Sail primarily a Catalina Coronado-15 and am planning to take some courses to introduce myself to larger boats, cruising, navigation, etc. Can I get a concensus on what you folks think the best sailing magazine would be. I'd like something that covers both articles and reviews of boats and accessories as well as techniques and destinations. Thanks, Koen Loeven
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Magazines
My favorite is Sail Magazine because it addresses most of the issues you are interested in. I think Cruising World is more focused on destinations although it does provide some of the information you are looking for. I suggest you go to Barnes and Noble (if one is nearby) and peruse their magazine rack. You'll find Good Old Boat, Latitudes and Attitudes, Sail, Cruising World, Sailing, etc.
My favorite is Sail Magazine because it addresses most of the issues you are interested in. I think Cruising World is more focused on destinations although it does provide some of the information you are looking for. I suggest you go to Barnes and Noble (if one is nearby) and peruse their magazine rack. You'll find Good Old Boat, Latitudes and Attitudes, Sail, Cruising World, Sailing, etc.
Good Old Boat, Practical Sailor, Sailing
Good Old Boat is about boats like mine, and has lots of practical info and ideas. It is not driven by new boat advertising so I don't have to skip over reviews of 50 foot boats I'll never buy. Practical Sailor does the most high quality evaluations of boating equipment of anybody, period. It doesn't have any advertising, so they are also most impartial. Sailing has great pictures of our sport. Although they do spend too much time on impossible dream boats, I like the style and balance of their copy. All IMHO. David Lady Lillie
Good Old Boat is about boats like mine, and has lots of practical info and ideas. It is not driven by new boat advertising so I don't have to skip over reviews of 50 foot boats I'll never buy. Practical Sailor does the most high quality evaluations of boating equipment of anybody, period. It doesn't have any advertising, so they are also most impartial. Sailing has great pictures of our sport. Although they do spend too much time on impossible dream boats, I like the style and balance of their copy. All IMHO. David Lady Lillie
'Sail'
for the serious info, and the best by far, Lattitudes and Attitudes for the fun, entertainment, and wackiness from some serious cruisers.
for the serious info, and the best by far, Lattitudes and Attitudes for the fun, entertainment, and wackiness from some serious cruisers.
There are two, and only two.
SAIL and CRUISING WORLD. Between the two of them they cover just about everything you need to know ona regular basis. Also they do not tend to be TOO much stuffed-full of chartering ads. Okay, I said there were only two, but-- I also read WOODEN BOAT as I love looking at pictures of CCA yawls from the 30s and 40s. The 4th suggestion I would make is SAILING, that big tabloid-sized magazine, if you are into class boats and race results. Also GOOD OLD BOAT if you own or favour something from before about 1980. Their articles about maintenance and cruising and sail trim apply to anyone with a less-than-new boat anyway. Another good one is CLASSIC YACHT, a British magazine about the equivalent of CRUISING WORLD and WOODEN BOAT added together. More pictures of beautiful old wooden yachts. Sometimes they have really nifty details about those boats you can steal and apply to your own boat. Sometimes, who cares if they don't? I do NOT waste my time with YACHTING or MOTOR BOATING AND SAILING, two magazines that I don't even know if they are still around any more because they dropped off my radar years ago. JC 2
SAIL and CRUISING WORLD. Between the two of them they cover just about everything you need to know ona regular basis. Also they do not tend to be TOO much stuffed-full of chartering ads. Okay, I said there were only two, but-- I also read WOODEN BOAT as I love looking at pictures of CCA yawls from the 30s and 40s. The 4th suggestion I would make is SAILING, that big tabloid-sized magazine, if you are into class boats and race results. Also GOOD OLD BOAT if you own or favour something from before about 1980. Their articles about maintenance and cruising and sail trim apply to anyone with a less-than-new boat anyway. Another good one is CLASSIC YACHT, a British magazine about the equivalent of CRUISING WORLD and WOODEN BOAT added together. More pictures of beautiful old wooden yachts. Sometimes they have really nifty details about those boats you can steal and apply to your own boat. Sometimes, who cares if they don't? I do NOT waste my time with YACHTING or MOTOR BOATING AND SAILING, two magazines that I don't even know if they are still around any more because they dropped off my radar years ago. JC 2
Two mags I like........
