Magazines

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Jan 21, 2009
253
Catalina 30 Lake Perry, KS
After reading a thread on anchor tests by Practical Sailor, I was reminded why I don't buy sailing magazines anymore. While I appreciate the work done by Practical Sailor, it still amazes me that a magazine like needs to exist. They have certainly filled a void left by U.S. magazines. I used to buy English sailing magazines until the cost became prohibitive. Sailing Today for instance, always picked a piece of boating related equipment and did comprehensive comparison tests between manufactures and rated them against each other. Advertising did not appear to impact outcomes. They also do much more in depth boat tests. In addition, the U.S. magazines seem to think the economy is going great guns since 50-60 ft. boats are the ones routinely reviewed. If one looks at the percentage of actual content in U.S. magazines, they are little more than a pamphlet. It is no wonder some publishers are literally giving them away just to get circulation numbers. It is indeed a shame how things have changed over the years.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
You are right. PBO and Sailing Today are in a class of their own. Pricey at the newsstand, but you can get Sailing Today on the ipad for $5/copy. I thought I would miss the paper edition, but now that I have a bunch of them downloaded, I really like having them all on my ipad.

PS - Sailing Today endeared themselves to me forever when they did a great 6-page review of our little Beni!

 

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
I'm reading the latest edition of Boat US magazine. I normally skip a lot of the articles in that one, but this edition has several articles on cruising that actually *could* apply to me at some point. I've finally realized that I love reading about people actually enjoying their boats.
 

Tim R.

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May 27, 2004
3,626
Caliber 40 Long Range Cruiser Portland, Maine
Most are just glossy boat adverts. We actively subscribe to GOB and Ocean Navigator(via SSCA membership). We get Cruising World free and I rarely read it. I just signed up for Yachting free with my boat show tickets. I doubt I will read that one either.

We do love GOB and Ocean Navigator though. I used to get Practical Sailor but more and more I was not satisfied with their testing.

We also get a free stinkpot mag through our marina but that goes directly to recycling. ;-)
 
May 31, 2004
858
Catalina 28 Branford
I find that there are certain things that I like in several magazines, and sometimes I find that I like most of a particular issue, but I almost never read any of them cover to cover. I've subscribed to most of the usual suspects over the years, but now I get Sail and Cruising World, mostly because they are practically free, and Yachting, because it was free (from the Newport Boat Show). I find that I almost always love Cap'n Fatty's column in CW, and the Yacht Style feature in Sail is usually pretty good. And this month's cover story in CW is by Peter Nicholls, a guy who has written some pretty fabulous sailing books (A Voyage for Madmen); the article is just so much better written than most that it really stands out. And while I don't care to read much about the new boats profiled in Yachting, their columnists are actually quite good; Jay Coyle is sharp and funny, and they have a design review columinist (Dennis something, I forget his last name at the moment) bucks the overall trend of the magazine and writes a lot about sailboats.

In the past, I've subscribed to Sailing (large format, great pictures, Bob Perry and John Kretchsmer as columnists), and Showboats International (megayacht porn). I paid for Sailing and received Showboats for free (don't ask me ehy, but for years I guess they thought I was their target market).

I like Good Old Boat too, but its too hit or miss for me on editorial content that I find relevant to justify the high price for a subscription. I buy individual copies off the newsstand when the mood strikes me. And I miss Latitudes and Attitudes; I subscribed for a couple of years, then let it slide. Uneven writing and a creeping "sameness" to the issues just turned me off after awhile. That being said, it was definitely different and I would still buy it a few times a year, just to shake things up. A nice breath of fresh air.
 

kenn

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Apr 18, 2009
1,271
CL Sandpiper 565 Toronto
Practical Boat Owner (UK)
Small Craft Advisor
occasionally Good Old boat

These are the ones I get the most out of.
 
Oct 17, 2011
2,808
Ericson 29 Southport..
I still stand by Practical Sailor. I know that sometimes their tests are somewhat "misconstrued", and that's not even the right word I'm looking for. If they were pulling off these tests in a ten million dollar laboratory, I feel quite certain that the tests would be more relevant. But like the aforementioned anchor test being done on the beach with a truck, really, what can you expect. That to me looks like it would be a decent way to make a living, however I can not help but believe that it was probably a lot of work, and they put their heart in the test as well. Despite a lack of funds to do it. With nothing but magazine sales to support it, it's a wonder that they're not eating pop-corn and Kool-Aid for dinner. And the plus that I can read it without being bombarded with ads like every other entity in the world. Plus, unless I'm terribly disillusioned, they don't seem to be influenced, or biased about anything, or anyone.
 
Apr 28, 2005
267
Oday 302 Lake Perry, KS
Lattitude and Attitudes Update?

Anybody ever hear from anyone regarding L&A? Like a previous poster - it was different. The grammatical and proofreading lapses drove me nuts, but it was a hoot to read.

New owners apparently never paid any bills. I had just resubscribed...thought I might hear from someone about whatever credit might have existed, but I've heard absolutely nothing.

Anyone have any insight in this saga?
 
Jul 29, 2004
406
Hunter 340 Lake Lanier, GA
Anybody ever hear from anyone regarding L&A? Like a previous poster - it was different. The grammatical and proofreading lapses drove me nuts, but it was a hoot to read.

New owners apparently never paid any bills. I had just resubscribed...thought I might hear from someone about whatever credit might have existed, but I've heard absolutely nothing.

Anyone have any insight in this saga?
Steve, go here:
http://cruisingoutpost.com/

Old owners, new magazine, forums, etc.
 
Apr 8, 2010
1,942
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
Another enthuiastic vote for PBO and of course GOB.

Yachting Monthly is very good, too.
 
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