Why are lurkers not joining..

[Training Wheels]

Funny, for years I’ve said that most people with sailboats like the idea of sailing much more than they actually like sailing.

[mglonnro]

Originally Posted by Training Wheels

Funny, for years I’ve said that most people with sailboats like the idea of sailing much more than they actually like sailing.

I, at least, like the sea more than I like sailing, but so far sailing has been the best (or least bad) way to experience it

... or well, maybe it’s not that simple to separate the two ...

[Miniyot]

OK, I'll post. I have been lurking for a while because I did not have anything to add. I am currently boatless because I sort of gave up on my dream of having another boat.

Not really giving up entirely, but rather putting it on hold.

I still read the forums. I am still learning even though I've had several boats from a 14 foot daysailer, to a 27 catalina. How am I still learning? By reading cruisersforum that's how.

It would be pointless for me to add anything to the posts that I read...especially when the knowledgeable people have replied...and yes, I have learned who the knowledgeable people are. I have also learned who the "others" are.

Keep up the good work and let me keep learning!

[exMaggieDrum]

I find CF to be the absolute best forum I have ever been a part of. It can be educational, recreational, sometimes funny, sometimes ugly. Lurkers should be, and I hope always will be welcome. Not all want to toot their own horn as some seem to do ad nauseum. It is easy to tune out some of that. Personally I have learned a metric ton of information here. I have also met and shared with died in the wool cruisers, some of which no longer cruise for a huge number of reasons.


Rowboats should be welcome. Those with small outboards for propulsion should be welcome. Purists who decry those who have added, used, and/or enjoy their toys or useful electronics should be welcome. What I have seen is all are welcome.


What will drive some away is the trollers who love to agitate for the sake of agitation. I personally don't view this as a bar type forum with jokes and jibes as the primary reason. I don't have any beef with those who do but it doesn't seem to me that this is or should be the primary reason for this amazing forum.


Lurkers can take their dream to reality and may or may not ever post one thing on here. But this forum may have been a substantial resource for knowledge and also inspiration. It shows that it is possible to go out there and just do it and gives a flavor of the amazing camaraderie and helpfulness of cruisers all over the world.



My wife and I went and just did it. I am very sad that it is coming to an end for us but boy or boy (or girl or girl) it was fun. And I find it gratifying to sometimes post an opinion or some potentially useful tidbit from experience and training. I regret the occasional stupid post I have made but everyone has been gracious (for the most part) and not made too big a deal of it.



I have also blocked a couple of posters I have found to be mostly obnoxious and not helpful to me personally. They are a distraction. Yet the percentage of them on this forum is so small it is not a reason to stay away since the forum more than pays back for the occasional irritation. And, Facebook is not even close as a good resource compared to CF. It was not designed to be that way. I do follow a couple of FB dedicated groups but don't find them very useful with so much chafe thrown in to the mix.


Well, I continue to say in many words what others say in few. Good comments above. Hopefully, CF will have a long life. And many many thanks to the volunteer moderators who have a difficult job. Fortunately, I have never seen too many threads kicked off of here. The ones I have noticed that have been, seemed to me to have crossed the line and not useful or to the point of the purpose and use of CF. And thanks to all the posters who contribute although I do wish a small few would lower their post volume especially when they want to talk about things they really don't have much expertise with. We could all name names but that would not be useful. Even they have nuggets of good info and it is good they are here too.


Long live lurkers (LLL).

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Miniyot

:.
.....and yes, I have learned who the knowledgeable people are. I have also learned who the "others" are.

Keep up the good work and let me keep learning!

Thanks for chiming in Miniyot[emoji106] , but I want to challenge the above [emoji33] [emoji4]

I think everybody has one or two good ideas in them every day..... (The bad ideas unfortunately are the ones we remember)

Some people present those good ideas in a clear friendly way.... "Others" are more dogmatic, defensive and a few just plain contrary!... but they all have good ideas sometimes and should not be automatically discounted.

Besides, most sailors tend to put "Other" on the forms we fill out....so I kinda identify with that term.[emoji4]

[neophytecruiser]

Some read the posts to learn and have nothing cogent to add to a particular topic. Does this qualify them as 'lurkers'?

