Is it just me, or have the other parts of the forum thinned out little?

[Boatbum]

There are three other parts of the forum above the Bilge that used to seem pretty lively: "Building/Repair", "Tools / Materials / Techniques / Products" , and "Misc. Boat Related". I really enjoy reading and replying to these threads. I just went back to them today after not being there for a couple weeks and was surprised by how few new threads or new comments to old threads. Is the bilge the only active part of the forum now?

[Keith Wilson]

Winter, perhaps?

[Boatbum]

Maybe the holidays, but winter is usually when people talk more about what they are working on while in summer they may have less to say because they are actually on the water. Winter is when you are elbow deep in some big project

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

I have run out of room!

[Peerie Maa]

Stuff comes and goers in cycles. They will be back.

[Boatbum]

I sure hope so

[rbgarr]

A good bit of that activity post-wise has moved to Facebook's Wooden Boat Forum (no affiliation) where there's a lot more visibility and response.

[Durnik]

shame about the fb move.. leaves more than a few left out.

[TomF]

"Does this sail & oar design make me look thinner?" "Nope, it's just the pine tar."

[John B]

Photos are simple with faceplant.

[john welsford]

There are three other parts of the forum above the Bilge that used to seem pretty lively: "Building/Repair", "Tools / Materials / Techniques / Products" , and "Misc. Boat Related". I really enjoy reading and replying to these threads. I just went back to them today after not being there for a couple weeks and was surprised by how few new threads or new comments to old threads. Is the bilge the only active part of the forum now?

I've noticed that too, and am a bit concerned that its a trend that is reducing participation in what is a seriously good resource for those who love wooden boats and being out in the workshop working on them.

I suspect that facebook and the like is pulling people away.

John Welsford

[amish rob]

There’s a spectacular art thread in Misc.

[Nicholas Scheuer]

I've noticed the same. No sweat, the Bilge is where it's at, eh?

[Durnik]

^ with forays into Misc.. (-:

ntm, Jim Ledger's threads are Epic!

[ron ll]

Just post an “Is epoxy good?” thread in all of them.

[hawkeye54]

There’s a spectacular art thread in Misc.

So I've noticed, Rob - some quite talented guy working hard to 'freshen up' this place, I suppose ! ! ! !

[Garret]

I, and many others I know, simply will not do FaceBook - so I'm bummed to hear so many have moved there.

Posting pics here has gotten so simple since WB started allowing direct uploads (though limited to 3 per post) - I don't understand what the issue is?

[Boatbum]

Just post an “Is epoxy good?” thread in all of them.

An epoxy thread always guarantees that there are twice as many opinions as there are people with actual posts. I joke about it, but I love that stuff - it can fix or build nearly anything.

[Yeadon]

Two thoughts:

Other than the logos at the top, there's no real connection between the actual publication and the forum. Topical interests covered by the magazine are not introduced or discussed here. It's likely a real missed opportunity by the magazine. An active admin or moderator team would have a plan to do this. I don't know who the current WB admin is here, btw, which is telling.

Also, I would venture most members of this forum are boomer-esque, as is the current audience of Facebook, so it makes sense people may already be over there.

[ron ll]

I sometimes read FB, just very careful to not touch any buttons there.

[Rich Jones]

I interpret this thread as a call to action for me to start building another boat.
A nice glued-lap canoe would be nice. Not sure if I could get in and out of it, but it would be nice.
Please contact my wife and tell her it's OK as she thinks owning three wooden boats is too many already.

I will admit that I spend far too much time reading Bilge stuff and neglecting the more important upper decks.
Of course, as I have said before, comments on the upper deck threads should be educated and accurate for the safety of both boat and crew whereas we can spew forth anything down in the Bilge.

[Boatbum]

I interpret this thread as a call to action for me to start building another boat.
A nice glued-lap canoe would be nice. Not sure if I could get in and out of it, but it would be nice.
Please contact my wife and tell her it's OK as she thinks owning three wooden boats is too many already.

I will admit that I spend far too much time reading Bilge stuff and neglecting the more important upper decks.
Of course, as I have said before, comments on the upper deck threads should be educated and accurate for the safety of both boat and crew whereas we can spew forth anything down in the Bilge.

I've always wanted to build a mini tug like Olivia the Concordia Boatyard workhorse of the 80's and 90's. About 18' long open cockpit Culler design a real beauty.

[Paul Pless]

I interpret this thread as a call to action for me to start building another boat.
A nice glued-lap canoe would be nice. Not sure if I could get in and out of it, but it would be nice.
Please contact my wife and tell her it's OK as she thinks owning three wooden boats is too many already.

