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We Need Your Help!

Every so often the executives of The Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club will pose a question asking for your thoughts. Or maybe you have something that you would like to share with us. Step up on the soap box here.

Moderators: Don Ayers, Al Benton

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Bill Basler
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We Need Your Help!

Post by Bill Basler » Sun Jan 04, 2009 10:53 pm

Another year, another day, another need!

Please see our new, but growing Chris-Craft Wiki at: www.chris-craft.org/wiki

For those of you who are not familiar with the concept of a "Wiki," it is kind of like a shared, open source, web-based encyclopedia. A Wiki is written, edited, and shared by all of us. A Wiki tends to become more in-depth and accurate as time passes, as there is a natural "check and balance" system of editing. If something is wrong, it tends to be corrected by others. I have been trying to map out a few basics, paying particular attention to Chris-Craft history, the Divisions and Hull Construction methods. I will soon be turning my sights to one particular model that I know something about the "Deluxe Ruanbout."

Now, I need help from all of you!. You'll note that our Chris-Craft Wiki shows links to pages for every model of Chris-Craft. Some are well known, like the "Custom Runabouts", or the "Commanders." Others are more obscure like the "Jolly Outboard."

I need to find "subject matter experts" for each of the models listed. Bret Kiddey, how about writing something on the Commander series? You can cover the wood Commanders, and Paul Pletcher or Rob Cutchins can join in on the glass Commanders. How about you, Kerry Price, on the Custom Runabouts, or at least a section on the 20-foot Customs?

This is how a Wiki works. The page on Commanders and Customs could be pretty extensive, as all Commander models/eras and all Custom lengths/eras will need to be covered. But this is also what makes this a tremendous shared resource as well.

You are all "subject matter experts" in your own corner of the Chris-Craft Universe. Heck, Peter van der Hoeven knows more about XKs than I could learn in a lifetime.

If we all join in, and write a little bit about the eras, the company, or the specific models that we know something about, before long we'll all know where to turn to find out more about the "Jolly Outboard" or the "6.9 Metre."

Here are a few simple rules of Wiki editing:
  • 1. Put something out there! Others will correct it if it needs to be corrected.
    2. The very nautre of a Wiki is that it can be edited by anyone at any time. There is a page history function that allows us to see who changed what, and when.
    3. Red links in the wiki language are links to pages that do not exist yet. If you click on a red link you will be led to a page editing form. Type something and click submit. That's it. The red link to that page will then turn blue, which means "the page exists." Once the page is "real" it can be added to, edited, and so on.
    4. You can create links to other wiki pages. For example, a page about "Commanders" can link to a page about the "Corsair Division."
    5. You can link to outside web pages.
    6. You can embed photos.
    7. You can link to examples in the Hull Registry
    8. You can link to examples in the online Archive
    9. Be original in your writings. Aside from plagiarism issues associated with copy-pasting from other web sites, Google, and other search engines likes good, original content, that is not replicated elsewhere on the web.
Let's not get too bogged down in too much too soon. Let's concentrate on turning as many of the red models links blue.

See http://www.chris-craft.org/wiki/index.p ... t_Division for a wiki page that is fairly well rounded out.

The idea is to make the Wiki a factual resource. If any of you find a flaw, or something that can be made clearer, or better stated, go ahead and suggest a change to the page. Each wiki page has a link at the top that says"Edit."

OK?
Last edited by Bill Basler on Mon Jan 05, 2009 10:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Bill Basler

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Bill Basler
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Post by Bill Basler » Mon Jan 05, 2009 10:46 am

DonJ breaks the ice this morning. Don, thank you for jumping and giving this a go. Others will be able to see your work, and will hopefully join in as well.

Don, I edited your paragraphs this morning to include "internal links" to other Wiki pages. In Wiki formatting language an "internal link" is a link to any other Chris-Craft Wiki page that already exists.

Enclosing the exact, case sensitive name of another Wiki page in double braces, ie: [[Barrelback]] links to the Wiki page titled Barrelback.

Add the internal links if you want to feel like a computer program. If this scares you or you don't want to worry about it, that is just fine, as others will step in just behind you and add, edit, and so forth.

