Forum vs Facebook

[solitaire]

It would appear the CMBA face book page is getting a great deal more use for passing on information about events and useful info than the Forum these days.
I expect I am not alone in noticing the Forum is becoming very quiet vs Facebook. Is Facebook the way to go if the a Forum is dying.u

[kwoffa]

I think that's the way a lot of Forums have/are going
I m a member on several other Forums (car related) and they have gone that way too,personly i find this Forum very quiet and almost outdated,i have often read a post only to find it's years out of date,i also do not understand the Clubhouse,you are either putting info out there or not..postng is restricted to non members I think Forums are great and are required as lots of older members do not have or want a Facebook page ! However they do need to be used and kept up to date a job people find a bit of a chore...please keep the forum running.. it just needs a moderator to give members a nudge that we are still here.. Mel.

[welshhealey]

Well said Mel, just to reiterate, not a lot of “senior folk” have a “Facebook “ account, and don’t particularly want one, I myself don’t have one for various reasons, plus a lot of my colleagues likewise ! so keep the forum alive, we need it !

[Rapier]

I enjoy both the FB page and the forum (which has been running successfully for over 10 years..). Both sites do cover different subjects and the FB page appeals to a newer generation - see also Fletcher owners and various nordic boating FB pages.. . As a member of the AOMCI (paid), John Old Mercs (paid) and Fiberglassics (free)forums - I see they all have a vast number of members who contribute - some daily, with help, comment and advice. In the US, both antique / classic boats and motors can be bought for very little outlay and the 'hobby' is both cheap and rewarding so that expertise is always in demand - with my knowledge now I tend to use all 3 forums for the questions that can't be asked here. There's less demand in the UK and a different social dynamic to posting, plus many topics have been debated to death, so it is what it is really...

The only other comment I'd make is there's a core of people who continue to support the forum, from those who trawl through and delete the dozens of spammers every day, administer the site and others who post items for sale, comment, advise and organise and post events, for no pay or material reward, other than to encourage people to enjoy what the CMBA is about. This isn't evident to many, but is why we all need to use it, or lose it...

[solitaire]

Thanks everyone - I am would also hate to see the Forum die, there always appear to be plenty of people viewing but just not much input - must be the time of year! - also agree the search facility is often overlooked as a valuable source of data on a host subjects that has been discussed in the past.

Like a few other members, I,m not signed up to Facebook but anyone can view the public pages - https://www.facebook.com/groups/145124038858927/ - some links to lovely boats.

[Woodwych]

I've found the forum invaluable as a source of advice and support- it would be a shame if it didn't survive. The old posts are a great resource and sometimes provide the only info on certain boats or techniques available on the internet. Facebook is OK but it just seems too superficial and transient to explore anything properly.
There is a very definite winter lull on the forum as projects and activities slow down with the winter weather but thats just how it is.
Must just thank those in the background for their hard work in keeping it running. And of course Rapier for the ebay links!

[Alacrity]

I too hope it survives, we lost a lot of subscribers a couple of years back when we had issues with our hosting people. The forum became virtually unusable to to slow speed issues, sadly many folk have not returned since we changed hosts.

[kgarla]

Personally I believe they are two separate entities both with advantages over each other. I see no reason why both cannot be put to good use to further the CMBA and help both members and non members alike. Thank you to all persons who contribute to both formats. Cheers Kgarla