This Forum is supported by C&C 27 owners like you whose membership in the C&C 27 Association makes possible this Forum and the accompanying site. Thank you, members, for your continuing commitment.
You are not logged in.
This site has been running since 1999 — and the Forum since 2000. I thought it was a rotten idea initially; I thought it would soon fill up with the nattering of loudmouths, but following the example of my Latin teacher who ensured thoughtful effort by slugging miscreants with a heavy textbook, we kept discussion polite and respectful. That was then. Since then, we have developed an informed and informing community that helps us get things done on our wonderful little 27’s.
But… it’s time for a change. Put simply, I don’t want to run this site any more. I like reading it, I like writing answers to questions that I can answer and I like reading the ideas and suggestions that others propose, but I don’t want to manage the stagecraft behind it. And unfortunately no one in the present 27 Assoc. has the web skills, rudimentary though they are, that I have. So, here are our options:
- Shut it down (the get-while-the-going’s-good option).
- Lock it, but keep it running in read-only form until the money runs out (we can’t let it run itself, because the Forum will fill up with thousands of spam messages again - remember those?). You’ll be able to read existing messages but not post nor sign up as a new participant.
- Restrict it to currently signed-up participants (again, a response to the spammers lurking out there, but one that gives some options to the current crew).
- Hand the whole shebang off to one of you to run as you think fit. To do it, you’ll have to have some writing and editing skills (they’re out there - I’ve seen excellent writing here). You’ll need web skills - some HTML and CSS are important to keep the main pages running. The Forum at present needs a certain amount of jockeying, but the big issue, for the sake of your sanity is that ToastForums, on which our Forum runs, is utterly obsolete, feature-poor and clunky (the company has been gone since 2005). At some point soon, it will break, so the new management will have to figure out how to transition the legacy posts to a newer bb package (because our old posts still have tremendous value) and get the new package running smoothly. This is not terribly difficult work, but it will be time-consuming and, probably, exasperating. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
We’d like to hear from you: which option we have presented that you like or dislike; which option that occurs to you that we haven’t thought of; and even which option that you’d like to take and run with. We’d like to move on this, so don’t dawdle.
- Admin
Offline
David
First, I huge thanks for all you have done. There are countless times I have gone to "Black Arts" as the source of wisdom to keep the old girl maintained.
Yes, it is true the forum isn't so active. I regularly use the Atomic 4 site, and those guys are all over it. I guess the cries for help are louder there.
Would be nice that some tech-savy sailor inherits this. Absent that, I like the option "keep it running but lock it up." The information is too good for it to pass into the night. I'm happy to defer some of the freight on op costs.
thanks again for the great service to our community.
Steve "Whippet"
Steve
1981 MkIII, Hull 886
Etobicoke YC, Toronto ON
Steve
1981 MkIII, Hull 886
Etobicoke YC, Toronto ON
Offline
Absolutely many thanks for hosting this site over the years.
Any way to partner-up with CNC Photo Album? Or at least post over there on their listserv to see if anyone could take the site over?
1979 C&C 27 MkIII, Hull No. 780
Cygnet
North Saanich, BC
1979 C&C 27 MkIII, Hull No. 780
Cygnet
North Saanich, BC
Offline
Thank you for the appreciative comments.
Following the suggestion above, I have sent a request for proposals to the CNCPhoto list. I don’t imagine there will be a response as the concerns expressed on that site are very different from ours, but who knows?
- Admin
Offline
I just noted that the C&C 27 Association website was referenced on Page 5 of the current (May / June) issue of Good Old Boat magazine. Actually in reference to the C&C 'history' page with respect to George Cuthbertson and a C&C 30.
So perhaps there's another avenue to beat the bushes for some support ... a letter to GOB for their 'Mail Buoy' section, referencing the article and identifying the current issues with the site. You never know!
1979 C&C 27 MkIII, Hull No. 780
Cygnet
North Saanich, BC
1979 C&C 27 MkIII, Hull No. 780
Cygnet
North Saanich, BC
Offline
This is bad news; inevitable, but sad all the same. You created an invaluable resource, David, for all of us, unique. Many folks know and appreciate that! Please keep the forum available, in whatever form that works, and keep me subscribed.
What are the options? What are the current costs?
I currently "own" 9 lists using LSoft Listserv (version 16.0), through the kind offices of the U of Guelph (at no cost to us). My lists are not associated with a website like C&C27association - in other words, just plain discussion lists, with archives, such as they are. At age 80, for me to undertake the admin, would be a very temporary fix.
I guess Yahoo lists are an alternative.
As you say, migrating the forum to a different system and freebie host will probably be work. But it could be started sometime soon, if we find one or more younger enthusiast(s), possibly to share the burden. At least the forum might survive.
Just sayin'.
Bill
Bill
Sesiya, #643 1975
Parry Sound & Bayfield Inlet, Georgian Bay
Offline
Any updates on this?
1979 C&C 27 MkIII, Hull No. 780
Cygnet
North Saanich, BC
1979 C&C 27 MkIII, Hull No. 780
Cygnet
North Saanich, BC
Offline
I am just seeing this post now, and I hope it is not too late, but I offer to volunteer to convert the ToastForums database into something modern and open. This resource cannot be left to fade away.
Alan Richards
Runaway, Mk III hull 804
Holyrood, NL
Alan Richards
Runaway, Mk III hull 804
Somewhere, NL
Offline
When there is firm information and a path forward, I will post that information.
- Admin
Offline
Dave
Many thanks for making this site the wonderful resource it is.
I have leaned heavily on the forum the first year I owned Lark and have always appreciated the input from others.
Seem to recall paying dues when I first joined and if there is an annual cost to retain membership, please let me know.
With regards to the path forward, please keep me updated if there is a role for a very low-tech person like myself to assist
Brad and Nancy Davies
C&C 27 Mk III Lark
Vancouver Rowing Club
Vancouver BC
Brad and Nancy Davies
C&C 27 Mk III Lark
Vancouver Rowing Club
Vancouver BC
Offline
Thank You so much for running this website. I would have spent thousands without it. It is always great to refer to black arts and other problem solving,and question answering articles.
Dana
Capricious Mark 3 Hull #599
Capricious Mark 3 Hull #599
Offline