Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence! As we reflect on the past 20 years, we faced many behind the screen challenges; an ever-changing landscape of operating systems, browsers, spammers, coding and keeping discussions relevant. In between this digital delirium we wrote the kind of in-depth reviews that made print media step-up their game. Yachting magazines became the benefactor of our work as we watched our discussions become the facts in their latest articles. We've worked around-the-clock to build yachting's biggest boat show but we didn't do this alone. Thousands of passionate members took time to share their experience resulting in a resource we've all come to trust.
When we launched YachtForums in 2003, we contacted several yachting magazines for advertising rates. A salesman from PMY called back to ask "what is a forum?" Days later we got more calls from PMY staff members asking the same questions. Soon after, PMY launched a forum to compete with us but they lacked the technical ability to run a website so they hired a company to do it for them. That company later folded and PMY was never able to recover their forum. Karma! Below is the half-page ad we ran in magazines...
With the rise of pop-social media a few years ago we doubled-down and stayed true-to-course, continuing to build an information resource. We never lost sight of our core belief; a topic-focused social media is a better venue to exchange information because it isn't diluted or derailed by politics, religion, etc. Because not all of our members enjoy life at 13 knots, in 2012 we launched a synergistic-site for the preferred transportation method of big boat owners... https://www.JetForums.net ***
As we celebrate 20 years of building a yacht-focused social media, it's important to note that yachts were not always our primary directive, but rather bringing about a better internet. We've been proactive behind the screen with lobbyists and legislators to build a more fair, equitable internet. This work has culminated in the Digital Bill of Rights to help curb big tech's exploitation of privacy; a human right. Privacy Matters! ***