For us sailors who barely make it out of our little rivers but dream of circumnavigating Cruising World is the best. It keeps the dream alive. However, I realy enjoy Chesapeake Bay Magazine. It covers everything going on where I sail. It also keeps us up to date on the state of the Bay. You folks who sail in other parts of the world, I hope you have a local magazine as good as this. Koen, if you realy want to submerse yourself in the sailing culture then find a local magazine up your way. David
For us sailors who barely make it out of our little rivers but dream of circumnavigating Cruising World is the best. It keeps the dream alive. However, I realy enjoy Chesapeake Bay Magazine. It covers everything going on where I sail. It also keeps us up to date on the state of the Bay. You folks who sail in other parts of the world, I hope you have a local magazine as good as this. Koen, if you realy want to submerse yourself in the sailing culture then find a local magazine up your way. David
JC2
Loved your response, cant stop chuckling. I too enjoy Wooden Boat, for the dreamer in us all. The others all have thier good points, Latts and Atts is fun. Enjoy reading your thoughts, have learned alot, keep them coming, George
Loved your response, cant stop chuckling. I too enjoy Wooden Boat, for the dreamer in us all. The others all have thier good points, Latts and Atts is fun. Enjoy reading your thoughts, have learned alot, keep them coming, George
sorry, j cherubni II....
...but this month's Cruising world is all chartering company driven. That being said I agree with you. I have discontinued all my subscripticons except cruising world. If you race..... take a look at Sailing World.
...but this month's Cruising world is all chartering company driven. That being said I agree with you. I have discontinued all my subscripticons except cruising world. If you race..... take a look at Sailing World.
Sailing World
As a sometime racer and certainly as a performance oriented sailor, I've enjoyed Sailing World for many years. It does seem that they are sometimes focusing on the top 10% of the racing community, but every once in a while they have something more pertinent to us 'ordinary' PHRF sailors and the tactics columns are interesting. I was kind of waiting to see if anyone on this thread would even acknowledge their existence as there has been almost no interest in the Hunter Racing forum.
As a sometime racer and certainly as a performance oriented sailor, I've enjoyed Sailing World for many years. It does seem that they are sometimes focusing on the top 10% of the racing community, but every once in a while they have something more pertinent to us 'ordinary' PHRF sailors and the tactics columns are interesting. I was kind of waiting to see if anyone on this thread would even acknowledge their existence as there has been almost no interest in the Hunter Racing forum.
Agree with S. Sauer
Sailing World, although it has its shortcomings as noted, is one of the more informative sailing mags. The others seem to be jammed with ads and articles written by people paid to say the 'right thing' about the boats they are reviewing. Practical Sailor, although usually unbiased, fails to keep up with all the full menu of boats out there. They might hit one model of one manufacturer per decade, just not good enough.
Sailing World, although it has its shortcomings as noted, is one of the more informative sailing mags. The others seem to be jammed with ads and articles written by people paid to say the 'right thing' about the boats they are reviewing. Practical Sailor, although usually unbiased, fails to keep up with all the full menu of boats out there. They might hit one model of one manufacturer per decade, just not good enough.
Practical Sailor comment.....
I do not consider PS a sailing magazine per se. First of all it is published bi monthly and totally subscription supported. It is a "Consumer Reports" for sailors. I feel it is a very important publication in that it is commmitted to testing and reporting on all the products available in the sailing world. You cannot buy it on the newstand. Go to West Marine, they will have all copies bound and availiable for reference.
I do not consider PS a sailing magazine per se. First of all it is published bi monthly and totally subscription supported. It is a "Consumer Reports" for sailors. I feel it is a very important publication in that it is commmitted to testing and reporting on all the products available in the sailing world. You cannot buy it on the newstand. Go to West Marine, they will have all copies bound and availiable for reference.
Sailing Rags
I can't believe only one person mentioned Latitudes and Attitudes. Have you guys been living in a cave. Get out of the doldrums and read Latitudes and Attitudes it will change your "Attitude"
I can't believe only one person mentioned Latitudes and Attitudes. Have you guys been living in a cave. Get out of the doldrums and read Latitudes and Attitudes it will change your "Attitude"
Easy Sailor . . .?