This is just the way a Wiki is supposed to work.
Bill Basler

Wilson Wright
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Wiki--

Post by Wilson Wright » Mon Jan 05, 2009 11:31 am

There are stories in old Brass Bells on some models by experts like now deceased Charlie Cross that could be cut and pasted for starters.

I tried to start a commentary on blonde boats starting with the Custom thru Rivieras but it said I had to be a member of "the group" to do that.
Wilson Wright
Executive Director Emeritus
Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club

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Bill Basler
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Post by Bill Basler » Mon Jan 05, 2009 12:04 pm

Good suggestion Wilson. I will go through past Brass Bells to see what can be harvested. On another note, it is very easy to link a Wiki page directly to a Brass Bell article. That would be great cross-pollination as well.
Bill Basler

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Don Vogt
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Post by Don Vogt » Mon Jan 05, 2009 11:03 pm

what a wonderful idea, bill. I have had fun with the dcf runabout sections. A challenge to others out there to be the first on their block to add something about which they are the resident experts!

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Post by Wood Commander » Tue Jan 06, 2009 12:30 am

Bill, I'll be happy to help with some Commander info toadd the the Wiki. It might take a little while to get around to it...................
Bret

1953 35' Commander "Adonis III"

1970 23' lancer project

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Bill Basler
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Post by Bill Basler » Tue Jan 06, 2009 10:45 am

That woudl be great Bret. I know you are rich in knowledge on Lancers and wood hulled Commanders. Heck, you could probably keep busy for the next 20 years writing about all of 'em.

And thanks Drrot! Thanks to Jim Staib, we have a starting synopsis on the Sportsman.
Bill Basler

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4-sleeper Express Cruiser page

Post by Scalrik » Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:17 am

I have started a page on the 4-sleeper CC Express Cruiser. Please feel free to make positive and factual edits; I will do the same as my research continues.

Scot Kienzlen

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Bill Basler
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Post by Bill Basler » Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:51 am

Scott, this is great. Thanks for going the extra mile. What you have started is exactly what we are looking for. These entries can be edited over time by any of us, by adding photos, specifications, and internal/external links.

Also, thanks go out to Super Wiki Editor Al Benton. Al has been working diligently roughing out the Constellation pages. This is also a great effort, one which can be expanded over time. Thank you all.

I took some time and rattled off a page for the "lowly" 8-foot Pram. Why the Pram? No particular reason. I was working on a few things for the online archive, and in the process I was pouring through some Kit Boat material, so I thought I might as well start something!
Bill Basler

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Al Benton
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Post by Al Benton » Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:13 am

It's been fun. I've found that this takes a bit of research to be factual. Most of my contributions need some more work and some external links. Pitch in, folks. Feel free to add content, edit incorrect entries, etc. It's fairly easy once you learn some basics.

Al

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Bill Basler
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Post by Bill Basler » Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:33 am

You are right Al. I do not want to discourage anyone from taking part. Heck, it forces you to learn about some things yourself.

It is a challenge to be factual though. Getting the years of production, and the production quantities right can take some time. For example, the page that Don Vogt started on Deluxes is pretty complex really given how long the Deluxe was in the lineup and in how many different forms.

Thanks for starting the process. It helps break the ice. You are doing a nice job linking to other model and Division pages. I don't know whether this was intentional or be accident, but good job.
Bill Basler

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Al Benton
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Post by Al Benton » Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:05 pm

Bill,
I've been adding the internal links as I go but found that a "typo" in the link can create a new page you really didn't want.

Speaking of research, I went out on a limb in the "Quarter Deck Cruiser" model entry by making a logical assumption of how the name came about. I can't find any facts that back up my statement in any literature.

My research for most all entries is from Chris-Craft - The Essential Guide, The Legend of Chris-Craft, Chris-Craft Boats, Chris-Craft Antique Boats - Mahogany Memories and the Chris-Craft Archives here-in. Are there other good sources?