I will admit that I spend far too much time reading Bilge stuff and neglecting the more important upper decks.
Of course, as I have said before, comments on the upper deck threads should be educated and accurate for the safety of both boat and crew whereas we can spew forth anything down in the Bilge.

please post link to said wife's social media page

[Garret]

Rich - please tell her I said you should build another boat. I'm sure that'll be worth a whole lot...

[rbgarr]

Two thoughts:

Other than the logos at the top, there's no real connection between the actual publication and the forum. Topical interests covered by the magazine are not introduced or discussed here. It's likely a real missed opportunity by the magazine. An active admin or moderator team would have a plan to do this. I don't know who the current WB admin is here, btw, which is telling.

Also, I would venture most members of this forum are boomer-esque, as is the current audience of Facebook, so it makes sense people may already be over there.

All WB magazines, the store, the school and their subscription online classes ("Mastering...") post on FB.

[John Meachen]

shame about the fb move.. leaves more than a few left out.

One of the very few businesses my domain blocker is set to keep my computer away from,because I want it that way.

[P B Campbell]

Online "Forums" like this are dying and have been for a few, if not several years. "Social Media" type sites probably have a lot to do with that as well as the shift to "Smart Phones" over desk/laptop computers for communicating. The death or elder health issues of many if not most of the more knowledgeable participants surely plays into this as well. I've had accounts to dozens of Forums in the past, many of which no longer exist and the remaining ones have little traffic. My interests would include automotive, welding, machinist, construction, fishing, and woodworking. I wouldn't discount the divisive political slant of recent years creeping into replies and turning members away either. I don't mean subforums like the "Bilge" here, but the main forums of what should be apolitical conversation.

[mizzenman]

Can it be conected to the current economic situation perhaps?

[jpatrick]

I, and many others I know, simply will not do FaceBook - so I'm bummed to hear so many have moved there.

Posting pics here has gotten so simple since WB started allowing direct uploads (though limited to 3 per post) - I don't understand what the issue is?

I am one of those who will not be going on FB. Many years ago I did a very quick turnaround and backed away from FB when I started to get "friend" requests from people I had no desire to associate with. So I'm not going there. I sure hope the WB forum doesn't die. Posts here ebb and flow. Right now perhaps there's an ebb. So the solution is to post more.

I will take my own advice very soon and begin a new build thread. Maybe others will do the same. A thread about a Bartender would sure be interesting.

Jeff

[Yeadon]

FB amplifies disinformation. Participating supports that.

[HRDavies]

Posting pics here has gotten so simple since WB started allowing direct uploads (though limited to 3 per post) - I don't understand what the issue is?

However, you cannot see the photos unless you are registered and logged in. In my not so exalted opinion, this is not a good way to attract new blood.

[J.Madison]

A thread about a Bartender would sure be interesting.

Jeff

Yes, it certainly would.

I miss the days of the blog. How many times have you googled something obscure and the answer was in a well written blog from 10 years ago? They have basically all died. So much more response on social media, but a blog post on sheep wagon wheel camber, or brining cheese, or whatever topic had a lot more thought and work put into it than a simple snapshot for Facebook. Forums are losing views now too, look up the forums for home foundries or log building or other niche community and many are no longer maintained and are in the last stages before going dark for good.

Such a shame, all the expertise lost. The promise of the information age, undermined by Facebook essentially.

[Nicholas Scheuer]

They've changed the photo posting procedure? It's always been my least favorite thing about the WBF.

I, and many others I know, simply will not do FaceBook - so I'm bummed to hear so many have moved there.

Posting pics here has gotten so simple since WB started allowing direct uploads (though limited to 3 per post) - I don't understand what the issue is?

[Garret]

They've changed the photo posting procedure? It's always been my least favorite thing about the WBF.

They no longer have to be hosted somewhere & can be uploaded directly from your computer:

• Put the cursor on the post where you want the picture to go
• Click the "Insert Image" button (3rd from right in quick reply - hovering over it will show the tooltip)
• In the dialog that pops up, make sure it's on the "From Computer" tab
• Click the "Browse" button & search for the file as you would in any program
• Once one is selected, click the "Upload" button
• Done

Note that the dialog that pops up when you click the button will default to the "From URL" tab after your first upload, hence the "Make sure it's on the "From Computer" tab" line.

Also - each post can only have a max of 3 images. You might, on occasion, fit more, but the forum software gets pissy if you do. If you have more than 3 images to post, start another post.

[jsjpd1]

I can’t speak for anyone else, but I felt like I had run out of interesting boat things to post and the energy to post them. I know that has definitely slowed down (read stopped) my posting upstairs.