting good information and comments. I'm sorry to see it has deteriorated considerably with few new postings since last I checked earlier this year. What has happened to all the great folk that used to post here? Have we managed to drive them all away?
I myself have been away for quite a long time and recently returned from a 5 week visit to UK & Eire. I thought I would check to see what's new on the PC forum and was disappointed to see it is only a shadow of what I remember a year or two back. Is the forum finished???

[OldCreek]

Sadly, I agree.

Perhaps the economy has driven away people and their restorations? All the major posters seem to have gone.

Perhaps with Tim no longer moderating everyone else has left, too.

I was thinking about starting my own build thread. Maybe that would drum up some interest. I'm bound to have a ton of questions... (If you build it, they will come.)?

I spend my online time going between the gear/maintenance/build sections at sailnet, cruisers forum, boat design, and wooden boat. But, I check back here frequently to see if anything is going on...

Wil

[TampaBay]

The summer has been hot enough that I had to stop all projects. Still, my thread had 2,000 views over that down time. There are people visiting the site.

I would like to see more pictures in threads. It's the picture that tells the story.

[earlylight]

If you wish to know the truth and this will probably rub you the wrong way, but I and about a dozen others have moved on to other forum sites where those who post stick to boating topics rather than flora/fauna and motor vehicle restoration. We feel there are plenty of forums where those kind of topics are the main thrust of their respective sites.. We originally came to this forum because of our interests in boats. If the truth hurts, I am sorry, but that is the bottom line with us.

[TampaBay]

If you wish to know the truth and this will probably rub you the wrong way, but I and about a dozen others have moved on to other forum sites where those who post stick to boating topics rather than flora/fauna and motor vehicle restoration. We feel there are plenty of forums where those kind of topics are the main thrust of their respective sites.. We originally came to this forum because of our interests in boats. If the truth hurts, I am sorry, but that is the bottom line with us.

I don't care, that you don't enjoy my thread. There are many many other threads on the forum that you could check out.

The point is, that thousands of eyeballs still visit the forum every month. For anyone willing to contribute content, your efforts will not go unnoticed.

[Paulus]

If you wish to know the truth and this will probably rub you the wrong way, but I and about a dozen others have moved on to other forum sites where those who post stick to boating topics rather than flora/fauna and motor vehicle restoration. We feel there are plenty of forums where those kind of topics are the main thrust of their respective sites.. We originally came to this forum because of our interests in boats. If the truth hurts, I am sorry, but that is the bottom line with us.

I don't care, that you don't enjoy my thread. There are many many other threads on the forum that you could check out.

The point is, that thousands of eyeballs still visit the forum every month. For anyone willing to contribute content, your efforts will not go unnoticed.

I always look for your next post.

[earlylight]

TampaBay wrote:

I don't care, that you don't enjoy my thread. There are many many other threads on the forum that you could check out.

The point is, that thousands of eyeballs still visit the forum every month. For anyone willing to contribute content, your efforts will not go unnoticed.

You were the one who wanted to know why people were not posting, I merely answered you, so don't get your skivvies all in a knot. I am not here to enter into a battle of wits with a totally unarmed person. Have a great day.

[OldCreek]

Ironic, however, that not for TampaBay's boat/truck restoration there would not have been ANY posts on this site a while back...

I can't imagine one person's post would prevent others from posting their info/questions. I see no causation here. It's easy enough to ignore some threads if needed.

[TampaBay]

You are way out of line earlylight.

I'm not "the one who wanted to know why people were not posting," as you claim.

I'm the one who said if someone does contribute content to the forum, it will be enjoyed by many people who still visit.

Maybe I'm not always the smartest guy in the room, but I can read. You should give it a try.

[Crazer]

Good grief, we set out to discuss why the forum is declining and immediately set to bickering over what people post in their own threads. Not a good sign, eh? I don't see why it matters what TampaBay posts, it's his thread, it's boat related, who cares. I think the larger issue is just not having enough project logs period. I personally like to go to forums for to admire and be inspired by other people's projects. I wish I had my own projects to share but right now that's just not happening. I wish there was a good solution to the problem of the forum's decline, my only idea would be to start to try and recruit people from other forums. There's the Moyer Marine Forum, various cruising forums, the e-mail lists for boats like the Triton and Alberg 30, and many more. Maybe we could start there?

