When looking at boat ads what do you want to know?

[dacust]

I would add a 3rd Engine Type: I/O

External power should have an option for "None"

[twisty]

Originally Posted by dacust

I would add a 3rd Engine Type: I/O

External power should have an option for "None"

Got it! Will add it now.

[Boracay]

You could provide a space for owners to give their boat a condition rating:-
5) Creampuff
4) Maintenance all done
3) Original
2) Needs a little work
1) Some major repairs needed
0) Ready for the crusher
Repairs or TLC does not really give enough information

Also, for each item of equipment an installation, upgrade and last maintained date. This could be done not only for extras but also for installed items, paint work, even the hull.

Specifying standard size photos of key parts (port and starboard elevation, head on, stern on, engine, galley etc.) could also help. The photos could show initially as thumbnails and then go to full size (not more than 120kb) as selected. The slideshows are nice in theory, but incredibly tedious in practice unless server, ISP and computer are blindingly fast.

It may be possible to make each item optional, so a conscientious owner can take the time to fill it in while one who does not really care can leave them out and they do not show in the presentation.

Some sort of facility to print out a specification/description sheet can be very useful as the boats seem to blurr into each other after a while.

It is nice to have some idea of where the boat and the owner/broker are located.

It can save everyone a lot of time if that overpriced heap of junk is advertised as just that. As your form stands at the moment it looks like every boat would fall into that category. Putting it all into the description or broad categories is asking for creative license. Where an owner has an outstanding boat it should come across.

Remember it can easily take a full day to look at a boat, and half a day to show it.

[Talbot]

More than one engine would need engine type and hours for each engine. You also need space for alternator size.

The external power needs space for more than just one entry. a lot of boats have wind and solar, and you need to know what sort of regulator set up there is.

What about mains and mains charging capacity

battery sizes and type etc.

[Cowboy Sailer]

1. I could not enter 4 ft 11 inches or 4.9 ft into draft on seller's listing.
2. A lot of boats don't have a model name yet that field looked like it was a required field.

[twisty]

Originally Posted by Boracay

You could provide a space for owners to give their boat a condition rating:-
5) Creampuff
4) Maintenance all done
3) Original
2) Needs a little work
1) Some major repairs needed
0) Ready for the crusher
Repairs or TLC does not really give enough information

I was thinking about that as well, I went for simple because ever ad I have seen that had the type of drop down you are talking about, the owner/broker lied through their teeth about its condition.

Also, for each item of equipment an installation, upgrade and last maintained date. This could be done not only for extras but also for installed items, paint work, even the hull.

There is a space for that once you check an item off the list

Specifying standard size photos of key parts (port and starboard elevation, head on, stern on, engine, galley etc.) could also help. The photos could show initially as thumbnails and then go to full size (not more than 120kb) as selected. The slideshows are nice in theory, but incredibly tedious in practice unless server, ISP and computer are blindingly fast.

GD image on the server and a little programming will take care of standardizing photo size. They will be thumbnails that link to the larger photo. Slide shows suck, no matter what, I always find myself hitting the FF button so yeah there will be no slideshow.

Some sort of facility to print out a specification/description sheet can be very useful as the boats seem to blurr into each other after a while.

printer friendly version ill be provided for.

It is nice to have some idea of where the boat and the owner/broker are located.

covered

[twisty]

Originally Posted by Talbot

More than one engine would need engine type and hours for each engine. You also need space for alternator size.

The external power needs space for more than just one entry. a lot of boats have wind and solar, and you need to know what sort of regulator set up there is.

What about mains and mains charging capacity

battery sizes and type etc.

hold Ctrl and click as many external power sources as you would like

I'm a step ahead of you, just don't have instructions in there yet

[twisty]

Originally Posted by Cowboy Sailer

1. I could not enter 4 ft 11 inches or 4.9 ft into draft on seller's listing.
2. A lot of boats don't have a model name yet that field looked like it was a required field.

Will take care of the inability to enter 'fractional' numbers right now.

Though some boats don't have a model name, some do, especially those from well know manufacturers so I have to include it and make it a required field but will note it that N/A is an option.

[oceansoul63]

If it's a sailboat, headroom is something I always wish was listed for each boat.

