A quick note of thanks

[Mat-C]

Probably not really posted in the right place, but I wanted to make sure that all concerned read it...

I just want to say a quick thanks to all of the knowledgeable and generous guys (sorry...but there is a definite lack of the other lot around here!) who go out of their way to help those of us who have an amateur interest in the art and science of boat design.
People like Tad, Willallison, Ad Hoc, Tom Lathrop..... (apologies to the many I've missed).... REALLY appreciate it...

[hoytedow]

Please allow me to echo those sentiments. This forum has been a treasure-trove for me. I learn something new every day. Thanks to all of you, even the ones asking questions, without whom the opportunity to read the answers would never have availed itself to me.

[tinhorn]

Add my name to the list of grateful learners.

[daiquiri]

I agree wholeheartedly.
Please let me add Tom Speer to the list, and also few guys who have put a huge effort into (unpayed!) development of some very popular design software: Mark Drela, Leo Lazauskas and Victor Timoshenko. Hats down!

Cheers

[tom28571]

There are many others that contribute knowledge to this forum. I want to thank all who have either added to my own store or have straightened me out here and there. I hope I never reach the point where I am unable to listen, read, observe and learn.

[Easy Rider]

I agree with all and I'd like to add Apex1 and CDK to the list.

Easy Rider

[duluthboats]

Not enough room here to thank everyone that has helped me, and for all the things that I have learned.
Jeff thanks for hosting us.
To the rest, there will be more question, thank you in advance.
Gary

[messabout]

Put my name on the grateful list. The grandmaster said: " you have much to learn, grasshopper". This is one of the places to listen and learn. Thanks , heartily, to all our learned and generous contributors.

[rxcomposite]

That is the reason I stayed on. Some of the members are near geniuses and walking encyclopedias. I won't say their names lest I slight the one I forgot.

Nevertheless, I owe them a lot as I have learned from these "mental philanthropist" who in some way advanced my carrer.

My chance to say thank you!

[marshmat]

Hear, hear!

This forum has been a treasure-trove for me. I learn something new every day.

Same here, Hoyt.... I think there are many of us who have found the boat learning curve greatly accelerated by learning from the dozens of contributors who have been there, done that, got in (and out) of that kind of trouble, etc.

[Mat-C]

Yes... there are many, many that I didn't list... certainly not thru any intent.
Jeff, our host, most certainly ought to be at the top of that list!

[Willallison]

I've often said that I learned at least us much here as I did when attaining my formal design qualifications. This is site a true asset to us all.... and its past and future success is entirely as a resut of the generosity of those who contribute to it...

A loud thanks to PAR, Paul Ricchelli, who unfortunately decided to leave the Forum and (different from others, me included) did not hear to the calls of coming back. A real loss.

The week I would not learn here, would be the week I really finally resign.

Contributing in the best meaning to provide assistance, and gaining from the contradiction or better experience of the others, is what makes many of us enjoying the Forum. (I know from private correspondance that Paul was here for exactly that reason)

Treating each other better in some cases would help a lot to keep the pace. (I know, that I am amongst the least good examples of politeness and patience, forgive me please)

It sometimes is hard to stand, to see a very valuable member with a proven record of knowledge being "destroyed" by people popping up here (recently too often), spitting their opinions in the court and claiming the rest of us are illiteral.

The "Brents" of this world we can stand, they have some (at least hands on) knowledge, the "littlelegs" are what we do really not need.

Not because of contradiction, all of us had to beg pardon for being wrong, at least once.
Because of being misinformed, stubborn and rude, these people are not supporting this (according to bloody Google) best valued source of boat related information.

Thanks to all contributors, yes.

Go away bigmouthes, in the same breath.


And special thanks to Mike Johns, Ad Hoc, Alan White, Alik, Bodo, CDK, Paul Ricchelli, Dskira, Daiquiri, Marshmat, TAD, Terry, Teddy, Terhohalme, Eric, Will, Herman, Ragnar, M&M Ovenden, Wynand Noortje, and a few (very few) others I did not mention.

Regards (the best, in this case)
Richard

[peter radclyffe]

yes, thank you all

[daiquiri]

Anybody said Eric Sponberg? Well, let me do it. Eric has also shared a fair amount of his knowledge with us, and I have learned a lots from his writings too. Same for Baeckmo.
Ad Hoc has been a very authoritative source of reliable info for me, and has generously shared with me some important research papers on sail aerodynamics, propellers and hull hydrodynamics. So, really special thanks to him.

And... although I've very often been on a collision course with Rick W., I have learned something new from him too - the story about flexible shafts and self-aligning props. Don't know if I'll ever use a similar solution, but it is appreciated as a contribution to my general technical knowledge.

------------------

Now, I'd just like to express my opinion (for those who might care ) about why this forum is so instructional and formative. I believe it's main characteristics is that it is made up of people coming from nearly every technical and manufacturing field. It is highly multi-disciplinary discussion place, where every problem is analyzed from not only boatbuilder's, boat designer's or NA's point of view, but also from the point of view of guys who have made hundreds of pieces of home furniture, plumbers, electricians, mechanical, electrical, aerospace engineers, computer programmers, university professors etc. Each one has shared a tiny amount of his experience and all together have created this sort of on-line boat design/building encyclopedia.

No person or group of persons coming from a single technical field could provide such a complete coverage. I believe it should be a message to many design offices and shipyards which still appear to be exclusively oriented towards hiring people from boatbuilding ambient. I remember when, 5-6 years ago, I was sending my CV's to design offices and shipyards, and kept receiving replies saying that they were not looking for aerospace engineers (that's what I am) because they were unable to see a place for that figure in the boat design field. Well... Back then it really pissed me off but I can only smile today at such short-sightedness.

The industry-driven rush towards specialistic training has fragmented our knowledge to the level that many good and innovative ideas and solutions to problems are probably available due to a research in one specialistic field, but are invisible to the people from all the other fileds. I am using the boatbuilding industry as an example, but it is valid for any other industry.
I believe it is time to start inverting this process of fragmentation, and to create more melting-pot places like this forum is, in our offices, yards, research institutions etc. I'm sure we would be surprise by the amount of new old ideas which would start to pop up...