November 12

Too Many Networks, Not Enough Users – Online Sailing Communities

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Boaterstv_2
Last week, I was invited to join another social network for sailors, called Yachtpals. This is the fifth  in as many months. First there was Sailtrac (a Google maps, mash-up), then Boaters.tv, Boaterscommunity.com, the German-based Tripsail and now yachtpals.

Each seems to have started with the ambition of becoming the Facebook for sailors. Sadly, I think they will all struggle to make it. Sorry guys, I really hope I am wrong and I will buy you all a beer if I am, but things don’t look pretty.

It’s too early to tell about yachtpals but the interface is a bit clunky. Tripsailor seems to have disappeared. The link doesn’t work anymore and it doesn’t even come up on Google. As for Sailtrac, although it sounded like a good idea, from what I can tell, no one has joined. I certainly haven’t heard from them since it launched. Boaterscommunity seems to be a couple of hundred motor-boaters with some saucy videos of bikini babes fishing (not that I am complaining, just saying that’s all).

Boaters.tv could be the only one that’s getting any traction. I am guessing based on their published statistics (above) that they have 1,000-1,500 members. Not too shabby guys! It seems to be more oriented towards motor-boaters but they have a critical mass of sailors too, so I am not giving up on them yet. I give them big kudos for the way they are trying to build the community with content (the 3-times weekly Julie videos), events, maps, etc.  If I were a betting man, I would say they are there for the long haul (this is usually the kiss of death and they will probably be gone in a week ).

None of these come close to Sailing Anarchy. I can’t tell how many members they have but with close to 40,000 topics in their forums, I am betting it’s in the high thousands. Why do they do so well? First, they have been at it a while. Second, it’s easy to use. You don’t have to create a complicated profile that feels like making up sailing resume. Last but not least, the discussion is good. It can get pretty rugged but it feels like a real community.

Sorry to the other guys, I hope you all succeed but you have a long way to go.


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  1. Hmmm. That manufacturer share table is a bit odd. Two entries for Vanguard Sailboats and VANGUARD SAILBOATS. Then one for Sunfish/Laser which is a company that is now defunct; its Sunfish and Laser manufacturing was taken over by Vanguard many years ago. Another entry for Laser… all Lasers in North America and Europe are now made by PSE or Vanguard and PSE recently bought Vanguard. Add them all together and you find that owners of small sailboats made by Vanguard/PSE are one of Boaters.TV largest user groups. Maybe I should check them out.

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