[mdidriksen]

I have also wondered at the lack of activity on this forum of late. It used to be (and I think probably still can be) one of the best places to get advice from people who have been there before you. I frequent Sailnet and Sailing Anarchy, but still check in here to ask for advice and post the occasional project log. I've found some great inspiration on here, so I plan to keep coming back. It's not like the "to do" list on my boat gets any shorter ...

[mdidriksen]

Perhaps if we started a list of folks who no longer seem to be contributing but who had a lot to do with why this site is (was) so good, we can encourage them to re-activate things and simultaneously draw others in. Folks who used to post a lot that I no longer see include:

Quetzalsailor
Hirilonde
Rachel
Zach

[CharlieJ]

I seriously doubt you will EVER see Rachel on here again. For exactly the reason I see on this thread. She got totally fed up with crap.

Serious knowledge lost

I stopped because I've been out cruising the last 3 years, and then went through a separation, and pending divorce. Tehani had a broken off mast head, which I repaired after regaining possession of the boat, and she's now afloat again.

docked in Port Aransas, Texas just after relaunch

[Paulus]

Drama also get people to post more... ;-)

I believe Facebook is a big gobbler of people's attention - a lot of sites are going, or trying, Facebook. Personally I don't think it - or anything similar - is as effective and informative as a good old forum like this.

What get me to roll my eyes is when someone asks a group like this how they can do something, i.e. ask those that have tried and succeeded (or failed) - and the majority of answers are references to replacewith new or have it done professionally... Really?

Anyway, there is some real good stuff here and, regardless of the traffic, I am sure this is a solid forum, ready to help anyone who is looking for an answer on just about anything.

Sorry for the rant - carry on.

[CharlieJ]

I think you are correct about facebook (and others). I saw it pretty much kill another forum.. And it's sad. because there is no back reference. Here there are historical posts that can be referred to. On facebook, unless you KNOW the person who posted, it's almost impossible to find things.

Face book is fine for day to day chatter, but not for info

Sad but true.

And on the other-I've seen many times on forums where someone felt they just HAD to post, and obviously had never read the question being asked, answering with some off the wall comments that helped not at all.

And that doesn't help either.

[OldCreek]

Well, I guess one of the ways to keep things lively is to just start posting...

I will try posting more.

Today I will post in the boat barn/shed index...

Maybe, you ALL should post something Today to get the ball rolling.

[pjesus]

Although not much of a poster, for me this is THE forum when it comes to boat-related DYI stuff. It's the one I recommend to all my boatie friends (which, like me, like messing around in boats or don't have the money to have it done by someone else).

Having said that, I do miss Tim's (and others) posts but personally can't complain as I get my questions answered.

Life's made of cycles..

[galleywench]

This site has been a huge help for me during the course of my restoration. It is too bad that the number and variety of posts has fallen dramatically; but as pjesus said, I always get my questions answered and I really can't say how much I appreciate that. I would hate to see it shut down because this forum is a huge knowledge base that I refer to and search frequently.

[CharlieJ]

galleywench- I know the guy who runs this forum. I don't think there's any danger of it being shut down, at least not at this time.

[galleywench]

galleywench- I know the guy who runs this forum. I don't think there's any danger of it being shut down, at least not at this time.

That's good to hear, I'd love to see some more activity though. It takes my mind off my day job ;)

[Quetzalsailor]

Aww, gee! Nice (and unexpected) kudos noted! I have not posted for quite a while and for several reasons: sage comments and advice from Tim Luckey, Hirilonde, Chris Campbell, Rachel, Zach, and the others noted have been sadly lacking. I learned far more than I ever offered from those folks! I was "terminally unemployed or retired" for a while and am now semi-officially retired; I don't sit around in front of a computer and stave off paid work with fun. I've got my own architectural design/drafting work to do at this computer and can hardly bear it! I spend a great deal of time working on this old house, the NE 38, and the Flying Dutchman, not to mention the Knabe Ampico reproducing grand piano. I check this site occasionally but I spend most of my 'chatty' time on Facebook, very little on Youtube. Check me out, if you wish; Douglas S Heckrotte and Knabeknucklehead. I fear that Dick C comes across in this topic as a bit of a knucklehead, too; I don't think he is.

