Anybody interested in an Aquasport history project?

[steved]

Would anyone be interested in a project involving researching the leading boating journals that were publishing from when Aquasport was founded in 1967 through when it was sold to Genmar to identify articles about Aquasport as a company, reviews of specific models, and advertisements by Aquasport that appeared in the journals? Once we identify what is out there, we could make some decisions about purchasing back issues and then scanning material and putting it on line.

If anyone is in or around Miami/ Hialeah, another worthwhile search would be the Miami Herald (I know they have some Aquasport photos in their archives and they are most likely linked to articles that ran in the paper). This would mean going to a library that has the collection on microfiche and searching their indexes.

I can't be much direct help, being in Rome, Italy, but I have produced a computer run of relevant journals (I do have access to a periodical guide database). I could share the list with anyone who is interested.

As a test, I just emailed Boating to see if they have a way to check into their archives. Let's see if I get any response and what they say.

[Wilson]

email me the list of magazines/journals.

[Seadog]

Great idea Steved. I e-mailed Aquasport/Genmar to see if they have any old info on file.  Let me know what I can do.

[steved]

I spoke to Genmar some time ago. They were nice but they really didn't have much historical info. For example, they told me they don't have any of the old designs.

I spoke to the Florida Historical Society but they weren't much help either.

I also wrote to one of those firms that sells old adverts on ebay. I asked them if they have the journals that they are ripping the ads out of and selling at $10 a shot. I suggested that there might be articles in the old journals as well and that I might be interested in them - but not at the prices they are getting for the ads.

[JimCt]

Try getting in touch with some of the local long-time AS dealers.   Manufacturers generally dump lots of sales literature and other info. on them and who knows, maybe one of them is a pack-rat and has saved the old literature & specs.

[steved]

I got in contact with one of the ebay sellers of old adverts from magazines - I had just bought an ad so I guess we are on good terms. I asked them if they actually had the complete journals from which they were tearing out the old ads. I said I would be interested in eventual articles concerning Aquasport (although not at the price they are charging for the single ad pages). I got a positive reply! They are going to sift through the journals and let me know what they find. This could be a gold mine!

I will keep you all posted.

[Wilson]

great work!!!  I'm sure that the guys over at classicmako.com would be interested too.

[captin.kid]

I am really wanting to find some information on a 1979 200ccp if any of you run across any pls let me know
Thanks

[Captain]

I'm experimenting with something called a "Wiki." It's a type of web based application that allows for collaboration on research projects by multiple people in various locations. My thought is to roll out a wiki on ClassicAquasport.com and have it act as a base for creating a comprehensive work on the complete history of Aquasport.

A great example of a very successful wiki project is Wikipedia. This site bills itself as an encyclopedia that anyone can contribute to. Check it out and you'll get a good feel for the possibilities of using wiki technology.

There is also a great article on wikis and Wikipedia in this month's Wired magazine. Interestingly enough, the guy who started Wikipedia lives right here in the Tampa area.

steved, you can be lead researcher and editor on this project!

[Seadog]

Captain, I gotta tell you I'm really impressed with the technology you guys are incorporating into this site: download directly into the photo gallery, member galleries and albums, blogs, and now maybe wiki.

I like the idea that anybody can edit or add onto the information on a wiki format.  Creates some interesting stuff.

If you, and all those behind the scenes who help you, keep up this effort, CA will soon be the most technologically advanced forum on the boating net.

My hats off to you Captain.  Keep up the good work!

I second the nomination to elect Steved as the lead researcher and editor for the wiki project.

[JimCt]

Ditto!

[steved]

Uh,oh! Looks like I am in for trouble - like the guy who simply stood still when they asked for volunteers in the army (while everyone else took a step backwards)!

I think the idea of a collaborative history project is great - there is obviously so much knowledge out there in bits and pieces. What I suggest is that I do some research into the Wiki concept - possibly speaking with some groups or individuals who have actually tried this. And I mean at a level less than the Wiki encyclopedia. We don't want to get into something that is too big for us to manage.

At the same time, I will try to put together an outline for how the history project might be organized -  of course, like any good Wiki project, that will have to be dynamic over time.

Given that I am in Rome, Italy I will be somewhat limited in my research capacity - we will need a lot of collaboration from other members in terms of physically going to libraries, ploughing through collections of back issues of boating journals, etc. That's what makes the idea of a collaborative project so attractive.

Let's go for it.

[Anonymous]

OK, here's what I've found.  As part of my wandering search for a 175 (which has turned out to be a frustrating exercise thusfar) I looked at a 19' today.  The owner has the original owner's manual.  Boat & manual are late 70's I think.  The manual is in A to A- condition.  I've gotten permission from the owner to take the manual to a local Staples store to have it scanned.

Once I've got the scan file I'll shoot it over to whoever volunteers (or is recruited) to be the Official Receiver of Documents.

A thought:  All current literature available from AS should be archived now.  Next year it will be superceded by new lit. and won't be as available.  If we have have the True Religion that the older AS boats are classics, today's boats sometime in the future will join them.  Tempus fugit.

[JimCt]

The post above is mine... gotta be more careful 'bout logging in...