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PowellR · 26-12-2016, 09:58

I am looking at setting up a blog for family and friends to allow them to track my boat on an offshore cruise, photos etc. I am looking at Sailblog for this purpose. Does anyone have any experience with Sailblog? Any suggestions about setting up a blog site or website would be welcome.

travellerw · 26-12-2016, 10:26

I set up a full on Wordpress site on my own server. I dipped my to in sailblog and didn't like the features. It felt very lacking and very old (like no updates in 10 years).

I suggest you look into Wordpress.. You don't have to setup your own as they also have a hosted service.

In case you are interested my blog is here.

www.svpartyoffive.com

Paul L · 26-12-2016, 10:42

Sailblogs is a poor choice. The system is rarely updated and the scheme for posting multiple pictures in a post is terrible. For a new blog I agree WordPress is where to go. We use Blogspot (Google), it's OK but doesn't seem as actively supported as WordPress ID.

Octopussy · 27-12-2016, 06:24

I also agree.... use a hosting service, and load Wordpress. The free sites do not give you much control of the site.

There are SO MANY cool things you can do with Wordpress.... and you don't have to know how to code. Other people make site layouts, and plugins that you can download, which help you customize it to exactly what you want.... and what your readers want! And, this is all done from a Dashboard-- an easy to use interface.

I use GoDaddy.com and if you purchase a web hosting package from them, you can automatically set up Wordpress on it. It loads a basic Wordpress site, that you customize, change the theme, etc.

Good Luck!
O

-------------------
Follow the adventure at LiveFreeorDieSailing.com

YoloSF · 17-02-2017, 14:45

Iridium Go! + Predictwind will allow you to have a map with tracking as well as a way to communicate with your family via text or phone calls. I have unlimited texts and data for $120/month anywhere I want, whether there's cell phone service or not!

ProjectManaia · 18-03-2017, 04:12

Yellowbrick does the same, can automated send positions to website or text message or mail and you can send texts and mails as well as receive them

stevenit · 18-03-2017, 14:19

Youposition.it

Free of charge, or donation.
Email, SMS, geotag pics, comments, rss on facebook profile, html for blog page.
Display on google map your position and you can also export the journey for google earth.

We use it from years, look at our blog

http://www.giringiro.altervista.org/...sition-report/

sobraon · 31-03-2017, 02:15

I'm very interested in other experiences with blog sites and what other forum members are using for their blogs.

Until the start of this month we have maintained a website for 13 years. We have been updating since we started this adventure.

Initially the host company (No names just yet, it is owned by a fellow cruiser) offered the site free of charge to sailors. Remember this was 13 years ago when hardly anyone had a blog. It was well received and a number of other cruising members used the service, back in the days of Renegade and Night Watch Cruising Forums, for those with long memories.

I personally spent hours updating and providing readers with content and information. Our motivation for the site was to let family and friends see what we were up to in our adventures, to keep an historical log of our voyages and as a vehicle to exchange ideas and information and meet fellow cruiser.

After a few years and many subscribers to the webpage system the owners changed it to a payed service. A lot of subscribers fell off. I thought initially that the service offered benefits as it came with a .com address and email facility. We lost the initial years of work as they changed the software at the same time, whilst annoyed, we decided to continue and signed up to the small annual fee and started the new webpage.

Our site was quite substantial, Much more than a blog. It had How to, Recipes, Maintenance, Route Maps, Anchorages, logs, photo galleries, video galleries and many other resources for those who were following in our wake.

Over the years the host service has steadily increased its price which leads us to today. The cost has now blown out to a few hundred dollars a year. I know that doesn't seem like a lot of money, however, when budgeting you have to look at savings. To me it is both the principle as well as the cost. We never intended to make money from the site. It was really only for the enjoyment of others and to keep a record. So I now have to question its value.

At present I have let it laps and I am trying to decide what to do next. We have Facebook to keep family and friends up to date and have started a boat specific FB page to filter the political crap that inundates social media.

I am annoyed that all of the content that we spent hours providing is lost if we don't pay the fees and continue to pay Ad infinitum.. Over the years I would have spent hundreds of hours documenting our travels and experience without realising that all that effort at the end of the day is not owned by me, the author, and can be simply turned off by the host provider and at the end of the day they can set any price they like.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Garry
sv Spirit of Sobraon
formerly (www.sobraon.com)

Nostrodamus · 31-03-2017, 04:26

I use wordpress as well which is so adaptable.
As you can see you may start out with something small to keep the family updated but it soon turns into more and becomes enjoyable and makes you many friends within the sailing fraternity.
We started out with a simple blog for friends and family but now receive about 250,000 views a year and have made many friends through it.
Wordpress is a steep learning curve initially and there is always something new to learn.
If I can help at all contact me through our website below.
https://www.cygnus3.com

Sandibar · 31-03-2017, 04:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobraon

I'm very interested in other experiences with blog sites and what other forum members are using for their blogs.

