Gonna hang here

[Jackdaw]

Bunch of people email/PMed me and asked why I ‘disappeared’ for about a month... the simple answer was that SBO (and maybe me as well) had changed. The majority of posts here now seem to come from people wanting to built their post or ‘like’ counts, and are answered by the results of google searches and not on-the-water experience. Maybe this place should have a minimum sailing-hour/post ratio. Hmm. And any attempt to directly set people straight often got met with a ban by some ‘bot’, AKA a mod too scared to leave their name when doing so.

So the deal is, I’m only going to post here in racing, or respond to PMs. Too busy sailing to google search the boom manufacture of an Oday 23. I’m likely to respond pretty directly. If I get banned some day, I really don’t care. I hoping/betting that people appreciate the honest in the mean time.

 

[SoSound]

I would rather see what you have to say. I've always appreciated having the benefit of your knowledge, experience and insight, no matter how basic my questions or off base my replies were. This place is less informative without your input.

Send me a PM if you decide to come ski at Big Sky.

 

[thinwater]

Don't forget books. They still have them in libraries. The best source of foundation information. First books, then time on the water, and then forum questions about the subtleties that take a lifetime to learn.

Those of us old enough to be pre-internet appreciate what a miracle it is, or can be.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

@Jackdaw You sound like an old grouch.

 

[SailormanDan]

I have a similar sentiment, I make the effort to use Google's advanced search (Google Advanced Search) and read through the posts from here that it pulls up and I do research on the internet before I waste anyone's time asking a question here. Many of the questions are repeats and I just want to reply "Asked and answered, next!".
Part of the problem is the structure of a forum versus a wiki or knowledge base, but it's not helped by people titling their posts "I Need Help!", I want to answer "yes, you do".
Anymore I just read through a post and mark it "Ignore Thread" and move on.
Sorry if this turned into a rant, there really are a ton of helpful, knowledgeable people on this forum and I'm grateful for the answers and help I've been given over the years.

 

[DrJudyB]

I appreciate your contributions and admire your on the water expertise.

But live and let live.

 

[Hunter216]

I want to take the opportunity to thank you for all the support and wisdom you have shared with me and for the ongoing postings of your racing “adventures”.

Thanks Coach!

 

[Jim26m]

Gonna miss those baseball bat to the face responses that I've come to know and love. Learned a lot about sail trim, racing strategy and rules just watching threads you were participating in.

 

[MikeHoncho]

Google your question and add "forum" at the end and it will give you all of the forum threads included in your search. Its not difficult. If after you spend your own time and come up empty handed then ask and use other peoples time.

 

[BobbyFunn]

I just asumed the new wife was taking up more of your time.

The activity seems to have gotten slow lately. The change coincides with the new website. If I had to guess i would say the "addictive" feature is gone. I dont know what that is.

Web searches are getting wierd results the last couple years. I keep hitting the same info online when i do searches. The top 20 links have good info, then, the rest are totally useless. The web is becoming the Library of Babel. Every thought ever imagined, every secret is found here, just have to know where to look.

 

[BlowMeAway]

Wow, Clay @Jackdaw , when I started out 5 years ago on the forum as a newb you were my go-to guy (and the guys that owned the same Good old Boat) with all the awesome help, tips, trim, lines, hardware, upgrades, destinations, network, boat comparisons, Nav rules, communications, VMG suggestions, perspectives on my desired upgrades, boat maintenance, etc., etc. I‘ve PM’d you several times as well, so you understand my position Pal! It would be a shame to lose your contributions for even the most mundane and repetitive Q/A’s that come up from the newest of the Newbs...and I’ve never intended questions of you regarding toilets, plumbing, wiring, line size, boom length, or best cleaners for hull and deck. So I guess it’s OK if you avoid those.

It’ll be a travesty to have your knowledge wasted on the repetitive questioning for which there are thousands of answers on this forum for those that know not how to search first. I agree.

But I supect there are others out there that might share my sentiments for your “baseball bat to the face responses”, some well deserve, others just curios minds that need to know.

OK Boss?

 

[danstanford]

Clay, your input is always appreciated and sought. My apologies if any of my queries have contributed to the way you feel.
Obviously you don't need my advice but I think your continued presence in racing and sail trim will be valued by all. From a poster of questions I can tell you that it is often difficult to get a specific element straight in our heads when there are so many trite postulations out there and your answers help flesh out the 'why' of it better than most. I hope you keep it up!
Dan

 

[CYQK]

Jackdaw
Have been asking questions and posting advise hear for a while now and just this week found just exactly what you said.
Made a post and got swarmed by idiots!!!
Stick around i for one value your contributions
Gary

 

[duality]

ditto
once one crazy know it all asked why i have been on the forum so long and have not had that many posts!
i told him i only responded to items i knew about, not every other post. (like him)

on the positive side, this forum has been a wealth of knowledge! many kudos to the people that offered their professional insight and help (too many to mention)!

mike

 

[Jackdaw]

Gonna miss those baseball bat to the face responses that I've come to know and love. Learned a lot about sail trim, racing strategy and rules just watching threads you were participating in.

While I hope it's not TOO much 'bat to the face', I have to admit I like the clarity of racing because it rules and results based. That does not leave a lot of room for uninformed opinions being offered as fact. Which happens way too much in the other forums.

 

[Jackdaw]

I just asumed the new wife was taking up more of your time.

The activity seems to have gotten slow lately. The change coincides with the new website. If I had to guess i would say the "addictive" feature is gone. I dont know what that is.

Web searches are getting wierd results the last couple years. I keep hitting the same info online when i do searches. The top 20 links have good info, then, the rest are totally useless. The web is becoming the Library of Babel. Every thought ever imagined, every secret is found here, just have to know where to look.

Exactly, and this is the part of SBO than no really bothers me. The powers-that-be find it fit not not allow challenges to the mindless comments that are often offered up. The S/N ratio here is actually terrible. How is someone to know what is right and what is wrong?

 

[Jackdaw]

Clay, your input is always appreciated and sought. My apologies if any of my queries have contributed to the way you feel.
Obviously you don't need my advice but I think your continued presence in racing and sail trim will be valued by all. From a poster of questions I can tell you that it is often difficult to get a specific element straight in our heads when there are so many trite postulations out there and your answers help flesh out the 'why' of it better than most. I hope you keep it up!
Dan

Dan,

OMG no, you're good, and your questions are always insightful. Honestly I feel there are no bad questions, just sometime bad answers. I'll hang around here for sure.

 

[JRT]

@Jackdaw thanks as always for your posting and info. I've learned a lot and find your technical guidance and input very valuable. I wish I sailed more often and had a sailing community like you do in MN but we are at least getting out there and learning. Our first race a few weeks ago had me drawing diagrams and reviewing my many, many errors.