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mkelly posted 11-30-2013 12:22 AM ET (US)
Little disappointed in the traffic on our fun website/blog....seems to have slowed down quite a bit lately. Is it me or are the folks slowing down the issues, stories, etc. Hope it gets back really busy as I love spending a half hour before bed going thru our passion.
fishgutz posted 11-30-2013 09:33 AM ET (US)
Umm, it's winter. Most people, like 90% maybe more have put their boats away until next spring, unless you are like me and live in a warmer place. I was just out the other day enjoying the 80 degree weather.
Jefecinco posted 11-30-2013 09:37 AM ET (US)
I'm sure it's seasonal. Shopping, winterizing, and perhaps a little national malaise over current events may be affecting participation.
I'm sure JimH charts usage over the years and can predict slow periods. Perhaps when we get all the boating goodies for Chrisrtmas we'll see a little more action.
Butch
jimh posted 11-30-2013 12:07 PM ET (US)
Actually jimh does not chart anything about usage. I really don't take much interest in collecting data about it.
I do notice that at this time of year there is not much boating in northern latitudes. I have not made a scientific analysis of the location of participants, but I think there is a bit of a bias toward the northern side on the website. It may reflect the general distribution of Boston Whaler boats across the country.
jimh posted 11-30-2013 12:14 PM ET (US)
I should have said the general distribution of older Boston Whaler boats in the country. In the northern USA, say in the Great Lakes region, we have a huge number of older Boston Whaler boats. I don't know if there is the same large numbers throughout the southern regions.
Jefecinco posted 11-30-2013 06:20 PM ET (US)
Damn, wrong again! Clearly, almost no one is as anal as I.
myakka posted 11-30-2013 08:46 PM ET (US)
Relax mkelly
Winterization is over for most. Mid December you will see things twitch. By mid January full fledged cabin fever will be in place. All of a sudden every conceivable Spring (boating) project will be being talked about.
Mike
tjxtreme posted 12-01-2013 09:28 AM ET (US)
I compiled some usage statistics at one point, but there wasn't much interest in it.
As noted above, there was a clear seasonal trend. The Repairs section takes a bigger hit than General.
http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/tjxtreme/media/stats/cwstats-1.jpg. html
jimh posted 12-01-2013 10:50 AM ET (US)
Thanks for the very interesting data and the graph of its function.
Plotman posted 12-02-2013 01:46 PM ET (US)
I've noticed the same thing and wondered about it. I've been a member a little over 10 years, and the site is certainly less active than it once was.
I wonder how much smaller the pool of "classic" whalers is now than it was 15 years ago.
I'm guessing that the pool of older whalers is bigger in the north than in the south because boats tend to last a lot longer up here than they do in the south - a combination of a much shorter season and a lack of saltwater.
When I joined in '03, most of the "classics" had ended production a decade or more previously, or at least been relegated to the back page of the catalog. Now, in many of these models, the newest examples are 2 decades old, and many are even older. I fear that an increasing number are in landfills or rotting behind a barn somewhere.
jimh posted 12-03-2013 06:49 AM ET (US)
I have a Google key word search that emails me every morning with a list of articles that mention a certain boating-related term. Normally the list will have ten or more instances in which the term is mentioned. The past week or so, each day the email has only contained one or two articles that mention the term. I consider this to be a rough gauge on overall activity on all boating websites. Using that measure, the activity level during the week of Thanksgiving is rather low on all boating websites. I imagine some boaters actually spend some time with their families during that time.
Binkster posted 12-03-2013 01:23 PM ET (US)
I don't know about old Whalers rotting behind the barn, but what happened to many of the knowlegeable old timers that used to post here. I've been here a little over nine years, and I see a difference, now in the threads and posts on the site. It was less formal than it is now. and there was almost a camaraderie between members. The info obtained from members threads and posts were as good or even better than today, and it was done in a more humorous way. Remember Hooter? No one knew who he actually was, and many suspected he was another member. I think the presidential elections in '08 and the political threads at that time on the now defunct META forum caused a lot of dissent among members, and even brought outsiders in who weren't even boaters. So its different now, some of the oldtimers don't post as much now, but its still the best Whaler forum around.
rich
george nagy posted 12-03-2013 01:40 PM ET (US)
Another possible contributor to the decline of posting traffic here might have something to do with the incessant "Mercury" injection into almost every post, Although that too has seemed to slow considerably. I also looked forward to Tony's (elaelap) postings containing tales of his travels which were always accompanied with beautiful high res photos. In any case I'm sure the accumulation of the economic hardships has effected many boaters which have/ had frequented this site, maybe this is now just another "sign of the times".
tjxtreme posted 12-03-2013 02:23 PM ET (US)
I do not think that the recent economic hardship felt by many has effected many boaters on this forum. If anything, it would be the opposite- a reduction in site traffic.
By the way, Binkster, that reminds me... what ever happened to the guys that used to post here like RTM or Binky ;)
Binkster posted 12-03-2013 02:52 PM ET (US)
tjextreme,
RTM, Binky, hmmm, maybe they were having too much fun, and eventually got shot down. The one I liked the best though was Frisco Pete.

rich (more serious now)
jimh posted 12-03-2013 03:29 PM ET (US)
On the topic of "the way things used to be," I will say this re Mister Hooter: I have no idea who he actually was. I never tried to find out, either. He was quite a character.

