Is the search feature junk on this forum???

[dnatured]

Hey folks I've recently decided to get myself into whitewater canoeing, and have come to find this site as a great resource, however I find that the search function for the forums sucks! It seems everything I search OC-1 related comes back with no results because the walnut sized brain of the search engine thinks my queries are too common terms/phrases. For example try to search "thigh straps" doesn't like it' "outfitting" doesn't like it, "OC-1" are you kidding me??? I find myself having to leave the site and go to google and search cboats.net + whatever I'm looking for. Truly a PITA. Considering these forums are probably the source of the best c-1/oc-1 info on the web, it'd be great if the search function was a little more boater term friendly. Is there a secret I don't know about to get the thing to search what you want? OK rant over, hopefully someone can help me (and others I'm sure) out with this.

Thanks,

Dan

[busterblue]

haha. Forums seem to have universally terrible search functions. I use google instead of the built-in search feature also. My preferred method is to type my search terms followed by "site:cboats.net" For example, "adhesives site:cboats.net" That last bit just tells restricts the results specifically to this site. Of course, it works for other sites as well.

[Paddle Power]

Good point and very disappointing as there is a wealth of info in the forum and part of the point of having info is to be able to search it effectively.

I too use the google site: feature.

[Sir Adam]

Free forum software = free search software.

Be sure to check out the "Site" link in the upper left for a lot of info that answers common questions.

Beyond that, post and ask away - that is what a forum is all about:)



Oh, and your local museum (Maine State Museum in Augusta) is one of the best I've been to.

[dnatured]

Did not know the "site:" trick that will be extremely helpful.

The museum is a stop for anyone who comes to visit us! Only a short walk from my place.

Thanks again,

Dan

[Bob P]

Be aware that using Google's site: method may not be current. I doubt that Google re-indexes every site on a daily basis. More likely weeks. The native search doesn't keep an index. It's data is updated for every search.

[Paddle Power]

Of course there is also the Google advanced search site.
http://www.google.ca/advanced_search" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For me, searching a forum is usually about finding old post as I can easily look through the more recent posts so if the index is old that's okay.

Does anyone have a good reference for using the site: or domain: method?

[Bob P]

The site: search is just like the normal Google Search except that it is limited to a single URL. The Advanced Google Search allows you to narrow the search even more, assuming you put in a single URL, plus other requirements. Generally, for a site search, the Advanced options are probably not necessary.