The 1000 character limit is quite restrictive, could that be increased? 

When I do an internet search for certain Catalina 36 information,  various reference links to the old site come up which will not open.  A major error/oversight that needs to be fixed.. 

Can you quote as existing post?

What forum software is the site running? All the free packages have the missing features.

Given that the old forum had all these features, it seems silly to replace it with a lesser product. But its early days.

The new site is a work in progress.  We will be adding functionality as time and finances allow.  Sue Griesbach is the webmaster and she has been away on personal matters but I'm sure she will be noting and adding these items to be looked into. 

The forum is native Drupal now, this was done to make keeping the site secure and updated less expensive as the cost to update vBulletin was exorbitant.

On the upside, one of the things we wanted to accomplish was to make it easy for members to submit content and that has been accomplished.  I just published an article on the front page and it was simple to do, including embedding photos in the article.  A link to start this process is on the right side of the pages under the Navigation heading.  Once submitted, a workflow is initiated to have the content reviewed and published by the editors and it shows up on the site. 

More below......yeah, 1000 characters might be a tad tiny.

Further to submitting content,

There is a guide under the Help->FAQ menu to assist with this, while this deals with tech articles the process is the same for most content.

https://www.catalina36.org/help/frequently-asked-questions#Submit%20Tech...

We hope this new functionality will encourage members to submit more articles and content about not just tech matters but sailing and anything else relevant to owning a C36.  There's more here than just the forums folks.

Ah, native Drupal.

It is too late now, but it seems strange to go through all this development when there are plenty of secure/professional forum packages out there (I know as I run several differnet types for different sailing sites) - and they are free and only take an hour to setup.

Lets all make suggestions, so that the web manager can priorities and introduce the features that we need.

Cheers

As long as we are giving suggestions for Forum software, I'd reccomend SMF - Simple Machines Forum.   Free and very powerful.  Individual users have lots of options in their profiles.   Look at C34.org if you wish to see it.  Yes, it can be locked down to members.

Bud, I appreciate that people put lots of work into this, but sometimes you have to know when to fold them.   Most of us can just look at this software to know it is inferior to other sites.  If you can't go into the setup to change the font contrast or up the length of posts within 3 minutes, you have the wrong software. Other software would be easy to migrate to and you don't need a pro to handle it.  SMF has lots of help on their own forums.   Maybe Sue has been away and busy, that is fine, but if you are putting everything onto her isn't that just getting you into the same problem as before?

SMF and phpbb are two packages I run for sailing forums. They are free and have a huge user base. You can also hire very experienced programmers to develop customisation modules for $15/hr if need be.

One of the advantaged of the internet is you are not tied to using local programmers. I imagine the people in the US are as expensive as Australia. Thus the widespread use if offshore people (India, Eastern Europe, etc).

Blocking access to the forum will limit attracting new members.

Blocking access prevents use of Google search. Does anyone really think that being invisible to Google search will improve this sites viability?

It’s quite naive to think a closed website with a limited audience is going to encourage people to take the trouble to write an article or post to a forum that has a such a limited audience.

I highly appreciate the time and effort of the volunteers. But it is rather arrogant and imprudent to not solicit input from the current members, many who have, the expertise to provide some authoritative direction.

I am afraid this current direction which has already neutered the previous website’s value, will kill it.  I will unlikely renew my membership in its current form.

Read more here;

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php?PHPSESSID=4cc992bb85cdb94f9ef6cf53251532cd&...

I apologize for my bluntness, but with only 1,000 characters.

As I write this, no posts have been added to the C36 forum in the past 24 hrs.    The C34 Forum has had 10 new posts in the past 24 hrs.   The officers shut down the C36 email list thinking that the people would just migrate here.  That did not happen.   We have shut out lurkers or interested parties.  Mainesail was offered a complimentory membership and he has rejected it. Things are not trending in the right direction.  

I agree, everybody should be able to read the info. Posting in most areas should require registration. If the site had value, people will join the association.

I was really looking forward to the new forum. But have been diusappointed. Still no Tapatalk.
When the email list people raised concerns, I was sure the new forum would have all the features of the old one and some more. I admit I don't know all the history behind the old site. But a website and forum are fairly simple these days. Let's hope people are prepared to wait it out.