Somehow I seem to have racked up 1000 posts here, pick the old retired bloke. Seriously, even though I’ve been a boatie all my life It’s an amazing concept to me that I am finally sharing my hobby with a bunch of people I’ve never met, and only ever spoken to a few by phone, but then again forty years ago when Spritzig II was cracked out of the mould who’d a thunk we’d have light bulbs with no filaments and phones you could watch every episode of Gilligan’s Island on. Anyway, I divided the number of posts by the time frame and it only averages about 1.7 per week, so I don’t like any of you that much.
Just thought I’d throw in a thread with a comment in regard to forums, social media, sailboats and life in general.
Firstly, this is I suppose technically the fifth incarnation of the 563 forum or maybe 4.5.0 in techno terms. The original MSN incarnation started by Ian B was the first. This was later forcibly migrated to some other platform after MSN stopped offering free forum space. This new platform was about as useful as dental floss forestays and finished up being reassigned to sell takeaway noodles or some such tosh.
As an interim I set up a google groups forum which was assaulted on a daily basis by “B**bs from B*llyw**d “ pedlars . Many members asked to be taken off the list as they were fishing porn spam out of their soup, well, emails anyway. Eventually, Ian B created this site, bless his halyards and now Geoff’s up to date, basically spam free reiteration is what we are all enjoying today. Thanks mate.
Along the way we’ve gained Geoff’s IT smarts and we have also picked up various posters with industrial experience, sailing expertise, electronica expertise and general knowledge, bloody lucky they like Investigators too.
I don’t have a Facebook account, It’s just a personal thing but I consider I only want the world to know enough about me that it can find here. To each his own, but I’ve had acquaintances get huge amounts of grief from social media and I’m not interested in joining their ranks. Speaking of grief, we have been very free of it on these pages, unlike other forums I’ve lurked on or been part of . For the most part there has been a great spirit of cooperation and information here and I would say that is rare these days . On other places I have been made aware of people attempting to make trouble for posters in their private lives because of disagreements on line. Why would you?? This is a place to discuss an enjoyable pastime and hopefully share knowledge on making it just that. Do we agree on everything? Well, of course not but that’s life. Best of all we all SAIL our boats, at whatever frequency and level we enjoy and that’s the whole point. If a forum itself becomes the hobby, well, probably time for a new hobby.
Furthermore, I’d add that that the 563 has really been the best value for money water toy or any other toy for that matter we’ve owned. My kids would vote the old Kombi we toured around Aus in higher, but that eventually cost me a reco engine and later gearbox so in VFM it doesn’t rate. Spritzig II, in nearly 17 years of ownership has cost us less than a few K, apart from government robbery. It owns us zero.
Anyway, as much as I hope Im still here in another 1000 posts, thanks for informing and entertaining us and sharing our hobby. Also, keep improving and sailing your boats and telling us all about it .
This is much better than that forum I was going to start on picking up junk from the council throw out.
Ozzie and crew.
Ps no I didn’t get a set of steak knives for racking up 1000.