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

The 62 is on the hard and shrink wrapped for winter in North America, the 53 is for sale just outside Venice, Italy. If no sale by summer, both boats might be in charter service around Sardinia and Corsica during July and August.

Nice photo! Thanks! Ahhhhhhhh...... Newport! I miss New England. It's getting cold here in Japan too, but no snow yet where I am.

Once again, good luck with the new endeavors.

[Tetepare]

As previously noted probably 99% of “lurkers” are bots. Google Analytics and other utilities can filter that to get a real number.

This site is no different than most. There are lurkers, and rare posters who come only to sell an item. There are those that dream (perhaps after a couple bottles of vino), and those who have new found cash to blow. There are those who don’t want to chat, or are too busy or have better things to do, who stop by with a real question. And there are those who are heavy participants who after a while are offended or get bored and leave. All typical.

There is a good mix here. Most forums have members who found a home where ill behavior is tolerated and they contribute virtually nothing to the subject matter. Luckily that is largely absent here. Personally I don’t mind strong opinions or even denigrating comments so long as it’s on topic, some people could use a little tough love.

Anyway I digress. Don’t worry about lurkers most aren’t real and the rest will participate when they see fit.

[tarian]

I was a lurker for 3 years before joining , I was a bit shy at first , expecting the usual tirade from being a newbie , but I found nothing but good humor and help, and some really positive posters who are very regular (not the toilet)
I do sometimes find that some of the questions asked for knowledge is rather amusing in the fact
A. if you own a boat and are asking these questions , may I suggest you seek professional training
B. It can be a little pure , but that's a good thing over hear on the other side of the pond the YBW forum can be completely hostile, and you need a thick skin if you disagree with the long term posters who think its their personnel domain.
So over all thank-you for a pleasant experience and for sound and frank advice and posts I do love my daily digests of posts every day.

[DLincoln3]

I personally only chime in on topics that I feel comfortable offering an experienced opinion. There is so much bad advice (IMO) being tossed around on forums that I feel like it's better to just stay out of it sometimes. Also, there are a bunch of subjects (water makers, solar charger setups, where to anchor when cruising Belize, etc) where I have zero advice to give. So I lurk for the most part.

Finally, not related to this forum in particular, but we should try to be very open minded with newbies and questions that maybe seem "dumb". There is a ton to learn and it can be very intimidating.

[Mistress Sirena]

Maybe we just didn't log on..

[scallowayuk]

I thought i was the only brexiteer sailing. All the ones with over 40 ft boats seem to be remoaners was invited for a drink on evening in the azores and was thrown off the boat for being a brexiteer.

[JDWS]

I was a “lurker” for a couple of years while we shopped for a boat and refined our plans for how to get from here to cruising. I didn’t have a lot to add (no threads about care of a racing dinghy!), so I read and learned. There were always plenty of entertaining threads about “what is the perfect boat?” That actually provided a lot of good perspective and supplemented my research.

Once we bought a cruising-sized boat (yes, I’m on the 31 is enough side), and are onboard and on the hook as much as the season and our circumstances allow, I felt like I should actively contribute and be able to ask specific questions. That said, comment numbers are still low, but I read a lot.

Also, we are younger than most here (though older than some), and browsing a page without posting seems like the most natural thing in the world. I’d already finished the thread when it dawned on me that we were exactly who were being asked about

[ras1544]

I'm intently lurking.

[somedaysoon]

Originally Posted by boatman61

For me the most obvious reason is that it has gone from a 'Sailors Forum' that I joined in 2010 where there were folk like me who hung in there no matter what..
We gave up lots to indulge in our passion.. Clubbing, social drinking, eating out in restaurants and much else.
We yanked each others chains often but slowly and steadily the tone has changed.. the cry babies seem to rule the roost screaming 'Foul' to the Mod's.. where once there were many with sub 40ft boats its become a sneer if your smaller and a downright insult if you anchor next to some members in a 30ftr.
Guys.. It aint the size of the dong your swinging.. its more can you use it.

Hi all
lurking is better than speaking about things we do not understand, and we learn.
i don`t have a boat and my wife will never want one so i build things like mast climbing
steps, fridge & freezer door alarms and other useful things that boaty folk buy, we may
not speak or write, but we are still part of the community and enjoy all that is written
regards jeff