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About Sailing Magazines

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
The other night I had a conversation with some sailing friends about sailing magazines. We talked about what we all like (and don't like).

Im sure there are many new subscriptions initiated this time of year because let's face it, a magazine is a great gift that keeps on giving.

Of the magazines I receive I like "Good Old Boat" the best. "Sail" is another I've been getting for years and while I like the features such as "Boatworks", "Sketchbook" and "Waterlines" by Charlie Doane, it seems to have more advertising. I also like Sails site online.

"Cruising Outpost" is another I've been getting since Bob Bichin and his lovely wife lost "Lats and Atts". It is probably 85% advertising and 15% content but we support their cause. Loved their old TV show too.

I used to get "Wooden Boat" back when we owned two vintage Owens cruisers. The photos are stunning.

So so what sailing periodicals do you all read? Maybe you should tell your better half before midnight tonight.....:xmas_grin
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Magazines

After over three decades and counting....
We continue to subscribe to GOB, Practical Boat Owner (UK) and Yachting Monthly (UK), and Sailing.
Of those, I find the most useful DIY articles in the two UK magazines.

I dropped Sail and Cruising World about 20 years ago -- it seemed like their whole emphasis had moved to big and expensive boats and all of their how-to articles were being recycled on an 8 to 10 year basis (with only minor wording changes!).... :rolleyes:

I do pick up and read through the free ones, 48 North and Lat. 38, every month as well.

Loren
 

supersailor

Contributing Partner
GOB, Latitude 48 and 38, and Northwest Yachting are mine. Like Loren, I find that the "glossies" don't offer much in our size group. They are definitely oriented toward advertising expensive kit. Wooden Boat is interesting but I don't want one of them. Probably the best read on here is the ABYC manual and the Ericson manual.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I like Wooden Boat fine, but there isn't much left for me in Sail or the rest. Of news or events or photos, the Internet is my commonest source.


Once I was briefly involved as a contributor to a start-up mag idea in Annapolis, in which I met both potential advertisers and other yachting editors. I worried there would be a limited number of stories possible for a publication restricted to big, expensive sailboats only.


An ad salesmen said I didn't understand why yachting magazines exist. They were paid for by advertising from yacht companies. The regular readers didn't matter at all. But all boat owners, for a period of about three months, are "in the market" for a new boat. During that period they read the ads with an actual desire to buy. Therefore, as an economic model, yachting magazines exist only for predictably repeating three-month periods in the lives of select yacht buyers. And therefore, the editorial stories don't really matter since they are just for "readers." Get it now, son?


The mag was very high class and folded in a year. I came away happy not to be on the business side.
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
My favorite (and the one I've written for the most) is of course Good Old Boat. I agree that Sail is not that great anymore, but for $1/issue I can't resist the pretty pictures. I haven't seen Practical Navigator lately, but I used to never miss it. And I'd have to agree with Loren about Practical Boat Owner from the UK, as there are an amazing number of practical (hence the name?) tips in every issue. I love the fact that PBO seems to focus on small seaworthy boats, the sort that you don't even see in the states - not just the latest 45 footer. I've even had a couple of pieces published by PBO, but that was quite awhile ago.
 

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
Today n the mail.....

I received a business letter that displayed a $45 refund from Cruising World in the envelope's window. Curiosity got the best of me (could this be a Dan Kennedy direct mail ploy)....,

Upon opening the letter, I saw a pseudo check for $45 indicating I could get CW for an entire year for only $10 out of pocket

What to do?
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
I received a business letter that displayed a $45 refund from Cruising World in the envelope's window. Curiosity got the best of me (could this be a Dan Kennedy direct mail ploy)....,

Upon opening the letter, I saw a pseudo check for $45 indicating I could get CW for an entire year for only $10 out of pocket

What to do?

As I mentioned above, when the price drops to $1/issue I can't resist. I'm only willing to pay more than that for a select few.
 
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