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Author	Topic: Posts
mkelly	posted 11-30-2013 12:22 AM ET (US) Little disappointed in the traffic on our fun website/blog....seems to have slowed down quite a bit lately. Is it me or are the folks slowing down the issues, stories, etc. Hope it gets back really busy as I love spending a half hour before bed going thru our passion.
fishgutz	posted 11-30-2013 09:33 AM ET (US) Umm, it's winter. Most people, like 90% maybe more have put their boats away until next spring, unless you are like me and live in a warmer place. I was just out the other day enjoying the 80 degree weather.
Jefecinco	posted 11-30-2013 09:37 AM ET (US) I'm sure it's seasonal. Shopping, winterizing, and perhaps a little national malaise over current events may be affecting participation. I'm sure JimH charts usage over the years and can predict slow periods. Perhaps when we get all the boating goodies for Chrisrtmas we'll see a little more action. Butch
jimh	posted 11-30-2013 12:07 PM ET (US) Actually jimh does not chart anything about usage. I really don't take much interest in collecting data about it. I do notice that at this time of year there is not much boating in northern latitudes. I have not made a scientific analysis of the location of participants, but I think there is a bit of a bias toward the northern side on the website. It may reflect the general distribution of Boston Whaler boats across the country.
jimh	posted 11-30-2013 12:14 PM ET (US) I should have said the general distribution of older Boston Whaler boats in the country. In the northern USA, say in the Great Lakes region, we have a huge number of older Boston Whaler boats. I don't know if there is the same large numbers throughout the southern regions.
Jefecinco	posted 11-30-2013 06:20 PM ET (US) Damn, wrong again! Clearly, almost no one is as anal as I.
myakka	posted 11-30-2013 08:46 PM ET (US) Relax mkelly Winterization is over for most. Mid December you will see things twitch. By mid January full fledged cabin fever will be in place. All of a sudden every conceivable Spring (boating) project will be being talked about. Mike
tjxtreme	posted 12-01-2013 09:28 AM ET (US) I compiled some usage statistics at one point, but there wasn't much interest in it. As noted above, there was a clear seasonal trend. The Repairs section takes a bigger hit than General. http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/tjxtreme/media/stats/cwstats-1.jpg. html
jimh	posted 12-01-2013 10:50 AM ET (US) Thanks for the very interesting data and the graph of its function.
Plotman	posted 12-02-2013 01:46 PM ET (US) I've noticed the same thing and wondered about it. I've been a member a little over 10 years, and the site is certainly less active than it once was. I wonder how much smaller the pool of "classic" whalers is now than it was 15 years ago. I'm guessing that the pool of older whalers is bigger in the north than in the south because boats tend to last a lot longer up here than they do in the south - a combination of a much shorter season and a lack of saltwater. When I joined in '03, most of the "classics" had ended production a decade or more previously, or at least been relegated to the back page of the catalog. Now, in many of these models, the newest examples are 2 decades old, and many are even older. I fear that an increasing number are in landfills or rotting behind a barn somewhere.
jimh	posted 12-03-2013 06:49 AM ET (US) I have a Google key word search that emails me every morning with a list of articles that mention a certain boating-related term. Normally the list will have ten or more instances in which the term is mentioned. The past week or so, each day the email has only contained one or two articles that mention the term. I consider this to be a rough gauge on overall activity on all boating websites. Using that measure, the activity level during the week of Thanksgiving is rather low on all boating websites. I imagine some boaters actually spend some time with their families during that time.
Binkster	posted 12-03-2013 01:23 PM ET (US) I don't know about old Whalers rotting behind the barn, but what happened to many of the knowlegeable old timers that used to post here. I've been here a little over nine years, and I see a difference, now in the threads and posts on the site. It was less formal than it is now. and there was almost a camaraderie between members. The info obtained from members threads and posts were as good or even better than today, and it was done in a more humorous way. Remember Hooter? No one knew who he actually was, and many suspected he was another member. I think the presidential elections in '08 and the political threads at that time on the now defunct META forum caused a lot of dissent among members, and even brought outsiders in who weren't even boaters. So its different now, some of the oldtimers don't post as much now, but its still the best Whaler forum around. rich
george nagy	posted 12-03-2013 01:40 PM ET (US) Another possible contributor to the decline of posting traffic here might have something to do with the incessant "Mercury" injection into almost every post, Although that too has seemed to slow considerably. I also looked forward to Tony's (elaelap) postings containing tales of his travels which were always accompanied with beautiful high res photos. In any case I'm sure the accumulation of the economic hardships has effected many boaters which have/ had frequented this site, maybe this is now just another "sign of the times".
tjxtreme	posted 12-03-2013 02:23 PM ET (US) I do not think that the recent economic hardship felt by many has effected many boaters on this forum. If anything, it would be the opposite- a reduction in site traffic. By the way, Binkster, that reminds me... what ever happened to the guys that used to post here like RTM or Binky ;)
Binkster	posted 12-03-2013 02:52 PM ET (US) tjextreme, RTM, Binky, hmmm, maybe they were having too much fun, and eventually got shot down. The one I liked the best though was Frisco Pete. rich (more serious now)
jimh	posted 12-03-2013 03:29 PM ET (US) On the topic of "the way things used to be," I will say this re Mister Hooter: I have no idea who he actually was. I never tried to find out, either. He was quite a character.