Got a question for all you members!!!

[seapuppy]

Ok...we've been up and running for quite awhile now....everything seems to be going quite well and was wondering how we can improve the Maxum Owners Club...
although we get a lot of visitors and usually one or two will join....the site is still sorta slogging along...some days it's quite active and others it just lavishes along with nobody posting...(probably the winter blues)...

I've added a moderator to help police things and it seems we're both on top of things...


we'd like to increase membership more so.....and activity....

Tell us what you think.....do you like the site the way it is...would you like more forums and what kind..different colors???....tell us what you think...
...

Members.....if you like what you see...think about donating to the site so we don't have to resort to advertising pop ups.....


Thanks
SP

[jeffmeans]

SP;
even though my profile says I joined five years ago or so (I don't even REMEMEBER joining!) I really didn't start participating in this forum until just a few months ago. Compared to the OTHER Maxum Forum I visited often, this one is way better. It just didn't have the participation I think, then all of a sudden it shut down a few months ago (January 1st I think). The guy that was most active was a guy named Jim Clausen, great guy but I speculate it just got to be too much of a burden to keep it going (cost perhaps, too... I don't know). I tried to find out why it went away but couldn't ever get an answer.

Anyway, THIS site has been more than impressive to me... the membership here appears to be pretty damned knowledeable and VERY prompt when a question shows up. The only thing I can think to change would be change the donation parameters to accept one-time donations (I think they require annual or monthly drafts... not sure about that) and also to accept pictures/files of greater size than the 195K size. I realize you've got to put limits on the sizes of attachments, but I've got many pictures I can't add because they're about 1meg in size.

Those are tiny suggestions, otherwise you guys rock!

[biggerseagar]

Steve......Alot what Jeff said. I started on the Bayliner website and still go there, then went to the other Maxum site and it died and then found this website. I find this site is growing. The advetisement doesn't bother me. I guess it wouldn't kill me to donate to something I do enjoy! The set-up is Ok with me. I sort of hit the website in spurts for the most part.

So IMHO....... leave well enough alone? Works for me!

Roger

[ss3964spd]

Steve,

I, like Rog and Jeff, think it's doing pretty well. Not sure how or what I'd change.

As far as participation goes I can tell you that this site is behaving exactly like two other sites I frequent (both cater to locals in the Washington DC/Northern Va area). Both of the other sites have a similar number of members but they are geared almost completely towards social activities. Both of those sites can, and do, go for several days without a single posting.

Like any online forum you have lurkers, members, and the "regulars".

My biggest pet peeve are folks that visit and post reguarly but don't contribute (not targeted at you Rog, no offense meant at all) financially. I mean, surely if you can afford a pleasure boat than you can also afford to help keep the site running.

Respectfully submitted,

Dan

Dan

[shrew]

Word of mouth. If you see or meet a Maxum owner, tell them abouut the site and encourage them to join. BTW- That other Maxum site is still up and running.

Interesting, I noticed that I don't have a 'Donating Member' icon. I'm pretty sure I donated some cash. i'll have to double check and try again.

[seapuppy]

shrew..your a mod...you got upgraded.....or promoted....however you want to think about it..



SP

[oldno7]

New to Maxum Boats and new to this site, so far I find it a great resource.

Thanks for your efforts.

[Brianm]

SP,

You, shrew and Jon have done a great job with the site and provide a very nice service to a Maxum Owner such as myself who knows how to handle a boat on the water but who is a bit on the mechanically challenged side! I find the other members here to be helpful, pleasant and all seem to have a good sense of humor (except maybe our good buddy "greatz" Ed - LOL - teasing). Like others, I also visit the BOC (nice guys as well) and IBoats (ok) and THT (not really a pleasure boaters place especially for us with small runabouts). Since this is a "brand specific" site, and our brand is no longer being made, I wouldn't expect anywhere near the traffic as one might see on a "general" boating site, which is too bad because there are a bunch of great guys sharing good general advice here that any boat owner would find helpful. Guess one way of generating more traffic (if that is the intent) might be to insert a word or two in the site name that would pop up in a google search by a general boater. Like... Maxum Owners and Boater Club or Maxum Boat Owners Club??????? Might get more google search hits with the "boaters" or "boats" in there. Just a thought from an advertising challenged Maxum boat owner.....

On another note, I need to check to see the last time I donated - might be the time to do it again - thanks for reminding me.

And, thanks to all for the great site.

