--- Information Updated August 2012 ---
Ever wonder how to advertise on this site? No? Well if you own or represent a company with products of interest to sailing and outdoor enthusiasts, then you can't do better than TheBeachcats.com.
I've never really pushed for new advertisers, but with the rate of growth of the site it is very important that the site brings in new revenue. I really need the membership to help market the site. Please take a look at the information in the latest Adrate Sheet and let me know by PM or the contact form if you have contacts or leads for me.
http://thebeachcats.com/adrates.htm
A little history. TheBeachcats.com was launched by me, Damon Linkous, in 2002 after many years of moderating a beachcat mailing list that pre-dated the world-wide-web. The main focus in the early years was collecting the wisdom from the mailing list and giving it a permanent home instead of being lost in the members in-boxes.
In those first few years the site was really secondary to the mailing list (called the hobielist in the early '90's and then Beachcats on Yahoo groups) but as the web become more available and the site more feature rich the rate of new memberships and the amount of traffic (page views, visits, and visitors) dramatically increased each year. There have now been over 30,000 member registrations in total, with about 800 already in 2012.
Some features of TheBeachcats.com have grown to enormous proportions, thanks to the members.
The Classifieds have become THE place to buy and sell beach catamarans and parts. On the running total of items reported sold for the last 12 months is 1,406 items for a total of $2,524,560.00, this does not include ads that have sold but not marked sold and left to expire, or ads with multiple items sold from the same ad. That is an impressive number and shows the popularity and effectiveness of the classifieds, but doesn't pay the bills around here since those are member-to-member sales.
The Photo Albums have had a recent upgrade and now contain an amazing 16,928 pictures, uploaded by the members.
This forum was not added until late 2007 but now 1,446 different members have created about 29,067 posts and the participation is increasing all the time.
Thanks for reading,
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
How To Create Your Signature
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Advertising on TheBeachcats.com (updated Aug. 2012)
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Posted: May 09, 2011 - 03:09 PM
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Posted: May 10, 2011 - 01:06 PM
I know this was long, but I was hoping to get some feedback.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
How To Create Your Signature
How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar
How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
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Posted: May 10, 2011 - 01:22 PM
If I come up with the next great cat invention I'll definitely place an add here. Until then it's back to my day job. If anyone needs help designing an ad let me know and we can work something out.
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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook.
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Posted: May 10, 2011 - 03:59 PM
Thanks Damon, that is good to know.
I certainly have upgraded my boat significantly from the classifieds (wish I knew about them when I bought my boat). And have learned tons on this site. The best part in my mind is that the site seems to be dedicated to people who sail for the sake of sailing and recreation with very little emphasis on racing. Other catamaran sites and publications are all about the racing, events and competition where this one is more focused on information, community and commeraderie. The racers are on here but so is 'everyone else', and you don't have to be a great or even good sailor to participate (I can attest to that). Keep up the great work!
Anway a friend of mine is a jeweler (I'm a jewelry hobbyist) and has a line of sailing related pendants/earrings/etc. I will see if she may be interested. Maybe between myself and her we can come up with something cat specific (anyone have any ideas?).
Regards,
Dave
Edited by Wolfman on May 10, 2011 - 03:59 PM.
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: May 10, 2011 - 06:34 PM
I know of no moderately priced line of elegant trophies for cat racing (1st-5th). Pete -
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Posted: May 10, 2011 - 08:24 PM
There seems to be a source of capital just from the classifieds. Even at a dollar an add, you could generate
around a grand a year. from the numbers that you posted it appears the average amount per item is $1280.
Even charging a measly amount per item, you could help fund this site. To me this site is required reading
and a source for parts. Thanks for your hard work
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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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Posted: May 10, 2011 - 09:13 PM
There is a voluntary fee. Posting an add is free but if you sell something I believe you asked to pay ...$5? Anyway I have sold a few items and always kick in the fee afterward. No biggie and it keeps the site going (and hopefully Damon supplied with beer for his efforts).
D.
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: May 11, 2011 - 05:15 AM
Just to weigh in here with my humble 2 cents
The classified ads section has helped me tremendously to outfit more than a few of my cats. It has also led me to some very knowledgeable people
Wolfman, thanks for the heads up on the contribution note, as I was unaware of that, but haven't sold through here, but now know the "protocol" when I do end up selling instead feeding my habit
I am involved with my own little 12 step program. Starts with; step the mast - goes from there -
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Posted: May 11, 2011 - 12:11 PM
Problem I run into is the attitude that "everything on the Internet is free". Also there is no mechanism that works well for collection small payments. A $1 payment would net me 55 cents and at the same time vastly reduce the number of ads placed and therefore the traffic to the site.
I've gone round and round trying to figure the best way to make the classifieds pay while still offering a great free service to the members. Currently all members get one free ad (wanted ads are always free) and then are charged $5 (I get $4.55) for Parts Ads and $10 ($9.41) for additional ads placed at the same time. This way all members can sell their own boat or part for free, which helps create the market, but the ones who run multiple ads pay a little.
That system has worked fairly well, there just aren't that many who run multiple ads. Those that do have found the classifieds very profitable and I want to thank in particular PreSailedParts, pbegle, Bill, bajanet, DanBerger, sullivar, and wildsail for consistently running paid ads. There are many others who do whatever it takes to avoid paying anything, including registering multiple usernames and/or listing multiple parts for sale in the same ad.
Dave Myers at PreSailedParts is the only one that has taken advantage of the monthly/annual payment to run a bunch of ads without paying for each ad.
http://www.thebeachcats.com/subscriptions
I know there are a lot of dealers out there with beachcats on the lot and used parts that could benefit from selling in the classifieds here, I know if they tried it they could clean out a lot of stuff and help out the members looking for parts.