Probably the reason Lats & Atts isn't mentioned is because it's a such a poor rip-off of “Easy Rider” magazine. I stopped reading it after Bob Bitchin used the phrase "how kewl is that," for the third time in the same story . . . That aside, these sailing magazines are nothing more than ad-wells that recycle the same tired stories over and over. Stop buying these slick overpriced tree killers and by this time next year you'll have saved enough for that new chart plotter. Nick "Julia Bell" C-27, #86
Probably the reason Lats & Atts isn't mentioned is because it's a such a poor rip-off of “Easy Rider” magazine. I stopped reading it after Bob Bitchin used the phrase "how kewl is that," for the third time in the same story . . . That aside, these sailing magazines are nothing more than ad-wells that recycle the same tired stories over and over. Stop buying these slick overpriced tree killers and by this time next year you'll have saved enough for that new chart plotter. Nick "Julia Bell" C-27, #86
Sail Mag 1st, Cruising World 2nd.
If I could get just one, Sail would be it. I subscribe to that and Cruising World. For local New England waters, you might find Offshore interesting, too. It covers power boat and fishing topics more than sailing, but provides destination topics of interest to those in New England. Fair winds, Tom
If I could get just one, Sail would be it. I subscribe to that and Cruising World. For local New England waters, you might find Offshore interesting, too. It covers power boat and fishing topics more than sailing, but provides destination topics of interest to those in New England. Fair winds, Tom
Entertainment or Education???
I find the depth and immediate relevance of information on this forum with the timely responses from some *very* qualified lurkers and the archive search available a much greater value than any publication....and the price is real right... I've dropped ALL my subscriptions. Thanks to all involved.
I find the depth and immediate relevance of information on this forum with the timely responses from some *very* qualified lurkers and the archive search available a much greater value than any publication....and the price is real right... I've dropped ALL my subscriptions. Thanks to all involved.
Large-format Sailing
I get three (four if you count practical Sailor). Sail, Cruising World and Sailing. I really like the latter as it is large format, has Perry doing design reviews and there is typically always an in-depth review of a boat I have at least a passing interest in.
I get three (four if you count practical Sailor). Sail, Cruising World and Sailing. I really like the latter as it is large format, has Perry doing design reviews and there is typically always an in-depth review of a boat I have at least a passing interest in.
Some British mags
I sometimes think that my real hobby is reading sailing magazines, rather than sailing. I get or have gotten most of the magazines mentioned here (Sailing and Good Old Boat are my favorites), but the ones I really like the best are British: Practical Boat Owner and Yachting Monthly. They're a bit pricey on this side of the Atlantic, but they seem to be able to do something no US publication can do: combine honest, sometimes critical, reviews of products from their advertisers, with practical sailing instruction, gear maintenance, adventure, good "I can't believe I did that" stories and, in general a healthy reminder that not just Americans sail. Of course, the pull out maps of English and French harbors may not be of much use here, but they're still fun to read. Even thought a certain amount of their content has little direct relevance to US sailing, I still find I spend more time reading them than their US counterparts.
I sometimes think that my real hobby is reading sailing magazines, rather than sailing. I get or have gotten most of the magazines mentioned here (Sailing and Good Old Boat are my favorites), but the ones I really like the best are British: Practical Boat Owner and Yachting Monthly. They're a bit pricey on this side of the Atlantic, but they seem to be able to do something no US publication can do: combine honest, sometimes critical, reviews of products from their advertisers, with practical sailing instruction, gear maintenance, adventure, good "I can't believe I did that" stories and, in general a healthy reminder that not just Americans sail. Of course, the pull out maps of English and French harbors may not be of much use here, but they're still fun to read. Even thought a certain amount of their content has little direct relevance to US sailing, I still find I spend more time reading them than their US counterparts.
David, can you tell me . . .
can you tell me the address or phone number for subscribing to the Chesapeake Bay Magazine?
can you tell me the address or phone number for subscribing to the Chesapeake Bay Magazine?
Britannia rules the waves
About 20 years ago I found the British sailing mags while working in London. I have to second everything Al said! For a long long time I depended on infrequent trips back or the kindness of a traveling friend. I just can’t bring myself to spend what it takes to subscribe. In the last couple of years, my local West Marine has been carrying Practical Boat Owner and sometimes Yachting Monthly. Good stuff for ordinary people. From my limited knowledge, I believe the French mags are more racing and big boat oriented. S/V Anodyne Catalina 36’ #34
About 20 years ago I found the British sailing mags while working in London. I have to second everything Al said! For a long long time I depended on infrequent trips back or the kindness of a traveling friend. I just can’t bring myself to spend what it takes to subscribe. In the last couple of years, my local West Marine has been carrying Practical Boat Owner and sometimes Yachting Monthly. Good stuff for ordinary people. From my limited knowledge, I believe the French mags are more racing and big boat oriented. S/V Anodyne Catalina 36’ #34
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