Boat-Based Business

[hammerfelt]

There are a few things to consider. Podcasting is a huge thing. We now use it to watch democracynow, which is unavailable on any tv channel in our area -- it is a video podcast. I gave my ipod away since I wasn't using it, but I still download podcasts on itunes. So it is not limited to ipods.

Having said that, keep watching... -- I saw conan o'brien is now video-podcasted....so big business is taking over... but... it is still fairly simple to set up a podcast with apple. It is also simple to put one together. The trick is to find content which works. Advertizing could sell, but podcasts could also be set up for "pay" (I think).

In terms of content, I would suggest this... Cruising is a small community. If you want to make money, create a product for the masses (podcasts about cooking or cars etc). By contrast, podcasts for cruisers implies you are targeting a very small percent of population, and an even smaller percent of cruisers who actually have ipods or high speed needed to download. So if you're talking strictly making money while cruising, by all means, create podcasts about anything BUT cruising.

However I was musing that it might be a cool thing to do a podcast for cruisers anyways -- in that sense -- what would people like to hear on a monthly basis? All cruising news is usually diseminated via written form. What would cruisers want to be downloading everytime they get to a wireless internet marina? Probably music I would guess, but podcasting stuff with music licencing would make it impossible to do. For those who cruise, and have ipods, what would you want to hold on for 1 month, which you would be wanting to download everytime you are in a wireless internet hotspot?

[Redbull addict]

perhaps we should do a little test...

I agree with you that cruising podcasts may have a limited market, but it's a core interest for this group and it would appeal to many. Perhaps we should create a cruising podcast for nothing more than to learn and test the theory.

I have all the basic equipment...video camera, PC's, laptops, itunes account, ipod, video editing software, basic editing skills.

How about we think of some cruising topics and put a video podcast together??

here's the idea.... A Sailing TV magazine with topics ranging from boat reviews, boater product reviews, destination information....what else?

We can have different people produce each spot and then we can edit it together. perhaps someone on this board would be willing to either make a video review of their boat, while another reviews their fresh water maker, while a third does the destination segment. 3 stories per episode, each segment about 5 minutes, plus the setup video equals to about a 16-18 minutes video podcast...BAM.

Anyone interested in helping?

My show, along wih others, is available for podcasting. go to
http://www.moosemeals.com/seas.htm
The subscription info is listed there. It is free on the site,
For the sake of this experiment, I could arrange a show to include, but it would be only audio.

[hammerfelt]

I could provide music (any genre) royalty free. i.e. write and record stuff.

I could also provide some footeage for video. Come to think of it, we should have some means for people to mail video snippets they would want included in a cruising podcast.

Maybe we should start a new thread on cruising lyrics suggestions. Or on podcasting topics suggestions.

[Redbull addict]

you ol'salty dogs....you guys have more expertise than me.

[hammerfelt]

Wow Kai Nui -- I loved the website. You're right on the money I think. In terms of packaging, yes, some of it can be chopped up and dressed up with spiffy stuff to make some interviews into shorter podcasts.

In terms of "for cruisers" -- I was thinking of something like this -- I recently sailed with this salty French guy who sailed singlehanded to NZ and then back to France. On our sail in Wellington harbor, -- this was a plywood chesapeake sharpie, 36 ft counting the bowsprit, -- he left the boat sailing -- amazingly balanced, and went down below and started playing his recorder. I got the whole thing on video. He was in another world, practically in tears. Said he was being taken back to the times he was alone for months at sea.

So I was thinking -- if people use the solitude of passage making or cruising to do all sorts of things -- reading, playing musical instruments, writing, of course we now have satelite radio... What about podcasts -- would there be any interest in doing podcasts for people who are going out -- they would download the latest installments everytime they go to an internet cafe in places like venezuela etc. It may be moot if more people have satelite radio.

Of course others would enjoy stuff like that as well, I think. And you could have interviews with people who have just completed passages, or while they are on passage or cruising.

[CaptainK]

They already have satelite radio out now!!

Sirius and XM satelite radio. I have Sirius here at my place and when I drive to work or go on vacations to another state. Excellant!!

But I do not believe that the company providers have total global coverage just yet. Just give it more time for global coverage.

Hamerfelt, Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed it
K, XM, at least a year ago would only work in North America.
A cruisers podcast could actually generate quite a bit of interest. I think this has real potential.

Hamerfelt, Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed it
K, XM, at least a year ago would only work in North America.
A cruisers podcast could actually generate quite a bit of interest. I think this has real potential.

[CaptainK]

Hey Kai.

I see you're in a repeat rambling mode again. I noticed you posted twice!!

Internet glich. We have been having problems here for the past two days with the DSL line that feeds our WiFi. The post locked up when I submitted it. I hit the submit button again, and it apparently went through twice. Shouldn't be able to do that, but such is technology. ramble ramble ramble....

[CaptainK]

Yeah Wheels had that problem just the other day too!!

[Redbull addict]

Out of curiosity I just checked on itunes and there are some sailing/boating podcasts already!

FurledSails by Noel Davis
TheSailingChannel.com (has video)
World of Boating

[hammerfelt]

Like I said -- big business is quickly taking over. I have not been able to subscribe to sailing channel pne yet, because apple's system is updading, but I am curious.

I still think there could be a small niche for cruisers though if it is done in a way that fills some perceived need or void.

[Sonofason]

Just found this thread - great info. I like the podcasting idea - kind of a modern replacement for those old Nautical Quarterly VHS tapes that came out 20 years ago...