I'm open to any ideas, so keep em coming.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
How To Create Your Signature
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How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
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Posted: May 11, 2011 - 12:35 PM
A while back I removed the message about making a voluntary payment that used to appear when an ad was marked sold. It was too depressing.
At one point I checked and of 1,000 ads marked sold there were only seven payments totaling about $50. I was naive enough to believe that asking someone (who had just made money off my site) to share the wealth was a reasonable thing to do.
Not only did people not contribute after selling their item, I had three different members use the contact form just to criticize me for "false advertising" because I asked for a voluntary payment when the ad was "supposed" to be free.
When that happened I came very close to freaking out and charging for all ads, or charging for memberships, or even just closing down the site.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
How To Create Your Signature
How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar
How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
-- -
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Posted: May 11, 2011 - 01:44 PM
That's a shame. It's not like you made people donate, it was just a simple screen that allowed you to do so if you liked. Frigging cheapskates!
I was happy to contribute considering the amount of information, entertainment and heck I made a few bucks on an old sail and some mainsheet blocks. I think it's just good manners considering I can't imagine that the site generates much in the way of income, I would be surprised if all the costs are covered. You should probably put a donation link up as one of the tabs with the ability to contribute monthly via a paypal service. Not that many people would donate but a few of us would dump $5-10 in the coffers each month. I would also suggest instead of an e-mail a sentance in the beachcats classified description saying that although the add is free we would appreciate if you make a small donation if you sell something or find the service helpful with a direction to the donation page. I believe that is legit.
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Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2 "Lucile"
1986 Nacra 5.7 "Belle"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Posted: May 11, 2011 - 07:36 PM
DON'T DO IT DAMON!!!(close down the site) PLEASE!!!!...this is the right site at the right time...your a smart guy and you will figure out how to make it pay...man, i'd give you cash, check, or fake money orders to stay on and contact all these passionate sailors and grow this awesome sport. in a day of video games and jet skies, we need sailing and real musical instuments to connect us with the past 10,000 years of human life...gas engines and computer generated drum beats are threatening to steal our souls. for the life of me i can't understand why there aren't 500 cats out every weekend. this site is a continueing education and global happy hour for new and old sailors a like. use the force luke...gracias senoir!
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Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook!
bill harris
hattiesburg, mississippi
prindle 16- "BLUE RIBBON"
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Posted: May 12, 2011 - 02:03 PM
That is what keeps me going, thanks for the comments.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
How To Create Your Signature
How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar
How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
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Posted: May 12, 2011 - 08:09 PM
I personally want to thank Damon for all his efforts. Damon and I met at a Slip to Ship regatta back in early 2000. We both had H-18's and a lot in common...a passion to help keep cat sailing across the counrty alive and well. I'm the owner of sailboxes.com and Damon and I have worked together in creating the website. Damon built my site and provided advertisement on the site in exchange for goods, but just recently my ad campaign was running out...so I uped the annie and bought in on auto monthly ad payments via paypal. The stats the he provided on the clicks and the results from them have increased my business tremedously...Thanks again Damon!!!
Kenny Boudreaux
Hobie Tiger 2596
www.sailboxes,com
Edited by KennyB on May 12, 2011 - 08:10 PM.
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Kenny Boudreaux
2010 C2 F18 USA 323
Goodall Design "Southern Area Rep"
Owner of Sailboxes.com
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Posted: Dec 09, 2011 - 02:07 PM
Damon this place rocks. Thanks. -
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Posted: Dec 13, 2011 - 10:23 AM
This site really is a great portal for all that is beach cats. It is a great way for people to connect all over the world for information and (more important to me) parts.
I met Damon at Spring Fever one year, many years ago when he was just getting the site running. I made the obnoxious comment about the free classified ads being $5, so they weren't really free. Now, if you have never met Damon, he is about 8 feet tall and a pretty big guy. I'm 5'10, 160lbs. He stood up and said (something like), "Dan, you sell so many parts, you ARE a vendor." ...and I started buying ads.
I think I have added greatly to his total and really appreciate the site. I check it every day! -
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Posted: Dec 13, 2011 - 12:22 PM
Thanks Dan, I appreciate the comments and your support.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
How To Create Your Signature
How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar
How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
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Posted: Apr 03, 2012 - 06:54 PM
Hey Dammon,
Once again the The Berachcats Classifieds has helped me clean out work shed full of some great deals on stuff others may find very usefull. On Saturday I had placed 5 ads and as of today I have one item left; a set of beach wheels with the tractor style tread....but there is some intereste from the gallery!
I had to spend $20 to do this and I will day it is money well spent..
As I have dsaid before, than for all your work and cotributions to the community..
John
Edited by JohnES on Apr 03, 2012 - 06:54 PM.
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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Posted: Apr 03, 2012 - 07:04 PM
Thanks John, sometimes I'm amazed how well the classified marketplace is working. It's the place to be. I wish I could wake up all the boat dealers out there, there are hundreds (thousands) of beachcats in lots across the country that need sales exposure they could get here.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
How To Create Your Signature
How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar
How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
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Posted: Aug 02, 2013 - 01:30 PM
I have been following the beach cats site for years and been linked through this site for the purchase of a new tramp on my prindle 16, the ads do work, all of you out here in the virtual world help me get through the 8 months of miserable Canadian winter. It is a blessing to have the beach cats around, and it would be great if there was a way to get more vendors and sailors realize that this is the easiest format out there to connect with classifieds, forums, photos, retailers, and events.
Thanks to Damon for making it happen
