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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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My new project: MySailboatBlog.com

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Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/22/2009 : 18:35:44

Hi Guys,

I am proud to introduce my new project: [url="http://mysailboatblog.com/"]MySailboatBlog.com[/url]

The site is intended to be used by sailboat owners who wish to document anything having to do with their sailboats. Editing is done through an easy to use Word like interface where you can simply cut and paste your text and pictures directly. MySailboatBlog.com complements very well association sites like this one by providing a repository for text, pictures and videos. You have probably noticed that recently I have been posting threads on this forum with large and clear pictures. Well the reason is that my boat [url="http://vidanova1.mysailboatblog.com/"]Vida Nova[/url] has her own web site now created on MySailboatBlog.com.

[url="http://vidanova1.mysailboatblog.com/"]

[/url]

Over 100 highly customizable templates are offered where you can switch in between them without disrupting your data. Furthermore, members get their own domain name: yourname.mysailboatblog.com to make it easy to integrate into your forum signatures. The list of features are too long to list here, but if you visit the site you will find a How To section showcasing these.

The funds required to maintain and operate MySailboatBlog.com will be provided by my commercial web site [url="http://www.sailboatbooks.com/pub/shop.php"]Sailboatbooks.com[/url]. As a gesture of my gratitude in helping me grow this community, Catalina 25/250 Association members who will join and create a new web site featuring their sailboat during the testing phase will NEVER be charged even for new and upcoming optional features. The framework is stable and ready. Your web site's data will not be lost even after the testing phase.

Again, it is free to join and I would greatly appreciate if some of our association members could start their own web site on MySailboatblog.com. The site is new and new features will be offered as we grow. I wish to make this a community project where we could all contribute at improving the functionality and use. To get started simply go to [url="http://mysailboatblog.com/"]mySailboatblog.com[/url] and click Join Now to the left. All new members will get my direct email address for comments, requests and help.

Hope to see you soon on MySailboatBlog.com!

Steve Blackburn, Calgary, AB
C250WB - 1999 - Hull 396

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 02/22/2009 18:39:46

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 02:58:57

Thanks to the ones who have joined already and created web sites! Just to let you know that I've added a Support Forum if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.

Thanks again!

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 10:40:12

Cool Steve. I'll set up a page. Thanks.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 12:41:04

I was hoping you would Randy with all the mods and cool stuff you've done on your boat!

Forums are great for asking and answering various questions related to our boats, but when it comes to documenting specific mods and improvements its not the best. This is exactly why I thought a site like MySailboatBlog fits in well.

My vision is that once we have several sites up this Association can build a special mods page that links directly to the owners web site and specific mod. Would be nice for the Association Mod page to be classified by Hull & Deck, Interior, Electrical, Plumbing, Rigging, Canvas & Cover, Engine. Each can have their own sub classifications.

I'm not in a hurry, I want to do this right. Once we have something solid then I will approach other associations and grow from there.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 12:46:04

Forgot to mention that you should take a look at what Turk has done with his web site: http://turk.mysailboatblog.com/

As an example of a project mod link go to his [url="http://turk.mysailboatblog.com/projects/"]LED EXTERIOR LIGHTING [/url] page.

Just beautiful! I'm really impressed.

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 02/23/2009 12:52:31

Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 14:39:07

Steve,

I like it a lot. I have created mine. However I had to post a picture of the Force 5 midwinters since i didn't have a good one of my boat for the header. Seems very easy to customize.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 15:15:34

Looks cool nonetheless! I see you also changed the default theme to the one Turk uses. I really like what you guys have chosen and thinking of making it the default.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 19:45:46

Nice work, Steve... I look forward to seeing what others create. Unfortunately, at this time, I don't qualify on the primary criterion.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 21:13:26

Oh the "sailboat" thing... LOL

Dave I would be more than honored to have you build a site on MySailboatBlog.com. Your knowledge of sailboats, navigation and more would be greatly beneficial to us all as it is here on this forum. Actualy it would be quite interesting if you could show your various cruising pictures and knowledge of your cruising grounds. Personaly I'd like to learn more about Sarge and how you have equipped her (him?).

What I didn't want was this site to turn into a "dude" wakeboard boat festival. You know the ones who keep cutting me off while I'm sailing?

Please be my guest, you are more than welcomed!

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 02/23/2009 21:13:59

Turk
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2009 : 05:58:32

Here is a link to some support feature for Wordpress to help you learn the interface:

http://codex.wordpress.org/Getting_Started_with_WordPress#WordPress_for_Beginners

http://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page

Edited by - Turk on 02/24/2009 05:59:23

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2009 : 11:43:52

Great resource Turk. Thanks for the great help. I'm going to link to these resources directly from the Support Page soon.

MySailboatBlog.com is NOT hosted on the Wordpress.com website. The Wordpress framework is installed on my Server where I have complete control over it. It's a special Multi User version of WordPress that permits me to create member pages and my server has the ability to attribute you all with your own subdomain name. I chose to go with the best open source blog system in my opinion. I just fell in love with its easy to use interface but have to admit that on the server side it's a good thing that I'm a programmer.

By the way: You don't need to put the WWW in front of your link. turk.mysailboatblog.com is enough.

At this point we have 7 members, come on guys register and start building your content!

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 02/24/2009 11:48:38

Turk
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2009 : 11:56:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Blackburn
 Great resource Turk. Thanks for the great help. I'm going to link to these resources directly from the Support Page soon.

MySailboatBlog.com is NOT hosted on the Wordpress.com website. The Wordpress framework is installed on my Server where I have complete control over it. It's a special Multi User version of WordPress that permits me to create member pages and my server has the ability to attribute you all with your own subdomain name. I chose to go with the best open source blog system in my opinion. I just fell in love with its easy to use interface but have to admit that on the server side it's a good thing that I'm a programmer.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Very interesting! Is there a limit set on how much each website can use? Is the server local at your site or are you renting one out on the internet? I didn't realize that Wordpress sold or allowed there software to be used elsewhere. Is it a package you bought?

I think this is a very nice Idea you've come up with. I've looked at several web software solutions for my company, and the Wordpress software was the easiest to use and also quite powerful. I leaned it about a year ago so I got a head start here.

Did you see your company's link on my new website?

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2009 : 13:29:37

Yes I saw the Sailboatbooks.com link thanks! Although at some point I think I'm going to force 3 book choices to show up on everyones web site under the META widget. This is the financial model I came up with so far. Maybe in the future if someone doesn't want my adds, then they can pay a monthly fee? In any case, I'm going to keep my ads in good taste and not overbearing. At the moment I have no limits set. I will have to set limits eventually but will set them quite high since I want members to post lots of media.

I rent a server.

I'd be glad to help setup your company server with Wordpress free of charge. Wordpress is the way to go now for website publishing instead of building the whole thing from scratch on your PC. The results look professional through CSS stylesheet instead of the crapy homemade websites we see too often.

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 02/24/2009 13:35:14

Turk
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2009 : 13:48:09

Sorry Steve, I guess I wasn't that clear. I already used the software to set up my company. Link is on my website. That's why I was able to get so much done so fast - I knew the software.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2009 : 15:56:25

Yes I saw that and saw your company site. I thought you wanted to have your own domain name and control over Wordpress.

Edited by - on

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