Why The Boat Buzz Is Important To Us All!

Boat Buzz!

If you are new to all this, you will notice on the right side of WoodyBoater a set of links from the Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club’s Boat Buzz. Now, to be painfully honest, it aint getting the traffic it used to get. And we know why. FACEBOOK! Now, this is going to sound strange, since when the boat buzz started everyone took shots at it, because it was a bunch of people chiming in on stuff they may or may not know. But compared to facebook, its far from that and folks do help.Facebook is like Home Depot vs dealing with a local small store. Sure its got a ton of stuff, but no one knows how to help. And that is where the Boat buzz is great.

Wood hull tips and info

Same for Fiberglass.

I was on facebook the other day and watched in horror as new people come on and ask questions, and you can see it going bad, fast. There are folks on there trying to help, but many just give crap advice. At least on the Boat Buzz you get fellow boat people jumping in and generally the advice is good. Just don’t ask why your boat wont start. That’s a crap fest of crazy theories.

There is conversation for all sorts of info on other brands

I was brand new to all this years ago, and restored an entire boat based on insight from the Boat Buzz, and the archives of the Chris Craft Antique Boat Club. Its a very valuable tool that is useless unless its used. So use it. Web forums are a dieing breed sadly these days, but why? Like a good wrench or screw driver, its timeless, good help is timeless. So, click over there, look at the topics and if you are a member, chime in and help make it fun. WHAT? not a member of the Chris Craft Antique Boat Club? Well, if you own a vintage Chris Craft and are not… We can’t help you. And trust us all here, you will need help! According to my wife, I need to belong to all sorts of clubs for my help needs. Is there a Put the Toilet Seat Down club?

HAPPY HEADER DAY! Just hit refresh and see some of the years headers!

15 replies
  1. Troy in ANE
    Troy in ANE says:

    Boat Buzz has been a major help to me over the years!

    You can read Boat Buzz regardless of being a member of the Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club, but if you want to comment and look at the pictures you must join the club.

  2. Wilson
    Wilson says:

    Matt:
    Thanks for giving Boat Buzz and the Chris Craft Club a boost……It’s all about folks helping other folks.
    You are a good man.

  3. Mike Green
    Mike Green says:

    Boat Buzz is almost like having a professional restorer on speed dial. I know several restorers that check it everyday and try to help when they can. Its a great site.

  4. Sean
    Sean says:

    Similarly, the Donzi and offshore guys can go to Donzi.org for the Donzi Marine Restoration Society or, Donzi.net for the Donzi Registry. This great community will help you with any fiberglass or, power issues. They are Donzi (performance) guys but, appreciate other classic and cool boats too. I have learned sooooooooo much from them on the restoration of my 1965 Formula Jr.

    There are many specialized groups for our hobbies and it really is the people that make the difference!

  5. Tuobanur
    Tuobanur says:

    I could not have completed Miss Dot without the generous help of all the good folks on the Boat Buzz, no better resource.

  6. Mike D
    Mike D says:

    I don’t click on Boat Buzz as often as I once did because the new format is confusing and does not clearly convey the subject matter. Would it be possible to drop the writers name or include a couple more words to describe the subject?

  7. paul H.
    paul H. says:

    When I was involved in the management and operation of the CCABC, I gave considerable thought to the potential impacts of FB on the Boat Buzz and sadly, the outcomes I thought most probable have indeed come to pass. CCABC had a FB presence when new management of the club took over in early 2012, but it was not tended to or even really moderated. I felt a presence there was necessary, but it needed to exist only to drive all but the most casual observer to the website and/or more specifically, Boat Buzz.

    I don’t use FB any longer (I have not for many years) so I don’t really know what the CCABC presence is there. However, in the past I could see that it was becoming a free for all with no rules of engagement, and that this would ultimately serve to diminish that perceived value of Boat Buzz and the club itself. The diminished engagement of Boat Buzz by members likely supports this theory.

    A commercially motivated FB presence must add measurable, tangible benefits to the sponsor of the page, or it should not exist. Clearly, FB does this for some companies, but does not for others. I do not know if it does so for CCABC.

    My simple question to Troy and others at the CCABC, and in fact for any business on FB is this: Why do you have a presence on FB if it is not providing a measurable benefit and value to your MEMBERS and the club itself? If you have reason to believe it is hurting the business, then why on earth maintain it? The decline of BB engagement is obvious, but are there gains elsewhere attributable to FB?

    Are most, many, a few or none of the users of FB site members of the CCABC, and if the majority are not, why are you serving them?

    Easy questions but tough answers, I suspect and they likely apply to most commercial enterprises on FB.

  8. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    What Paul said. The club should not be on Facebook other than to redirect people to the Buzz, the website, and events.

  9. Dam T
    Dam T says:

    Boat Buzz is great! Hope it sticks around for a long time. Always my go to source for anything Chris Craft.

  10. Captain Nemo
    Captain Nemo says:

    Paul struck the nail on the head. The Facebook presence should just funnel the traffic to the site.
    Over the years I’ve seen the traffic wane and almost die on The Buzz while the bugs for the new format were being worked out. Once everything got up and working things have come back some.
    This time of year is usually slow because most everyone is out on the water and not online.
    Thanks Matt for bringing this up, and I like the Home Depot analogy, it fits.

  11. Bill B
    Bill B says:

    When does the fair damsel in the picture at the top of the heading show up to help with my varnish ?

  12. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    Glad this was brought up…have no answers…agree with mfine, Paul H. and Nemo though.
    I would guess that I am still in the top five all time Buzz posters….me, Al Benton, Wilson, Jim Evans….and many others were the old guard…and we are still here…..I check the Buzz daily and post often…but the audience is just not there…Went Boating the last two beautiful Va. days! thanks to all Buzzers.
    John in Va.

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