Indeed yesterdays activities was a prank. Some of you called it out quickly, others fell victim - hook, line and sinker.

Here is what was posted on the front page of SCJB:

A little bit over 3 years ago I created this website. I had no idea this place would become what it is today. It was meant to just be a place where I would document the resto process on my cousin's Wreidt. It has turned into a site with over 2,000 members from all over the nation and even some different countries around the world. I have met some great people that I consider life long friends. I consider it a life experience i do not regret in any way shape or form. There are some priceless stories made here as well like the time The Chaz fell off his boat while being towed or even better, the epic story of the cougar attack in Kern County. This website has created some of the best memories in my life.

Unfortunately and sadly, the era of SCJB has been brought to an end.

I was recently served a cease and desist letter for the website SoCalJetBoats.com. This was served to me by a significantly large law firm representing a independantly operated and owned Open Source software company. It's due to that the website is in violation of a portion of the GNU General Public License which I infringed on a software company's copyrights. I cannot go into much detail as at this point I now need to cover my ass. This C&D was served with a 48 hour notice and I have had my lawyer look into it and he said at this point I must comply until I can further prove my case; and I don't have much of a case to prove. I now have less then 24 hours to comply. I admit that I am 100% at fault for my actions. I had no idea this site would get to the level it would and I totally forgot that about the piece of code I "stole" in order to integrate some of the various functionality of this site together. I never thought it would come and bite me in the ass as it has done now.

I understand some of you will be upset or disapointed with me. I can accept that. I had every good intention, except for the interest of the company who's code I stole. I was purely being selfish and will now pay for it.

I will still own the domain SoCalJetBoats.com and might make something else out of it someday in the future, but as of right now, I need to focus on protecting myself.

I wish you all the best of luck and hope to see you all on the water this summer.


-Brad Martin

Here is a recap of the day....

First a few people started threads claiming BS because it was April Fools day - those threads got black-holed immediately.

tell me this is an april fools joke. i'm not going to be the first to say good byes. not yet

Please let it be so.    I am not laughing.    If it is true please don't lose the content like Hot Boat.
I don't know how but please keep us informed so we can support SCJB.com 2.0

Then I got a call from Terry Valore, head representative of the CompJet class...

Terry: Whats going on brad? I just read your website
Brad: yeah terry...theres nothing I can do
Terry: Does it effect the compjetracing.com website too?
Brad: yes, i used the same code. They are taking the website and all of its content. Just leaving me with the domains
Terry: well, can you make another one?
Brad: I could, but I just have too much stuff goin on...this is just another nail in my coffin at this point.
Brad: Terry, whats todays date?
Terry: its April 1st
[silence]
Terry: Damnit Brad! you got my damn blood pressure boiling!


The rest of the days activities mainly consisted of emails, PM's, and text messages I recieved from people...

Text Message: Thank you for everything with the site. I'm sorry it had to end like it did. Please keep me informed on any trips you guys do. Youre a cool bunch to boat with!

Email: sorry to hear about the site being shut down i just joined a few days ago and was so stoked cause i am gonna need all the help i can get on my project boat but shit happens i just wanted to personaly thank you

PM: Brad if there anything i can do to help let me know I can pull some money together if that would help with the attorneys

PM: You got me, forgot what day it was.I guess it will be business as usual tomorrow.

PM: That was fukkin' mean dude !     Why you gotta do me like dat?    

PM: Good call ditching the shout box for this one!

PM: After reading that post of yours, I hadda go get my Paxil (for depression/panic attacks} as I ran out ....and the withdrawals knock you out...thanks

PM: you cock sucker i fell for it and called Bob in a panic, i bit , hook line and sinker

Then there is the SCJB thread that started.... http://www.socaljetboats.com/the-no-wake-zone/scjb

yes, I was deleting and editing posts that made any suggestion to April Fools. I wanted to keep it rolling, but some people just had to keep spoiling the fun and I wasnt near a computer for the 2nd 1/2 of the day so I just let it run and tried to admin as much as I could via cell phone.

Then this thread was created over on PB: http://www.performanceboats.com/html/forums/showthread.php?t=61590

So I decided to take it a step further...late yesterday evening I pulled the plug on the site just to throw some doubt into the nay sayers.

Text Message: [membername] has been text messaging me in a panic for the last 2 hours!  

I called a few people before doing so and I heard a few stories from them as they got calls from other members in a panic. I will leave it to them to share their stories.

So in closing - no, the site is going no where. I didnt steal any code. This website is purely composed of open source code and there is no legal ramifications of altering open source code.

Thank you all for playing - the problem now is how am I going to top it next year? everyone will be on their toes and expecting something.

The wheels are already turning - I will have something good.

Didnt beleive like riverroy but when the site went down you got me i fell for it  :banghead:DAM YOU

Brad you got me good ,I was so upset i stoped drinking, Now thats an April Fools Joke. (rivertard).

Hahaha that was really good. You got my Dad good with that one 

I didn't find out until I checked in at lunch.  At first I was really bummed    then realized what day it was and decided not to post anything.  Then I didn't get to log in until late last night and the whole damn thing was down    I was releaved when I found it back up this morning.

This is like a second home to many of us and really hate to see it go away.

Thanks for all you do Brad 

i was one of the the first that got sent to the black-hole. it was funny because i went back to the post to reread it and it was GONE! then i noticed the my message(1), it was brad - april fools PLAY ALONG and so i tried to stir the pot!

hats off to you brad
i didn't get any work done yesterday. always switching screens when someone would walk by i must have got caught looking at SCJB 10 times. i'd see a post go up and then disappear


again - great job
75 fantasy (john)

thanks Brad that was awesome after you deleted my post at 8:46 and sent me a message I spent the rest of the day at the screen watching the carnage unfold. You are the master indeed well done

You SOB, ya got me twice.  Bravo!

Nicely done - It's not a good thing to mess with an old person, watch you back!

<<<----hook, line and sinkered!     

Very well done, Brad!  You got me flippin' out all day.  But I think when we came home from the bars last night and found the site non accessible, it hit my ol' lady harder than it did me.   

Glad to see SCJB is not going anywhere, obviously it means a lot to many of us.

Pullin the site down was classic! Extreme, but classic! I was at work, and was checking in from there when it went down. I assumed it was that our content filter had finally caught up with me, BUSTED! Then a few texts started rolling in, then emails and a PM from Dave when i got home last night.. I figured you'd put it back online at midnight, added to the flavour to let it ride,  

Ray

For me was when he wrote "Open Source" I knew it was bogus, that and what was said before about admitting guilt Good one Brad, that was fun   Looking forward to next years, but I think most of these guys are gonna be real wary of you    So you better come up with a real good one, at least you have a year to do so