Who is in charge? I see there are adminstrators, moderators; How many? Who are they? Do they change?
772 members, right? Growing?
How does it see itself as part of the RC sailing world? Does it and AMYA, clubs, or international organizations exchange information? Are linked from each other?
Future aspirations - Is the site use increasing? Does it sponsor events, go to trade shows or regattas? By “go” I mean outreach, get the logo out there.
well to answer some of your questions.
I am one of the moderators. there are 4 of us. and what we do is basicly watch the forum to make sure that nobody steps on anybody. We dont want to see any ideas surpessed. and no fowl langauge. this forum does not sposor any event. but if you are looking for an event . it can be posted here. we have members all over the globe. So to post an event( Say my club) i dont expect people to come from new zealand or san diego. but maybe buffalo, ny.
We are not a part of the amya, as such. but the amya does recogizes us as an information source. same with the crya. this is basicly what we have in common. alot of the secreataries that in the amya are here as memebers. this forum was created to share information. help eachother. so I dont think we will be going to any trade shows. this is not a compnay. but what i could see m, for the future. is a reggata ,that has members from this forum. getting together for a reggata. I know people like dick lemke and dan sherman. i would like to see in person. dick is a good sailor, dan is a good designer. may not be a good sailor( just kidding dan, we all know you are not in my league) :lol:
so i hope this answer some of your questions.Maybe dan can anwser some more. but chad would be the one to answer all of them
cougar
thats right, absolutely no talk about out feathered friends.
I also recall someone was censured a while ago for talking about an overweight donkey, probably best to keep off the animal subject altogether.
I’m impressed at your knowledge Dick. When I mention the term “Kiwi”, most of your countrymen think I am referring to a small hairy brown fruit with a soft green center. And thank gooness you didn’t call it a “kiwibird”.
Well I believe I started this back in 1996 on buckeyeweb.com/rcsailing. I started the forum idea because previously there was a rc sailing mailing list that had started and then died when I got started. I thought there was a need for communication and an easier place to find it.
I think some of the first members where people like Dick. ( I ll have to go back and look)
Growth-wise the forum has been growing. I look every few days and there seems to be a new member registered. I do this as a hobby. I am lucky enough to have a very helpful and committed community.
I have been working on putting my site back together since moving off the old servers. I am also putting together a better review program in order to help people determine what type of boat is right for them.
Who have I met in person?
I have met climateboat works owner, and the owner of the other forum, rcgroups.com at a hobby show in Toledeo.
Alan can correct me if Iam wrong, but our relationship goes back to around 1999 or 2000 - as Alan was most helpful in getting information to me to further the multihull movement here in the US. In fact - it was his first multihull (red) whose photo I used to draw attention to the class and type of boat. Note that many here probably never heard of a multihull let alone see one !
His second boat (purple) was a really beautiful one and again photos of it were used to promote the concept of multihulls.
Since then we have traded information ( and good natured insults ) and all the while he has had my respect for his knowledge and his willingness to share with others. Some tough personal times took him away from the r/c hobby for a bit, but it sure is nice to see his posts once again.
In addition to his multihull experiences and builds, he was involved in the “DRUMBEAT” series of IOM boats, and was also a prety decent sailmaker. Alan currently provides KiWi info on his website too - well worth a visit.
his multihull was also featured on the cover of my “ill-fated” E-Zine about model multihulls. Had some really good articles and stuff, but contributions dried up and so did the “Zine”. Hard to do a monthly feature.
Yup. Alan’s got an NZ forum running off his site now too, of which I’m a member.
It was more the reference to the term “Kiwi”. As you know, we NZers often refer to ourselves as Kiwis, but since I’ve been living up here, I’ve been amused that many Americans know of the fruit, but not the bird after which it is named. It seems that the old NZ Kiwifruit Marketing Board of the 1970s and 1980s was just too successful in its branding!
Neither the “k” or the “w” form part of the official Spanish alphabet, but that doesn’t stop them having a kiwi plantation a few miles down the road.:lol:
“… I started this back in 1996 on buckeyeweb.com/rcsailing…”
Its the WWW so location hardly mattters, but the name suggests the site physically started in Ohio, USA, right?
“…I dont think we will be going to any trade shows. this is not a compnay. but what i could see m, for the future. is a reggata ,that has members from this forum. getting together for a reggata.”
Doesn’t the AMYA sometimes set up a table at the “big boat” shows with a few yachts on stands for people to oggle at? The regatta idea is good, and I’ve seen a temporary pond set up at these same shows with fans, boats. You’d meet more people this way, get to folks that otherwise wouldn’t know about radio controlled sailing. The exposure would bring more members, get the discussions really going (posts flowing). Then sponsors (maybe not wanted) see the traffic, they invest, the group turns it into hosting events… down to “I heart RC Sailing” bumper stickers that you send to clubs, give away at the trade show.
Not that this is necessary for this forum to remain as is, which is darn good. But why does the AMYA do this outreach?
Its not lost on me that the suggestions stated above are all a lot of work. And I suppose RCSailing is for chat, from home, between sails or on a break from building. Just creating dialogue here.
One area in which AMYA could really improve (personal view) is to expand and promote “NON-RACING” events, in which those who have sailboats, but that aren’t interested in racing could/would attend.
Locally, a club in Minneapolis has a “Lighthouse” night event in summer which encourages all sorts of watercraft (exception is gas powerboats) to attend and sail. Draws a pretty big crowd (participants as well as spectators), and generates some new enthusiasm. It often progresses past sundown and many of the participants are set up with running lights. For sail, unfortunately, the wind shuts off at dusk.
If you look at all of AMYA, it really is lopsided on the support of racing for the most part. But then, how much time can be devoted to folks who sail locally in their immediate area just for relaxation?
Perhaps along with forum background, some of the readers could expand on ideas or suggestions on how to expand the hobby in general. I think we are all aware of going in to a local hobby shop and they have (maybe) three kits for sailboats - interspersed with maybe 50 kits for planes, powerboats or r/c cars. But then, ours is a laid-back lifestyle - much less frantic when compared to flight, or power, and may not have the appeal for younger folks.
Dick,
I’m not so sure about the kids! As some of you know, one of my other hobbies is running live steam, trains. We have these get togethers where we meet at someone’s house where we run on their track. I was at one this past weekend where they had the track running next to the pool. Needless to say; I took my Footies:) The kids went wild for them! Even tho they had no real idea how to use them, they learned quickly enough to sail them around. I was very surprised how enamored they were by the boats. So there is some hope!
Bob
:zbeer:
