Hi all, to make a long story short, the Proa File Forums will be closing down at the end of August. Read on if you want to hear the long story.

There are several reasons, but the most pressing is my time constraints. The forum is in a constant state of need and repair. I use the forum package from Expression Engine, which is the CMS I use for the rest of the site. It is buggy, outdated, not responsive with phones or tablets, and is apparently no longer being updated. This is their response to a letter I sent asking them if an upgrade could be expected in the near future:

I’m sorry to hear about your troubles using the Discussion forum package. We agree the Discussion forum does need an update. We typically only discuss plans that are already set in motion and ready for release, at this time we don’t have anything waiting for release in terms of an update to Discussion Forum.

I have neither the skill, time or interest in working through the many issues that keep appearing in regards to the forum. I’d rather be working on boats, or writing about boats.

As far as options go, I’ve looked at other forum software such as phpBB, but in the end there is still way too much time involved for that to be a reasonable option. There is also the Yahoo or Google Groups option. If anyone would like to host a new forum, please do so and send me an invite. Just please don’t call it Proa file! 😉

Wikiproa is still a great idea, and I’m sure that Kevin would appreciate more content submissions. Maybe a facebook page?

I have greatly enjoyed getting to know the small group of ‘proanista’ that post here regularly, and especially the sailing and building reports from Skip, Johannes, Rael, and too many others to list individually.

I have learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t work in regards to hosting a bunch of free thinkers such as yourselves. I’ve learned a lot about myself as well (sometimes painfully). I could not have managed the forums at all without the help and support of James Shanahan doing the moderating. Thank you one and all for your posts, insights and contributions over the past three years.

As far as Proa File goes, The articles will continue with the wider editorial policy including both cats and tris in the mix. I’m still really excited about reporting on the wider multihull scene that isn’t covered by the racing or condomaran sites. To that end, I encourage anyone to send reports on what they are doing or seeing online in regards to interesting multihulls. Soon there will be an article submission form for any of you so inclined.

Cheers,
Michael Schacht
Editor | ProaFile.com

Michael,

Sad to hear the news, but I am sure that I speak on behalf of all Forum members, THANK YOU for all your efforts in hosting and maintaining the Forum.

When I first presented you with my planned build a couple of years ago, you said it was a bit “wild”, but thanks to many contributors this forum, my knowledge and understanding of proas has grown significantly (although it may not seem so to some) and my proa has evolved (confidently and optimistically) even “wilder”.....

When it finally hits the water sometime early next year, should it be successful, it will be in no small part be thanks to your Forum…....

Very best wishes.

Rob

Sorry to hear the news, Michael.

The Forum was the source of many truly inspiring ideas for so many years and it will be missed.

I wish you all the best in manifesting your new vision for the PF.
Whatever it is, I know that it will be fresh, forward-thinking, informative and worth following.
I’m already looking forward to it!

Aloha for now,
Claudio

I too am devastated by this news.  No one knows better than I the incredible commitment and level of self delusion required to maintain complex systems constructed of innumerable variable bricks from many different sources using volunteers while sacrificing time better spent on more rewarding things like family and building boats.

Proa file forums have been one of the rare Internet destinations that made me feel the good of the Internet outweighed the bad. 

After I posted a note about my personal minor problems with the “new” forum appearance and directional shift I felt quite disappointed in myself as I put myself in your place and realized what a no-win proposition a site like this is.  I apologize for placing some of the weighty straws on your overloaded back.

Thank you for everything you’ve done - one part of me is interested in maintaining this discussion forum because of what it has given me personally - the other is wary about overcommitment and under delivery if I start down this road without very careful consideration.

—
Bill

This makes me really sad. This forum has been a beacon of what the Internet should be, but sadly seldom is.

I have learned enormously from this forum and everybody hanging here, and i want to thank you Michael and James for this great opportunity we have had to share, discuss, develop and obsess about proas, like we have done for a couple of years now.

What will happen to all the content in this forum? Will it be available to read, or is it going to be removed?

Cheers,
Johannes

I’m sad to hear this news, but I understand why you made your decision.

Thank you for all of the work you’ve done to date.  I’ve gotten so much from hearing about people’s experiments, and hearing their thoughts on mine.

All the best,
Chris

Very sad news indeed… This is one of two webpages that are always open in my computer, and accessed often. In a way it’s to me what facebook is for many people!
I do understand and respect your decision and also thank you so much for all your work, and wish you the best luck on and off line.
I am also curious about what will happen to the forum content. It would be a shame to loose such a great source of information.

Cheers,
Hugo

I add my gratitude and thanks to those before me and echo hopes that content will be archived.
I have learned an enormous about in the short time I’ve been a member.
I hope my multiple postings weren’t the straw that broke the camel’s back!
I hope that someone is willing to take the forum management over.
Perhaps the content can be ported over to a newer, lower maintenance tool, even if its ‘bare bones’.
Simon

Thanks for the condolences, everyone. Don’t worry about being the last straw that broke your editor’s back, it was a conjunction of events and when push came to shove and I had to offload, the forum came up with the short stick. I’d like to keep the forum content online as a resource for everyone, I was perusing the posts last night and there really is some gold to be found in there.

Also, though this is the end of THIS forum, it could be the beginning of another. Consider it an opportunity…

Cheers,
Michael Schacht | Editor

Thank you Robert and Johannes.

Robert, it is a shame you just found this forum. I well remember you from the yahoo group and your work with the crab claw rig and I was very pleased to see you sign up here. Still, there may be other options in the near future if others want to take up the baton.

Johannes, your experiments and attitude have been an inspiration for me and I’m sure for many others, too. This forum, itself, was an experiment and one well worth doing, I think.

Cheers to all
James

I wonder if it is possible to take the content from this forum and integrate it with a new one, assuming someonecan be found with the time and skills to moderate it?

Would be a shame to lose what has been built up here…

Michael and James,
Thank you for your great efforts with the Proafile forums. I’ve really appreciated the great community, great ideas, and great organization of information that you have fostered here. I’ve enjoyed immensely the variety the ideas presented, the experimentation documented, and the builds and travels chronicled. I hope this can continue in some new form. Thanks everyone for making this forum a friendly port of call.
Fair winds,
Curtis

I wish to add to the chorus, Michael; you’ve done a yoeman’s job out here all this time. I’m sorry I haven’t been more active.

A reasonable and low-effort alternative is a subreddit. I just set this one up:

http://www.reddit.com/r/Boathouse/

Reddit has a lot of useful features for discussion groups like this. It’s easy to administer, it has real threading for conversations, we can make the subreddit totally private or totally public or a mix of the two, and we can moderate the discussion as much or as little as we like.

If you think this is a good option, add the subreddit (or make a reddit account and then add the subreddit) and we’ll talk about rules and moderation levels and so on.

I think it’s a good idea to use your real name, or some version of it. If you already have a reddit account as “DeathVixen3000”, perhaps you could make a second account with your real name to post to the Boathouse.

If no one is interested in this, no harm and I’ll kill it. But there’s a nice community here, it would be nice if we could keep some of that going.

Kevin

Thanks for setting that up, Kevin. I just made a Reddit account. I should mention that I’ve received a PM from a member who is looking into setting up a new forum for members as well, all I know is that it would be based on XenForo.

So somehow or somewhere, the discussion can continue.

Hi guys, I’ve been talking to Michael about starting a new forum and he’s happy with the idea.

My wife works with a guy who owns a few forums and is great with running and managing online communities. He agreed to help us and host the forum on the same platform he is using. Here is one of his websites if you want to go check it out and see what the software’s like: http://www.backyardherds.com

We are still working on the details, but we’re hoping to have it up and running soon. I will keep you all posted.

Thanks!

Oh, excellent news!!  I started reading this thread, and grew increasingly depressed about losing this beloved part of the web.  This forum is just too good a place for it not to continue!  The last few posts have improved my mood no end!! 😊

Thanks to Michael and James for doing such sterling work for what can often be a thankless task.  (I used to do the admin for a sports website and its forum, so I know ...)