Suggestions... Model/Size sorts? Albums?

[soup1438]

Perhaps in the maintenance/mechanical and design areas there may be sortation into model or size "groupings".

As the owner of an E25 I would just drool over the info/pics of the larger boats but those aren't *as* useful as material that fits the range of boat I have (admittedly I like to dream, OK?).

Beyond that... We can attach pictures to posts. Perhaps there may be a mechanism by which each such photo gets added to an author's "collection", so, when someone clicks on my name on a post, for instance, they can see thumbnails of every picture I've ever attached to a posting.

I would *not* recommend an arbitrary "album" mechanism per se since that'd get a bit out of hand, though I *really* like the idea of thumbnails that I can click and get the post it was part of back.

(Expects to hear derisive laughter considering how dinky my boat is...)

Seriously, the ability to "network" with other owners of E-25s (as dictinct from E-25+'s) would be nice too... so an owner registry would be nice.

Gawd... I'm running off at the mouth...

 

[Sean Engle]

Good Ideas...

Hey John -

Thanks for your post - very good idea.

We had considered doing something like that at some point in the past - the only problem was that the total maintenance traffic would be split up - leaving some sizes with lots of posts, and others with none. Plus, at that time, we had few posts and did not want to start creating lots of little pools with little in them. Now, we have more posts, and probably will need to consider breaking it out more (to at least a big/small?) sections, or something...

The other issue is that there are lots of areas within the various models where the information is applicable. Many hull and spar issues (depending) cover multiple sizes - as do engine issues.

On personal information - you can list your personal webpage on your profile - or create a custom signature (like mine below) that has a link back to your site on it, etc. We can also list you on the profile pages, etc.

I'll add your suggestions on the list, and they'll be looked at by the group later on this spring.

Thanks,
//sse

 

[soup1438]

Well, perhaps a "Spotlight"

The idea of "subdividing" is *bad* (I agree on that) but I'd like to suggest some means of signalling "Of specific interest to owners of Exx" which we'll see in the indices. (Of course if a thread drifts... and they will... then this might be something subsequent authors can influence into "general interest" or "mechanics".)

There is a LOT of material of general interest here; for a thread that doesn't diverge much from E35s or E28s I'm not sure I want to eat my heart out (especially when photos are shown) given my E25. (smirks)

In any case... I _like_ my E25. With enough bungee I can even work it single-handed... though the jib is a real PITA to manage that way. (Thinking of a smaller "working jib" that can have a "boom" to make it self-tending...)

Finally, may I suggest a some additional sections which won't be much use for the old salts but would be useful for less experience sailors? Like "Theory and Practice", for instance, which allows some questions and expositions on the basic *theory* of sailing (and advice from those more practiced, especially w/r/t specific boats).

(I have a question to seed "Theory and Practice" with: what are the pros and cons of a loose-footed main over a main bent to the boom? I learned on a 12ft Penguin and so I'm not clear on why the different practices exist...)

(smirks as he slinks away, looking for a damp stone to hide under...)

 

[bbboat]

subdividing is good

It may be too late at night. I may not have read this thread well enough. But if it's talking about reorganizing the threads by size of boat, I do think that's a good idea. I say this having owned a 27-foot boat for 14 years, and now owning a 39-footer, and there are many, many things that are NOT in common between those sizes.

Case in point: I just spent the last hour searching for info on unstepping the mast. Most of what I read on this site was about smaller deck-stepped masts. My boat is stepped on the keelson, needs a big crane to remove, and I've learned is best removed when the boat is still in the water - the opposite of what can be done with the deck-stepped mast on a 27-foot boat. Still, I didn't feel like I should or could contribute to the thread, since all the chatter was about 27-foot boats.

It's okay if we have specific threads with no depth. We're always free to explore the ones that do. In time they'll be populated. But if we want to derive true value from the site, any Ericson owner should be able to hone-in on the information that is the most use to him or her, regardless of the length or age of their boat.