Al

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Bill Basler
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Post by Bill Basler » Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:23 pm

Al, you are exactly right. I f you would like to link to other Wiki pages, (also known as an internal link), you must type the page name exactly as it appears on that page, surrounded by double braces, ie: [[Deluxe Runabout]]

There are often times that you wan to link to a specific page, but you want to change the capitalization, or the verbiage in the page name. For this you can use a trick: [[Deluxe Runabout | deluxe]]

In this example, you would have double braces, followed by the actual Wiki page name "Deluxe Runabout" capitalized correctly. Then follow this by a single space, then a vertical "Pipe" " | " character, then another single space, then followed by the way you would like the link to appear in your sentence—in this case "deluxe".

An example of this would be if you were writing something on the "Lapstrake" page. You may want to link the to the [[1954 to 1969, Sea Skiff Division]] page but your sentence reads, "Boats manufactured by the Sea Skiff Division were of Lapstrake construction.

Rather than having to quote the page name verbatim to get it to link correctly, Ex: Boats manufactured by the [[1954 to 1969, Sea Skiff Division]] were of Lapstrake construction.

You can do the "Pipe" trick instead. For Example:
Boats manufactured by the [[1954 to 1969, Sea Skiff Division | Sea Skiff Division]] were of Lapstrake construction. In this example, the page would link to [[1954 to 1969, Sea Skiff Division]] but would show as "Sea Skiff Division" in your sentence.

Sorry, if this is too much too soon. And for the benefit of others, you simply do NOT need to worry about this stuff. Just get the basics out there like you are typing an Email. I will come in after you and create links, and clean up as necessary.

Of course, of you do want to learn more, I am here to help. You can all become junior programmers.
Bill Basler

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Al Benton
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Post by Al Benton » Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:52 pm

Bill,

I found that when adding a link using the formatting you just presented that it eliminates typo's by copying the page title from the page itself, adding the pipe | and then typing the word you want to show.

Another easy and useful wiki trick was put to good use on the tabulation stuff I did on Constellation (Models). If you simply type this stuff out from the beginning of a line the formatting is lost but if you begin each line with a space, then what ever formatting you include (in this case - spaces) is maintained when it's saved.

I tried making a chart (using wiki formatting) but the above method worked best for this and was simple and effective.

Al

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Al Benton
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Post by Al Benton » Wed Feb 11, 2009 4:42 pm

Classic Boat Wiki

There are about 230 unique model names that Chris-Craft called the boats they built over their history. Most of them are included on the Classic Boat Wiki and only about 15 of them have any content to read about at this time.

This is an invitation to grab one or two (or more) of these and add your own content to the Wiki. It's easy to do, in fact it's as easy as adding a message on Boat Buzz. Just go to the Club Home Page, click on Classic Boat Wiki, log in, scroll down to a model name that is familiar to you and click on it. If the page has no content yet, it's already in the edit mode and ready for you and your fingers. If it has some content, you can click on "Edit" and start adding your own content.

It may be helpful to view some of the few that already have content to establish an overview of what they look like and what to contribute. The "Blue" ones have existing content and the "Red" ones are empty. There's over 200 empty ones that are waiting for your input.

Al

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quitchabitchin
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Post by quitchabitchin » Wed Feb 11, 2009 8:12 pm

I felt complied to add a message or two to the Ski Boat page and was happily suprised to see that others have added their facts and even a picture and link to the online archive. This wiki will someday be the one of the premier research tools of the antique and classic boat world. Thank you all for your knowledge in advance. I hope to use more of it someday.
FLASH1969 Chris Craft Cavalier Ski-230 HP 327Q

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Bill Basler
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Post by Bill Basler » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:08 pm

Quitcha...your example is the cleanest example yet of what we would like to have everyone engage in. You visited the Wiki, found a model you knew something about, and rattled off a few sentences. I was the one who followed and posted the photo, and have been doing some research on all the Ski Boats from all periods as well. With any luck I will add a bunch to this model this evening.

Now, "Wiki Iron Men" Al Benton and Brian Robinson are doing a wonderful job as well. Al has singlehandedly been filling in some wonderful Chris-Craft company history, much of which I had not gotten to yet, or did not know enough to feel like starting. Al's writings are very good, and in cross-referencing his facts to other published works, he is right on the money. Great job Al.

Brian has been working on getting the Gar Wood section going. He is also doing a great mapping out the entire model lineup which was an undertaking for sure, all the while learning how to add "Wiki markup" to his text.

Great job all.
Bill Basler

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