Yesterday’s story has provoked the most emails in woody boater history. Not that many comments, but emails. Dang! Surprisingly all positive. I thought for sure I would be getting hate email. But as one email said. ” I love it. The problem is that none of of the folks at the ACBS will be able to find your post. It is on the Internet after all!!! I wish this new-fangled web thing would just go away”.. This quote is hands down a classic. The reason it was an email and not a comment is because this hobby is full of polite folks that just want to get along! The world is littered with conflict after all. Why here, we are all trying to do the same thing. Am I creating a problem with a post like this? Or trying to solve one? I believe in my heart, I am trying to solve one. A whopping big one that has been ignored. It’s not about age by the way. It’s about a mindset. Many of Woody Boaters readers, as well as the boat buzz and Dannenburg’s forum are over 60. In fact a majority. In a recent survey done, the bulk age of this hobby is in there 50′s-60′s. The other thing is that, this group, spends an amazing amount of time on line. Playing games, emailing grand kids, and finding good prices on medication. So why not have one central place that they can talk boats? That is were the ACBS should be. And right now it’s not, and very shortly will loose it’s status as that. As another email said. “They are going to get hit in the pocketbook soon. How long can they continue to publish a phone book size annual tome??? With the trees they kill for that they could make lots of woody boats!” So. hopefully this will not fall on deaf ears. Not that I am implying that everyone at the ACBS has hearing aids….. I am just saying. We here at Woody Boater care about the ACBS. And want to make sure it stays afloat and very relevant.
Am I Rocking The ACBS Boat?
8 Responses to “Am I Rocking The ACBS Boat?”
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Thanks for commenting. A couple of rules please. No cursing, be creative, not nasty, Please no personal attacks. Please check our privacy policy regarding your information and anonymous posting in our about section. Regarding linking in Comments. If you are sharing something that is selling something it is a going to be rejected as spam and you will be blocked. I am sorry to be so harsh, but we get over 100 spams like that a day. Thanks again. Matt
E-mailed ACBS yesterday. Here is my email and reply.
It is a mistake not to add blogs like WoodyBoater to our links. Many of us check it every day and enjoy its content. We really shouldn’t be isolating others with similar interests or we just might start to appear elitist.
Richard Gambino
1950 Chris-Craft
Hi Richard,
ACBS headquarters forwarded your email to me since I am the one that handles the website and felt I was better qualified to answer your question.
I receive emails daily from people wanting their sites to be linked on the ACBS website. Mainly because the amount of hits it receives. The only criteria I use is that the link be of good taste, they put a reciprocal link on their site, and they are members of the ACBS, since the ACBS website is a benefit of membership.
Oddly enough, in the case of woodyboater.com, I was just alerted to the site by the author two days ago! It was not a request to be linked but a mention that he highlighted my woody postcards from my chapter’s website which I thought was nice. Nothing was mentioned in our email exchanges about linking with the ACBS nor did I actually think about it. Leaving him off the link list was not intended to be elitist in any way but the simple fact he never submitted his website to be linked.
I will check with him to see if he is a member and if he is actually interested.
Wendy Mersman
Website Administrator
The Antique and Classic Boat Society
acbs.org
Oh no she dit’nt…. She is right and wrong. First I did email Wendy several days ago regarding the Water land web site and post card email thing. Also added a banner and had a very nice email exchange. She had not seen the site. And now has. So Wendy is dead on true here. I also did not know that she was the webmaster for the ACBS as well.And If I did, I would have asked her about this issue for sure. She is a very nice person. BUT FOR SURE did, and have asked the ACBS for a link on more than one occasion. And I got the same answer that Wendy said. I am not sure how long she has been the web master. But that is the answer I got from the ACBS for sure. What I can not remember is who the denial was from. But it was flat out turned down. That was 6 months ago to best of my knowledge.And the fact that I am not on there tells the story more than anything else. The real reason, and lets call it out here, is the fear of user generated content. And being able to manage that. This very type of thing that we are talking about right now. Makes companies and organizations run for the hills. They are dead wrong. And that was my point in the 2.0 story. It’s here. And we are commenting regardless. There is an entire conversation going on that they dont even know about. THAT is a huge mistake on there part. The other thing, is that we are wayyyyy beyond a link issue here. Many new web designs have there blogs on the front page! But that is another story.
Maybe they didn’t understand what you were asking because of your horrible spelling and punctuation.
HA, I have no idea what you are talking abowt!… So true. That could have been the issue. Maybe they thought i was asking for a sink?
UPDATE. Here is a copy of the email sent from Wendy… Dated December 27th 2007 HI Matt,
Hi Matt
Thanks for bringing the blog to our attention. Looks like a great blog. We normally do not link to blogs or discussion boards especially since there are several out there. If we said yes to yours we would really have to say yes to all of them. We do not want “endorse” any particular one even though yours may be great and well monitored.
I do banner ads as well, but thanks so much for the offer. Again, looks like a great blog and I wish you much success!
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Wendy Mersman
Matt,
Dealing with the ACBS can be like dealing with any Government department. Too many Chiefs all with their own agenda. Very political. You will do better talking with that old Oak tree out back!
BEEN THERE!!
Well if they don’t link you there is always the fall back of, “I don’t think I want to be part of an organization that would have me as a member anyway!” lol
This comment trail is sadder than I thought it would be, The private emails are worse. I am seeing an organization that is so out of touch and not sure what the web can do. It pains me. I love what the ACBS does with clubs and shows. I also think that we all need one central organization to do that. The ACBS is in a good position to do so. but is loosing the battle right now in its old school way. GM, Ford, Chrysler,ACBS. It’s time to rethink this group, if this is the trend. I want to belong, I want to help, I want to buy a Chevy… But not this way.