CF Wisdom for Charity ?

[RSMacG]

I had an idea.

As I'm sure is the case for many of you, in addition to camaraderie, tales and general community, I often come here seeking straight advice and hard-won information. So far, I've replaced halyards, made decisions as to hardware, my dinghy, learned how to re-caulk teak decks, shot my first sun sights, selected my anchor and proper rode configuration, learned how to calculate my maximum theoretical hull speed, improved my docking and anchoring technique, planned cruises, and countless other things I've just absorbed along the way I'm sure.

I love the forum format, don't get me wrong, and I'd never want to see that change. But what if CF members also pooled their collective wisdom in some form of cruisers wiki project hosted here? In effect, it would be the distillation of all of these thousands of threads into one of the most pragmatic cruising "manuals" ever conceived - written not by one writer with his/her necessary perspective, but the accumulation of hundreds' of cruisers' experience. We could package it up into chapters - I'm sure a publisher would take it on, or it could be published digitally here on the site. Could use the proceeds towards a charity or a set of charities once costs were recouped.

Whaddaya think?

[sarafina]

WOW!

What a great idea!!

Ya mean like this one?

World Cruising and Sailing Wiki - a Cruising Guide on the World Cruising and Sailing Wiki

*grin*

It is a great idea, even if we already had it!

[RSMacG]

Okay, okay... but in fairness, that is more of a cruising guidebook...

I am shamed.

Originally Posted by sarafina

WOW!

What a great idea!!

Ya mean like this one?

World Cruising and Sailing Wiki - a Cruising Guide on the World Cruising and Sailing Wiki

[sarafina]

Well, it has the potential to become *anything* we want to make of it... Feel like a project?

[RSMacG]

I'd be in, absolutely.

I assume the first step would be to "croudsource" the table of contents, then build the "blank" pages. As great posts are added, as a community we should just start encouraging the authors to add to relevant chapters, or consolidate the pearls of wisdom from an entire thread into a few lines or paragraphs. FWIW I think if we ask people to chip away and improve and refine topics in manageable chunks, versus writing treatises (though that'd be great!) we'll start rolling with little incremental effort from anyone. Besides, it's supposed to be fun...

(honestly, I wouldn't normally suggest this on a forum, but at CF the jackass troll to helpful e-friends ratio is shockingly low, so it could actually work)

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by RSMacG

I'd be in, absolutely.

(honestly, I wouldn't normally suggest this on a forum, but at CF the jackass troll to helpful e-friends ratio is shockingly low, so it could actually work)

Bless you for saying that ; -)

I am guessing that this is the beginning of a table of contents?

World Cruising Guides - a Cruising Guide on the World Cruising and Sailing Wiki

A place to start anyway. We have some amazing experts around here... Your idea of getting them to edit their area sounds brilliant!

[James S]

Wasn't DOJ barking up a similar tree some time back?
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ion-56056.html

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by James S

Wasn't DOJ barking up a similar tree some time back?
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ion-56056.html

Yeah. but ran into the usual DOJ problem - haven't been arsed But it is on the list........albeit I think "my" (lol ) version slightly different from OP's.

I certainly think there is some merit in the idea - CF works well for generating info, but not very good for organising for later accessing / reference (and can't ever be - it's a forum).

IMO the key is good (or half decent ) Editors, the content is largely free and I beleive does not have to be traditional magazine style (well written, but polished to dullness).