With many mags the "write up" is associated with you paying for ads, but I gather practical sailor is different? Why do they keep testing the same old products over and over? Do I have to pay? Who do I contact? Jim W
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PS
Jim Editor: Dan Dickison Executive Editor: Dale Nouse Editorial Phone Line: (401) 849-6081 Available on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 11:30 am - 1 pm Eastern Time (GMT-5) Bryce
Jim Editor: Dan Dickison Executive Editor: Dale Nouse Editorial Phone Line: (401) 849-6081 Available on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 11:30 am - 1 pm Eastern Time (GMT-5) Bryce
practical sailor
maybe you're unhappy, but we bought and installed a wonderful and inexpensive bedding system that we probably never have heard of if not for practical sailor. it seems to us it's the others that just reprint manufacturers' ads and call them tests.
maybe you're unhappy, but we bought and installed a wonderful and inexpensive bedding system that we probably never have heard of if not for practical sailor. it seems to us it's the others that just reprint manufacturers' ads and call them tests.
Practical Sailor
Practical Sailor is the "Consumer Reports" of sailing. They are entirely supported by subscription. NO ADVERTISING Nor do they endorse any particular product. Some vendors will display PS ratings, though, as a sort of testimonial. To my knowledge they only test groups of products, not individual ones. i.e. bottom paint or handheld chartplotters. These tests are created, funded, executed and reported entirely by the PS staff with out any outside influence. Their recommendations and opinions are based an unbiased analysis of the results of these tests. Many of their tests are ongoing and are reported on a yearly basis. Paint products, for instance. Because they try to maintain the integrity of an unbiased consumer testing agency they have limited resources. Yet it is this same integrity and commitment to unbiased information that makes Practical Sailor newsletter such a valuable resource to the sailing community. However, if you took the time to really read the newsletter, you would know all this.
Practical Sailor is the "Consumer Reports" of sailing. They are entirely supported by subscription. NO ADVERTISING Nor do they endorse any particular product. Some vendors will display PS ratings, though, as a sort of testimonial. To my knowledge they only test groups of products, not individual ones. i.e. bottom paint or handheld chartplotters. These tests are created, funded, executed and reported entirely by the PS staff with out any outside influence. Their recommendations and opinions are based an unbiased analysis of the results of these tests. Many of their tests are ongoing and are reported on a yearly basis. Paint products, for instance. Because they try to maintain the integrity of an unbiased consumer testing agency they have limited resources. Yet it is this same integrity and commitment to unbiased information that makes Practical Sailor newsletter such a valuable resource to the sailing community. However, if you took the time to really read the newsletter, you would know all this.
Send 'em samples, Jim...
They can't test it if they've never heard of it. That's what I did when I first started trying to push our product line (which is now Raritan's product line) into national distribution. I never heard a word from 'em acknowledging that they got the samples...I figured it was a waste of effort. Then about a year later, lo and behold--not only did they include our bilge cleaner in a test of bilge cleaners/degreasers, but they rated it #1!
They test what they know about--what's on the marine store shelves, and products that come to 'em "over the transom." If it tests well against the competetion, they include it in their report...if it doesn't, they don't mention it.
They can't test it if they've never heard of it. That's what I did when I first started trying to push our product line (which is now Raritan's product line) into national distribution. I never heard a word from 'em acknowledging that they got the samples...I figured it was a waste of effort. Then about a year later, lo and behold--not only did they include our bilge cleaner in a test of bilge cleaners/degreasers, but they rated it #1!
They test what they know about--what's on the marine store shelves, and products that come to 'em "over the transom." If it tests well against the competetion, they include it in their report...if it doesn't, they don't mention it.PS
PS is good, as mentioned above, because they are totally unbiased. I am an off and on subscriber. I'll keep it for a while until they test many items I have no use for then let my subscription expire. However, I do have a current subscription. My only complaints are that they charge for every back article, and the publication itself is outrageously priced...$7.50 for a 16 page pamphlet.
PS is good, as mentioned above, because they are totally unbiased. I am an off and on subscriber. I'll keep it for a while until they test many items I have no use for then let my subscription expire. However, I do have a current subscription. My only complaints are that they charge for every back article, and the publication itself is outrageously priced...$7.50 for a 16 page pamphlet.
Bert...
$7.50 for 16 pages is indeed high. Perhaps it will make us appreciate how advertising defrays the circulation cost.
$7.50 for 16 pages is indeed high. Perhaps it will make us appreciate how advertising defrays the circulation cost.
I was surprised too...
To find all back issues were not available with my subscription. I subscribed thinking I would be given access to some articles I was interested in. My fault for not double checking. I do like the magazine but I will probably not renew because of this.
To find all back issues were not available with my subscription. I subscribed thinking I would be given access to some articles I was interested in. My fault for not double checking. I do like the magazine but I will probably not renew because of this.
"Same old products, over and over"
That's a good point you make Jim. Like Bert I am an on-again, off-again subscriber and I am about to go off. It seems every issue is reviewing chartplotters or similar electronics. PS is in love with electronics. Don't those guys ever go sailing? When I look at all the gear I have bought for my boat in the past 3 years none has had a recent PS review.
That's a good point you make Jim. Like Bert I am an on-again, off-again subscriber and I am about to go off. It seems every issue is reviewing chartplotters or similar electronics. PS is in love with electronics. Don't those guys ever go sailing? When I look at all the gear I have bought for my boat in the past 3 years none has had a recent PS review.
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