FAQs etc

[TonyBuckley]

A couple of weeks ago the theme of the forum was 'my outboard will not start'.

Now it is about 'my batteries wont charge'.

We could really do with a couple of small committees who could write an FAQ/guide/Read this first on the common issues. I would have nothing to contribute as I just muddle by unless anyone wants to know about Smalltalk/Java/MVC and other computery things. But it would follow the 'open source' concept of freely contributing to solving problems.

Same with boat heaters!

The 'owner' of this forum seems to have little involvement which is a shame as the community could contribute greatly to the practical aspects. But I guess it would make no money...

 

[Stu Jackson]

This is a very philosophical issue. You are asking someone else to essentially do your homework and research. These days there is so much information on the internet that it would be appalling if you couldn't find what you are looking for. And most folks fail to even consider using Google when they are asking a boat question. Our group of skippers have, over the course of the past 25 years, developed a comprehensive boating site for our boats, but the SYSTEMS involved in boating, like plumbing, electrical, anchoring, are pretty similar for all sorts of boats.

I wrote this in one of my "101 Topics" introductions:

Over the past decade or more, "regular" electrical topics come up repeatedly. In developing responses to questions, many of us use the handy links to earlier discussions. I've developed this "Electrical 101" topic, which is a group of links to popular subjects and those discussions. Many of them include links to other websites and message boards, since boat electrical systems are not boat-specific.

I use links to our website and others I find helpful to lead folks with what are essentially recurring questions. While I'm not saying there's nothing new under the sun, in a majority of cases the questions are asked by folks new to the sport or the systems, and we try to help guide them in the right direction. Some questions are boat specific, but if you look carefully, you'll find that most are not. Build your own set of bookmarks and start from there. There are also, dare I say, BOOKS! Good luck.

 

[TonyBuckley]

And most folks fail to even consider using Google when they are asking a boat question.

This is the bit that intrigues me. I agree there is a ton of info out there so my assumption is that people must look, read, and understand before asking a question here because that info conflicts or does not meet their needs.

As I sit here, I am looking at a complicated array of kit trying to revive a so called 'dead' battery. I read to the wider internet info. I read the posts on here. I tried to sift between the disagreement across all that info and reach my own plan. I will see if it works.

But... a few FAQs could reduce the noise in here. I come here quite often and sitting in the background learn a lot, but still surprised when to me a new thread pops up with ten pages of responses that I have not seen.

 

[Stu Jackson]

...so my assumption is that people must look, read, and understand before asking a question here because that info conflicts or does not meet their needs.

As I sit here, I am looking at a complicated array of kit trying to revive a so called 'dead' battery. I read to the wider internet info. I read the posts on here. I tried to sift between the disagreement across all that info and reach my own plan. I will see if it works.

But... a few FAQs could reduce the noise in here. I come here quite often and sitting in the background learn a lot, but still surprised when to me a new thread pops up with ten pages of responses that I have not seen.

The noise is part of the beauty of the site, this one and many others, it's a community.

Your basic assumption bears scrutiny. My experience has been that most skippers do exactly the opposite, although I've reads lot of posts that start out: "I've been lurking here a long time...and was afraid of asking, but, here goes..." Why that is is beyond me, because many times the question they ask has been asked and answered three times in the period they've been "lurking." Go figure.

But, Tony, I think you may have to adjust your basic understanding of just what this type of website and forum really are. Recognize just who started and maintains it: a magazine. In many cases on our side of The Pond they are hosted by an online chandlerey or boat insurance company. There are hundreds of them, and any skipper eventually picks his own community to join.

That said, the kind of FAQ format you are looking for is usually provided by what we call "One Design" groups. In our case, as mentioned in my last post, our Catalina 34 owners got together, and have amassed volumes of information on our boats and systems, yet we also have a forum, just like this one: no categories, just chronological post, with a very good search engine. We are open to anyone who wants to look and learn, some are more restrictive (why is also beyond me).

You simply have to choose your community and your more detailed specific boat resource, sometimes you can't have both in one place, and sometimes the "one-design" resources have the answers you need. In most cases, my experience tells me two things: 1) get to know any community and after a while you'll find the skippers you can trust - they have technical expertise, have developed their own websites and/or provide valuable links to trusted references, and sometimes even have a sense of humor ; 2) try not to apply a one-size-fits-all to boating websites - I frequent at least a half a dozen every day and enoy learning something new all the time.

Then I go sailing.

Enjoy.

 

[prv]

I read to the wider internet info. I read the posts on here. I tried to sift between the disagreement across all that info and reach my own plan. I will see if it works.

But... a few FAQs could reduce the noise in here.

And what is it about such a FAQ that would make it any different from the rest of the static information you have to sift? Are you suggesting there's not enough static info out there?

Also, reducing traffic on the forums seems an odd goal. Most sites want to be busier, not find ways to render discussion unnecessary.

Pete

 

[clyst]

The forum is just fine as it is .

 

[MYStargazer]

I've often thought about this. A Wiki Spaces (https://www.wikispaces.com) wiki looks easy to set up. Many other free wiki-style apps and website are available.

 

[dancrane]

Interesting. I think the total freedom to enquire, respond, declare and disagree with everything in these fora is a huge improvement on boat-maintenance in the old days, when you could only ask a local chap and be led by his view; if he misunderstood your need, or was simply mistaken in his response, how long might it be before you realised?

If here, there was a single, official, 'approved' verdict on all popular questions, however generally it was accepted, we'd lose the sometimes radical, more often practical alternative outlooks, new approaches and interesting differing experience of other people.

I've had hundreds of questions here on mostly mundane issues, and the replies have varied from extraordinarily generous and helpful, (cheers Pete! :encouragement to downright dismissive and misleading. A tool or technique which worked well for one contributor may have been the bane of another's existence for as long as he persevered, and the reader must tread with care to avoid taking advice that won't suit his purpose.

I reckon there are enough thoroughly well-meaning, massively-experienced regulars contributing here, who don't mind repeating lessons learned or discussed fully at an earlier date. Having said that, in my first few-thousand posts, I may have sounded like I knew what I was talking about, too......so as I say, take all advice with caution!

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I've often thought that FAQ's would be a good idea. I've always come to the conclusion that they would make no difference.
Peeps often think theirs is a special case.....how many different versions can you have of "my outboard won't start". It's obvious that questions are sometimes asked when people are too lazy to look for themselves. Sometimes they seem to ask a question just for the sake of it.