Speaking of the Flying Dutchman restoration, I pretty much finished her in August 2012. Sailed her for the first time since 1993. Sailed her again this summer, and culminated with showing and racing her at the Chesapeake Maritime Museum's annual small boat festival. Took home two first prize ribbons, one for the race and the other for the restoration work. Very satisfying! There were quite a number of beautiful boats there.

[Skipper599]

If you go back far enough, somebody 'badmouthed' (used the "B" word) Rachel which caused her to stop posting. Don't know who that individual was as I didn't recognize his 'handle' but it was related to a post I had made here, and I believe Rachel may have thought I was the one responsible for the inconsiderate remarks made by that other poster. But that is totally incorrect, because I always held Rachel in high regard and I wish she would reconsider posting here. Anyway, it's good to see some people are still reading the forum.

[Paulus]

If you go back far enough, somebody 'badmouthed' (used the "B" word) Rachel which caused her to stop posting. Don't know who that individual was as I didn't recognize his 'handle' but it was related to a post I had made here, and I believe Rachel may have thought I was the one responsible for the inconsiderate remarks made by that other poster. But that is totally incorrect, because I always held Rachel in high regard and I wish she would reconsider posting here. Anyway, it's good to see some people are still reading the forum.

Here: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=5793

Apparently the offensive posts were deleted by the purp, to no avail of getting Rachel to re-join in on the discussions. I agree she should reconsider - I always enjoyed reading her entries...

[CharlieJ]

At the moment, Rachel is in "Gad about mode" and not posting much of anything- she is touring the country.

[Lloyd]

I never was much of a poster. I was always a lurker. I very much enjoyed reading this Forum every day at lunch for years. I bought my Bristol 27 in 2002 and joined this Forum in 2007 to post about the work I was doing on it. I had started lurking on this Forum a year or two before I bought my boat. If it had not been for the Forum I would never have bought it. It was the info and all the people here that made me feel that I could take on a boat project like some of them had. I didn't ask a lot of questions, I just read and read and read some more. Most of the questions I would have asked had already been answered or were being talked about at the time. The work Tim was always doing seemed to cover a lot of it and all the people that added to this place seemed to be endless. Fast forward, my project sits and waits on me to do some more. Life has kept me from doing much on it here lately, but I see it every day sitting and waiting. My dream for it has never changed.

I do not read this forum every day anymore. Things here had slowed down so much that I didn't check on it much anymore. I do miss it all very much though. I was very saddened when Rachel left. She was so full of love and life for sailing it was hard not to learn from her posts. She was greatly missed when she left.

I do hope people will continue to post about their sailboats, their projects and the things they do with them here. I will when I do some more.

Good Sailing To All

[bristol27]

This was probably the best forum on the web for rebuilding fiberglass boats for some time. I think it took a hit when Tim said he wouldn't be posting any longer. Perhaps there are other reasons too.

For me personally, I just don't have the time to post as often, but I do check back from time to time. And it's still one of my first stops for asking questions. I've really appreciated everyone's input every time I've posted.

[BALANCE]

Just stopped in. Glad to see some familiar names. Sad to hear that Rachel was dissed in any fashion. Not a sweeter, kinder, more humble poster exists. A walking and talking (and sailing) Funk and Wagnall! Whoever is in contact with her please send my regards. I hope somebody punched the offender in the nose!

I now hail from Newport, still have BALANCE, the WS32 although she is for sale. She was put on the market because I had come upon another boat that ended up selling before I could throw my hat in. She was a Northeast or LeCompte 38 yawl rig. I did eventually see her and meet the new/current owner in Newport Harbor in 2012. I got a call today from this guy's broker. He apparently remembered my drooling face and asked said broker to find me and let me know she will be for sale soon!!!!!!!!!!!! Pretty exciting stuff. PM already sent to the Quetzelsailor. If I end up buying her, I will surely be a frequent question asker again. Rachel was priceless to me when I got the Westsail, I will surely miss her. Tim is no longer moderating yet the site still exists? How does that work? Yet another priceless (and patient) resource. Take care all.

[Crazer]

Balance: I just turned a startling shade of bright green. Good luck with selling the Westsail and I hope you get the LeComte, regardless of my envy. They are superb, beautiful boats. Keep us updated!