What should I be doing with my time then? You tell me what you need from this site!

Only this afternoon I conceived an idea for a swanky new forum with all sorts of cunning features. But then I thought, is that what 'they' want?

One thing people have wanted for ages is a rigging guide...hopefully the new gallery will serve as the framework for this, if I can just encourage you all to send in photos, then comment on them.

I also had a madcap idea for an online drawing tool, to create layouts of boat controls like spinny pole and kicker etc. You could drag and drop blocks and cleats, then connect them with coloured lines....mmmmmm, lots of fancy coding to do..... Would that help?

Hopefully I will soon be able to provide archived magazine articles, to create a full guide on setting up your rig, and other subjects.

What new features would serve you best? Hows about a massive database of all your race results for every open meeting since 2004? (I have this data.) Graphs could be drawn to analyse your placings in sea/open/river races...

Or something simpler - a good old fashioned news page, so you don't miss any critical rules updates, or changes to open meeting dates?

Finally - any volunteers?!

Remember KISS!

ie Keep It Simple Stupid.

It just about fits the audience: too complicated and no-one will use it.

A rigging guide would be good.

I'm on Mag's side, drawing tool would be great. Could solve many a headache.

KISS should be MILS  Make it look simple [even if it isn't], then people think you are keeping it simple.

Links to Weather bouys, stations, could be good.

I think there's two in the solent near Southampton (Brambles and another) one off Hayling (West Bar) is there something at Grafham? not sure - Anyone know any others? 

I'll forward the links for above.

As an rider to my KISS comment, I would add that the site is currently excellent and much better than most classes.

We should let Mags do some sailing rather than spending all his time clued to his keyboard.

Having some mechanism to easily upload pictures may be useful.  Partially just so people can see what was going on last weekend but also to support various discussions on this forum along the lines of ‘how does x work’.  It’s often easier to take a pic than try to draw something.

It is currently an excellent site which you must be putting a considerable amount of your time into.

A database for builders, spar makers and recommended companies who carry out varnishing work etc. may be quite useful for the computer illiterate (lazy) amoung us?

among..

How about trying to match pictures with models to accompany the design guide.

What shots would be best, perhaps trolley shots, 1 from behind, one side shot, one from above?

We could probably get a large number of shots from a small number of vintage meetings.

an interactive design guide will be good

What sort of 'interactive' features would be useful?

Does anyone else use the design guide other than newcomers trying to choose a secondhand boat?

OK, better contribute to this thread as I spend/waste a lot of time typing away here.

I like the forum as it is.  It is simple, there is a search facility, but as in all forums people still ask the same questions over again instead.  I don't think added features telling everyone how many times you have posted or putting pictures against your name is helpful.  There have been some threads that have attracted a lot of interest from newcomers that could be archived/distilled onto the website, e.g. about advantages of low bow tank hull, there was one on recovery after a capsize etc.

A News page on the website would be good - the new front page is miles better and has a lot of very useful links.  I'm not sure about your idea about online boat layout.  I think myself you have to do this on the boat itself not a virtual one so you can actually see how the string leads before and after a potential bimble.  I spent the best part of 4 days putting all the fittings and string back in Heaven Sent and I used the pics on the website.  Unfortunately the resolution is not high enough to be entirely sure what was going on at crucial areas like the foot of the mast and the shroud/lowers purchases & I just wonder whether a line drawing with annotations would actually be clearer - the JT boats from the 1990's had a pretty standard layout, mine included.  Maybe if I have a sufficiently idle moment I could do one, but don't hold your breath!

Andrew

so that it asks a load of questions about the individual and where / how the boat would be used etc and then lists the designs in order of appropiateness for the individual

Ah, built-in intelligence! Always a dangerous think to give to a machine. Mind you, there are plenty of dangerous humans about with no intelligence....

As an old boat owner would like to see a link from the home page to the vintage wing section of the website, Would be useful.  Do like the forum as it is good easy to use / search

James 

MR2293

Hmm, you're right. You can get there from 'Regional Circuits' but thats not obvious. I will try to find some space to squeeze it in.
Thanks.

Am I right in thinking "MAGS" is a volunteer? 
In which case he has a very understanding boss! Furthermore he deserves one of the RYA Community Service Awards!
Look at ANY other class site world wide except possibly the Star Class (Which is the model in all things!)and you'll find none better than www.merlinrocket.co.uk
That he strives for improvemment is even more to his credit.

Of course a volunteer - does anyone who works for the benefit of the class get paid? I do enjoy my work (so long as no-one posts tripe on the forum).

Keep the ideas coming in, I'm looking forward to making the site even better. Must go and nose at the Star class website now, hmmmm....

As a non-member of the MROA I guess i'm just a freeloader but one thing I would find very useful is a FAQ. Compile answers from previous messages into a file/page of its own. Some of this info is contained in other parts of the website.
I DO use the search facility and DO find it useful. Sometimes it just requires clarification that the info is not being taken out of context. Or that things have not changed.
Excellent site, I couldn't have built my boat over here without the information on this site and the generocity of the people who use it.

John

I would agree with John NY 100%.  I have also been in personal contact with loads of people and all have given advice and time willingly especially on the rebuilding side of things.  Obviously a good spirit between Merlin sailors.  Thanks.

Is this the Star website you meant?

nice dude

Malheureusment non!
The site I refer to is: 
www.starclass.org
Wonderful fun though the Hamble star is it doesn't have the cachet of the International Star.

I was interested enough to look at the Star site but to be honest, not as impressed as I expected to be.  There may be things we can learn from them, but in many ways MR class policy and Mags work have produced a site which is much more attractive and user friendly.  For example, Home page can be viewed in its entirety without scrolling, we have no closed areas, we make no charges.  Their open forum is asleep compared to ours both in the number of current threads and the number of comments.  Stick with it, I say.

There's nothing wrong with the MR site at all, its a paragon of what it should be, but The Star is probablt the most competative and oldest class World Wide look at the list of past Star Worls Champions and its very strong regatta circuit, it's informative too. Links are strong toom but then I'm biased.

I've just had a look at the Star site.  The open forum is rubbish, the formatting is clearly from a standard package and it doesn't match what we have on our site here for practicality and topicality.  Not that I'm biased...

Go on be biased it's a good thing, I'd l;argely agree except to say that standard packages tens to have SUPPORT that takes strain off "In house" IT at least that what we find in my Day Job. It does for instance have links to every Star Supplier Yacht club etc which takes the stuff out of the forum as in the MR Case quite a lot - well a few! Threads seem to start with someone looking for a vendor of something. No it doesn't hold a candle to the MR Class for Forum Involvement but it does seem to answer questions in advance and is updated almost in real time. However the Star is "trust me!" A SEAGOING PILLORY whereas the MR is a finely honed instrument.

Being in the IT business, I would alway advocate using standard packages where possible - PHPbb as used by the Stars is well known and easy to install iti is also possible to skin it to match your site. Another concept worth looking at is a Wiki - an editable website.