[ed & inge]

i like this site very much.......spend time on it every day.....sometimes post something, sometimes try to say something interesting and intelligent but that always go's wrong because i'm not....haha....

no serious....i love it....and realy apriciate al the work you have on keep running this site.....chappeau.......

greatz from a very sunny and warm netherlands, ed

[iceman]

Well, this thread made me realize I'm not a donating member, so I corrected that just now. This is the first site I posted on when I was thinking about buying my 2600SE over a year ago, and I've gained alot of knowledge here ever since. I will continue to try and contribute what knowledge and experience I gain in return.

As far as things that could be different... I agree with others that I'm happy with the way it is right now. Certainly the membership is great and always helpful. There are not many Maxum owners in my neck of the woods. Most boat owners here on the coast prefer Ospreys, Stripers, Whalers, etc for fishing. So I appreciate the company of fellow cruisers!

[biggerseagar]

Dan.........You made me feel guilty..........I paid up for a year!......well worth it!

Roger

[seapuppy]

Thanks guys for paying up...and all of your kudo's....we greatly appreciate it....
this is a nice forum with no drama....I've worked hard to keep it that way and glad everyone feels comfortable here....I sincerely hope your comfortable here and feel able to ask and help each other....sometimes I try to post info and glad to see when I'm corrected with any misinformation...the main thing here is to help each other and to enjoy boating.....


I'll get Jonathan to work on the picture size issues......

Please feel free to suggest other items....
we have a projects section...post your projects so we can all enjoy...like bella's stainless steel projects....awesome...


SP

[ss3964spd]

Originally Posted by biggerseagar

Dan.........You made me feel guilty..........I paid up for a year!......well worth it!

Roger

That wasn't really the intent Roger, just a happy outcome! Ditto for Tom (iceman).

I'm in the same, er, boat as Tom - not many Maxum owners in my neck of the woods. But this site really transcends Maxum ownership as at least 50% of what is discussed can be applied to nearly any boat.

Unlike some other sites this lot is largely drama free, but when there is a touch of that it is usually handled in a mature adult fashion. Everyone wins.

Dan

[Cymru]

I was thinking about upgrading this year to a twin engine cruiser. Hope it’s a Maxum. Don’t want to get kicked out of the club! On a serious note though, since the Maxum brand has been axed, would it not make sense for the board to move to a more general format? There is so much great advice on here and I believe that it’s not brand specific. You'd have a lot more people to draw new membership from.

[shrew]

We have a few non-Maxum owning members on this site. Of course, they are previous Maxum owners, and I think that all are welcome on the site.

[Cymru]

Originally Posted by shrew

We have a few non-Maxum owning members on this site. Of course, they are previous Maxum owners, and I think that all are welcome on the site.

I understand that Shrew but if the idea is to increase membership would it not be better creating GenericOwnersClub.com and pointing this domain to that?

[shrew]

Originally Posted by Cymru

I was thinking about upgrading this year to a twin engine cruiser. Hope it’s a Maxum. Don’t want to get kicked out of the club!

I was really only replying to this comment.

Brand specific owner's groups tend to have smaller meberships than a generic site. Each has their benefits and drawbacks. While membership will certainly increase, we'll also have a slew of members looking to discuss their 14 ft. aluminum with 9.9 kicker, or folks looking to discuss crossing from Puerto Rico to Key West. I've got no anwers. All ideas are good ideas.

[seapuppy]

well...let me chime in...this site is really brand specific in a way...we started out for maxums only and although we've been a small site....we keep getting people buying used boats and some will post once and other will join and not post at all.....while we'd like to get more participation out of our members and newbies....we'd like to stay a place for maxum boaters to not feel like an outcast....kinda like having a norton motorcycle.....big following but they don't make them anymore if memory serves me....

so...yeah...all boats have basically the same running gear and parts....maxum boats have a following of sorts...and we'd like to stay to that following....

if someone comes here with a searay....we won't turn them down....but we kinda stay loyal to maxum for reasons that most own one now...or have owned one...and still love them.....

SP

[shrew]

Originally Posted by seapuppy

....kinda like having a norton motorcycle.....big following but they don't make them anymore if memory serves me....

SP

Norton is still alive and kicking. Though kicking is relative, I think they have one official dealer in the US in Connecticut.

[seapuppy]

I rest my point.....betcha they have an exclusive website.....no..don't bother...my ole boss here at boeing has a norton cycle....he belongs to the norton site....


SP