Are Sailing Mags Dead?

[Healer52]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I currently have MORE subsrciptions that before. It was because I would buy one once in whiule at ythe book store and came to realize is was less expensive to. But the context is 90% worthless and does nothing to keep me excited about sailing or cruising.

I find myself reading the ads more than the articles. Of course the Boat Reviews are just long ads.

Coincidentally I received today a sales blurb from my friends at Amazon (I think I have a warehouse named after me, by them).....offering sailing mag subscriptions. The only one interesting to me was Pro Navigator (perhaps).

But, none of them are Kindle format....so, why should I bother? If the publishing industry (books, mags, newspapers) don't wise up and quit using dead tree distribution modalities, they WILL die. I can put a lifetimes supply of magazines on an SD card or USB hard drive which I can load onto my Kindle for reading .... or read on a computer. Why bother carrying paper around (unless it's a really important bit of information that has to survive a drenching)?

I've got most all of th HO pubs on my computer, all the US charts, many other charts, and if I really need it on paper there's a printer around. Paper is so 2009......

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by sneuman

I really like Practical Boat Owner, but it's nearly impossible to find in the U.S.

LOL! your US mags must be bad

Been reading PBO on and off since I was a kid - used to be fairly regular buyer, even though I always knew that on average only 1 article that would be of interest. Often I'd find copies around the house I had hardly read or never got around to reading at all I guess some habits are hard to break - a lot of brand loyalty to PBO built up over 40 years.

But now I am on my 3rd lifetime ban from their online presence I figured time to stop giving them money Still, I am not a man to bear a grudge therefore if anyone from YBW.com wishes to apologise - they can kiss my hairey ass

Punters are tricky characters to keep happy

[Charlie]

My favorite magazine isn't a magazine. I like the SSCA newsletter. IT is written by real people and tells about sailing adventures all over the world.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

LOL! your US mags must be bad

Yep. They are.

[sneuman]

The problem is that you're not going to get certain straight answers from the glossies because they have to appease their advertisers.

For example, these magazines are never going to tell you that the exterior varnish you can get at Lowe's is probably just as good as the marine stuff, at 1/4 the price.

[inSanity]

I subscribe to Good Old Boat and Sail. Boat US sends me their magazine.

I like paper in my hands. I don't l ike to have to rely on battery power when I'm sitting on a beach, my toes in the water and reading.

Books play a large role in my life.

While I do love the internet and e-formats, it's just not the same as a good old book or magazine.

[Curmudgeon]

I subscribe to:

1. Practical Sailor-- the only reviews of boats and equipment that do not pander to the manufacturers.

2. Good Old Boat-- because I like good old boats.

3. Cruising World-- Yes, it's redundant pablum for the most part but I like the pictures of places I've never been. The boat reviews are worthless, just like the ones in Sail.

I happily live without the rest, although I will pick up a copy of Soundings now and then to check the real estate ads. There is also a pretty good free sailing magazine here in the Northeast U.S. called Windcheck.

[Healer52]

Originally Posted by inSanity

I subscribe to Good Old Boat and Sail. Boat US sends me their magazine.

I like paper in my hands. I don't l ike to have to rely on battery power when I'm sitting on a beach, my toes in the water and reading.

Books play a large role in my life.

While I do love the internet and e-formats, it's just not the same as a good old book or magazine.

Ziplock bag, no problems. Battery life on a Kindle is way more than a phone.

[SVMorningStar]

Right now, sailing mags are the only ones I subscribe to. We get Lats&Atts, Cruising World and Practical Sailor. I think it has something to do with keeping the dream alive when I'm not on the water. We don't seem to go out a great deal for daysails. We mainly use the boat for extended cruises. As such, we do have periods of time when we're not on the water. Sigh.