[twisty]

Originally Posted by oceansoul63

If it's a sailboat, headroom is something I always wish was listed for each boat.

Someone else mentioned that, I have been trying to figure out what portion of the form to put it in for 2 days...lol

Yes I am short...lol

[oceansoul63]

Oops -- I just noticed the post where somebody already said that. Sorry. Must have missed it.

[twisty]

Originally Posted by oceansoul63

Oops -- I just noticed the post where somebody already said that. Sorry. Must have missed it.

No problem, I needed a kick in the arse on it. I never said it would be included. Now I have!

[dacust]

Originally Posted by twisty

GD image on the server and a little programming will take care of standardizing photo size. They will be thumbnails that link to the larger photo. Slide shows suck, no matter what, I always find myself hitting the FF button so yeah there will be no slideshow.

Actually, there is a site that has a slideshow but also a link to each photo, and the photos all show as thumbnails on the detail page. Since you don't have to use the slideshow, it doesn't bother anyone. Myself, depending on what I see in the boat on the first page, I sometimes like going through the slide show before going through the detail. The key is, I have the choice and am not locked into the one method they provide.

Since there are probably plug-ins available for providing a slideshow, it probably wouldn't be much trouble to add it. There will be people out there that want it.

In the site I mentioned, I can click on a photo link from the front page to see that one photo full size, or I can go to the detail page and see them all in thumbnails and click only the ones I want for full size, or go to the slide show. At various times I use each of the options (mainly detail page and slideshow), but I can see where someone with a slow connection would want the links from the first page to pick only the ones they want to determine whether to go to the detail page.

It's all about choices and flexibility.

-dan

Oh, if you have links to each photo, you should strongly suggest to the person entering the ad that they name them with a description and not just "photo 1", "photo 2", etc.

Ya know, thinking about slow connections, it might be nice to have a link for "Details" and another link for "Details with photos".

[twisty]

Originally Posted by dacust

Actually, there is a site that has a slideshow but also a link to each photo, and the photos all show as thumbnails on the detail page. Since you don't have to use the slideshow, it doesn't bother anyone. Myself, depending on what I see in the boat on the first page, I sometimes like going through the slide show before going through the detail. The key is, I have the choice and am not locked into the one method they provide.

Since there are probably plug-ins available for providing a slideshow, it probably wouldn't be much trouble to add it. There will be people out there that want it.

In the site I mentioned, I can click on a photo link from the front page to see that one photo full size, or I can go to the detail page and see them all in thumbnails and click only the ones I want for full size, or go to the slide show. At various times I use each of the options (mainly detail page and slideshow), but I can see where someone with a slow connection would want the links from the first page to pick only the ones they want to determine whether to go to the detail page.

It's all about choices and flexibility.

-dan

Oh, if you have links to each photo, you should strongly suggest to the person entering the ad that they name them with a description and not just "photo 1", "photo 2", etc.

Slide shows are a pain in the butt period. They are also HUGE waste of bandwidth. They are also confusing to those who are not as computer literate as others. If you look at any adult TGP you will see galleries, there is a reason for that, all of which I mentoined above.

A 15 pic gallery page, just the html is probably 4kb, the same number of photos in a slideshow is probably about 12kb worth of html, now figure your number of visitors. From research I know this site will pull approx 13k hits a day from Google. That's 52000kb(.5mb) for the gallery, as opposed to 156000 or 1.56mb. I don't know the bandwidth allowance on this clients server but on an avg bandwidth account this site with a slide show would run over the bandwidth limit in 7 days as opposed to 21 days with just galleries. I think I will pay for just 7 days of bandwidth rather than 21. See where I am going?

Now if this site were charging $39.95 or $160 like I have seen at other sites I might be more ready to agree with you, but this is going to be a discount site, free ads, $5.95 basic ads and $19.95 featured ads.

God I hope I did the math right on those numbers...lol

[dacust]

Originally Posted by twisty

Now if this site were charging $39.95 or $160 like I have seen at other sites I might be more ready to agree with you, but this is going to be a discount site, free ads, $5.95 basic ads and $19.95 featured ads.

For a discount site, the bandwidth argument works for me. No slideshow.

-dan