Too Many Networks, Not Enough Users – Online Sailing Communities

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.