a plea to all posters

Lakesailor

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How has this simple request been contorted into a discussion on perceptions of skill and experience.

It's this simple.

If a poster asks how to moor his yacht to a pontoon in a f5 and hasn't given any hint as to it's size the answers forthcoming may be quite inappropriate.

(In the nature of the forum, the answers will be inappropriate anyway)
 

bluedragon

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I made a similar point when I joined the forum years ago...but went a bit further in suggesting boat name / YC details, etc, so other forum members could call by and have a chat. Boy, was I shot down! I felt so uneasy by the responses I took all my stuff off the profile. There's lots of scaremongering on these forums, that you know is probably mostly bollux, but little nagging doubts creep into your mind...:eek: I think it's called "brainwashing"...
 

Bilgediver

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What's your rationale for this? If I were to claim to have an Oyster 62 rather than a Hurley 22, would you take my advice more seriously?

No.. But we would take it more seriously if you had a Westerly Centaur:D

Seriously I agree with Bosun in regard to posters asking questions. It does help if we know the boat, the engine and the area. Pointless telling the poster all about a fellow with a workshop up a creek in Essex if the boat is up a Creek on the RIver Swan!!!!!!!!
 

Sans Bateau

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What's your rationale for this? If I were to claim to have an Oyster 62 rather than a Hurley 22, would you take my advice more seriously?

That is exactly the point, bloke with a Oyster 62 will have the yard do all his work, bloke with the Hurley 22 will most likely be a hands on type, who'd take notice of the Oyster 62 owner?!!:D

Funny thing yesterday, I met up with a forumite I have been working with for some time, only to discover we are in the same marina!!!
 

Martin_J

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... and I have answered Eberspacher questions with comments like 'You will need one of the special slotted 12mm sockets'....

If I knew the poster was within a reasonable distance of me then I would offer to lend one or help but I can't do that if there is no location information and I would feel silly for offering only to later find out they were the other side of the world.
 

Martin_J

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... And Galadriel - Since you are in Chichester and I am in Portsmouth, I wouldn't mind taking a look at your saildrive splines if they are still on the bench. I have a Volvo MD2040 that I might be doing similar work to in the future...

Now I would not have been able to ask that if location information were not present!

(PS - I'll be up for Kids Out 2011 and will send you separate note!)
 
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Robin

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Information can be very relevant. What is the point of spending a lot of time answering a post about the advantages of say high tech sail materials such as might be very good on a boat above 35ft when the question posted related to use on a 20ft Vivacity where they would be a total waste. Context is always useful.
 

chrisgee

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Whether to offer help in answer to a question or to simply know where a poster is coming from, it really does help if posters say what boat they sail in their profile. There used to be a specific line in the old YBW forum software but there is not in this one and for that reason most people dont show their boat details any longer. But there are plenty of unspecified spaces in the new software where the boat make could be put.

So how about tweeking your profile to show your boat details?

Just sold mine and buying another v soon.I`ll leave the old one on the avatar for now just to make me feel better for a bit!
 

pvb

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That is exactly the point, bloke with a Oyster 62 will have the yard do all his work, bloke with the Hurley 22 will most likely be a hands on type, who'd take notice of the Oyster 62 owner?!!:D

And your comment perfectly illustrates the danger of stereotyping owners! The guy with the Oyster is unlikely to have had no boating experience, and could indeed be very knowledgeable - could even be an ex-boatyard owner. On the other hand, the Hurley guy could just be starting out on the great boating adventure, and his knowledge might fit on the back of a postage stamp.

Incidentally, if it helps you evaluate my advice in the future, I don't have a Hurley 22, I've owned a Hallberg-Rassy for the last 15 years, and owned 3 Westerlies over the previous 20 years. Prior to that, a few years in mobos.
 

Signed Out

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Woulda thought most of the ex boatyard owners would hate the sight of boats, having lost loads in the last couple of decades. Otherwise be sailing slugs.

Anyway, it's all relative, so what boat you have and where you are is SOMETIMES relevant, often not. I think most of the time, it's just of curiosity value.
 

Playtime

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Incidentally, if it helps you evaluate my advice in the future, I don't have a Hurley 22, I've owned a Hallberg-Rassy for the last 15 years, and owned 3 Westerlies over the previous 20 years. Prior to that, a few years in mobos.

It will. :)

Why not include such info in your profile? I have more respect for advice/opinions when the writer does not hide behind a cloak of anonymity.
 

Signed Out

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Or is that privacy?

Surely, it is useful to know when someone is asking a question, but when someone is offering advice, the possession is not really related to the knowledge or experience.

Or is your boat some measure of not being a "troll"?
 

Playtime

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But how do you know it's true?? ;)

You don't but I suspect the number of 'false' profiles on here is small. I'm much more suspicious when there is no profile.

Even a false profile is probably better than no profile. At least you get some idea of where the writer thinks (dreams?) he is coming from. ;)
 
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Coaster

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Have I got hold of the wrong end of the stick? I thought that the reason for adding boat and location details to forum member's profile was to be able to better answer questions raised by that forum member. As the OP wrote in the first post. Potential respondents can then judge better whether a reply may be helpful.
 
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