Until the start of this month we have maintained a website for 13 years. We have been updating since we started this adventure.

Initially the host company (No names just yet, it is owned by a fellow cruiser) offered the site free of charge to sailors. Remember this was 13 years ago when hardly anyone had a blog. It was well received and a number of other cruising members used the service, back in the days of Renegade and Night Watch Cruising Forums, for those with long memories.

I personally spent hours updating and providing readers with content and information. Our motivation for the site was to let family and friends see what we were up to in our adventures, to keep an historical log of our voyages and as a vehicle to exchange ideas and information and meet fellow cruiser.

After a few years and many subscribers to the webpage system the owners changed it to a payed service. A lot of subscribers fell off. I thought initially that the service offered benefits as it came with a .com address and email facility. We lost the initial years of work as they changed the software at the same time, whilst annoyed, we decided to continue and signed up to the small annual fee and started the new webpage.

Our site was quite substantial, Much more than a blog. It had How to, Recipes, Maintenance, Route Maps, Anchorages, logs, photo galleries, video galleries and many other resources for those who were following in our wake.

Over the years the host service has steadily increased its price which leads us to today. The cost has now blown out to a few hundred dollars a year. I know that doesn't seem like a lot of money, however, when budgeting you have to look at savings. To me it is both the principle as well as the cost. We never intended to make money from the site. It was really only for the enjoyment of others and to keep a record. So I now have to question its value.

At present I have let it laps and I am trying to decide what to do next. We have Facebook to keep family and friends up to date and have started a boat specific FB page to filter the political crap that inundates social media.

I am annoyed that all of the content that we spent hours providing is lost if we don't pay the fees and continue to pay Ad infinitum.. Over the years I would have spent hundreds of hours documenting our travels and experience without realising that all that effort at the end of the day is not owned by me, the author, and can be simply turned off by the host provider and at the end of the day they can set any price they like.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Garry
sv Spirit of Sobraon
formerly (www.sobraon.com)

Sorry to hear your story. I have a couple of .com-domain names myself. The cost is maybe 10$ year for registration. For limited blog-like content I use google's blogger as a host for free, which is pretty versatile. I think normal hosting services should cost around ~~10$/year~~ max. 10$/month ~~as well~~ - how can the service you used be hundreds of dollars/yr?

I noticed that sobraon.com is hosted by talkspot and not active anymore. Is the content really lost? It's possible to download whole websites to your own computer, if you still have access to your original site. At least you would have the content for your self and could make it accessible via a new website, if the domain sobraon.com will not be available again (and it should).

Nostrodamus · 31-03-2017, 04:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobraon

.

I am annoyed that all of the content that we spent hours providing is lost if we don't pay the fees and continue to pay Ad infinitum.. Over the years I would have spent hundreds of hours documenting our travels and experience without realising that all that effort at the end of the day is not owned by me, the author, and can be simply turned off by the host provider and at the end of the day they can set any price they like.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Garry
sv Spirit of Sobraon
formerly (www.sobraon.com)

Garry, you can back up and download your entire site to a hard drive and should do at regular intervals. That way you can keep everything and when you find a better solution you can then upload all your content back onto the web.
I recently changed hosts and totally revamped the site keeping all my old posts. A lot of hosts will do the conversion for you.
Whilst you decide get a back up
Mark
Https://www.cygnus3.com

sobraon · 31-03-2017, 06:21

Unfortunately we were using the talkspot system.It uses it's own software online and there is no offline back up system that I am aware of. The system requires you to be logged into their site to adjust, update and post. All the photos are also stored on their system.

I don't want this to sound like a bagging of their system as such. Ken, the owner, has been very good with his time over the years, I think it is just that the system he started has out grown its original stated intent of providing website access to individuals. If you are a commercial entity it is great but as a private user it has outgrown its usefulness and value.

Nostrodamas can you post your annual cost to run your website? Maybe I am expecting too much. I would like to continue, however I want to have ownership.

Garry
Spirit of Sobraon

Nostrodamus · 31-03-2017, 08:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobraon

Nostrodamas can you post your annual cost to run your website? Maybe I am expecting too much. I would like to continue, however I want to have ownership.

Garry
Spirit of Sobraon

I have changed hosts a couple of times from a very cheap one (about 5 English pounds a month) to WP Engine which I use now and cannot recommend highly enough although I think they are about 18 English pounds a month. The difference is they look after your installation, have fast servers, security and it backs everything up each day.
I would be surprised if you could not get your old website off the server it is on now. It would be interesting to find out what he is using. Also what did you build your website in.
I would also try this group who are very friendly and helpful and run servers themselves. You will get a definitive answer, not only about your server but a good company to go to..... https://www.facebook.com/groups/internet.questions/