Favorite Boating Magazines?

V

Valkyrie

New member
Hi Brats!

About a month ago I mentioned in a post that I spent a number of years as a free lance writer for boating magazines including Sail, Cruising World, Great Lakes Sailor (projects editor) and Small Boat Journal, which evolved into the present Boating World, where I was Midwest Editor for about five years.

Hey, it was a great run and lots of fun for a part time job, but someone suggested having a post about favorite boating magazines, so here we are.

Personally, I rarely even pick up a boating magazine anymore. They seem out of touch (for me) and what they cover is way out of the realm of my owning or being able to run one. Or they are just just cookie cutter go-fast boats with lots of noise, but little or no character or gorgeous trawlers that are out of our price range.

When I was on the start-up staff of Great Lakes Sailor, a neat, little regional that lasted five years, we used to get comp subscriptions at the office from a bunch of similar regionals that seem to have the pulse of the small boater.

I think there was one from the NW called Latitude or Parallel something? Any help?

Basically, the only boating-type publicatin that I read now is Saltwater Sportsman.

Any comment or suggestions of neat, little regional magazines out there that are worth reading.

Best regards,

Nick
"Valkyrie"

VALKYRIE GOES INTO THE WATER TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!
 
Like you, I lost touch with most of the boating publications. I should say, they lost touch with me. Tom Fexus and his ilk are a little out of touch with the rest of the world. But, the magazines I think you are thinking about and are extremely popular here in the northwest and west coast in general are 48 North, for the northwest, and Latitude 38, which is primarily concerned with california and down through mexico and a little on south america. These publications stay current with the local boating communities, legislation, sailing and competition. Stuff like that. And they are free at West Marine. And as Tom says, "free is a very good price". I used to really like Cruising World but I don't sail much anymore, plus most of the boats they feature these days are extremely expensive.
 
Here in the Northeast my favorite is OFFSHORE. It's not as good as the Small Boat Journal used to be. But, it does cover stuff that small boats want to know. The past editor, Betsey Frawley, spent the past summer cruising the Erie Canal and is writing a book. Her columns have been informative and interesting. Typically, each issue covers some Northeast Ports including ramp info ( though not as much as I'd like). It covers New Jersey to Maine.

Rick from Maine
 
We are letting our subscriptions to Sail and Cruising World expire; now, if someone published "C-Dory Cruising", I'd be all over that. Well, come to think of it, El and Bill and Wanderer do kinda publish that. :D We intend to spend a lot of time cruising, so the magazines will be better purchased on newstands than waiting for them to be forwarded. One that I still truly enjoy is Lattitudes & Attitudes; an irreverant look at the cruising lifestyle by Bob Bitchin. Mostly sailing related, they have added trawlers and tugs to their mix of featured boats. I also really enjoy Small Craft Advisor, for small boat sailing (hey, we're selling the trimaran, but will be keeping the catboat). The Boat US magazine is a freebee with membership. And when the West Marine catalog comes, I'm still like a kid with the Sears Christmas toy catalog. For the past several years, I find I get most of my boating information on the internet... and I don't have to worry about the "trees" or trash. :wink: I see that C-Dory advertises in PassageMaker, but they are definitely more oriented towards the big boat crowd... interesting once in a while to see how the other ONE PERCENT lives. :wink:

So, give me this place right here: the C-Brats are my kinda people with my kinda boat!

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
I like PassageMaker magazine, you're right, most of the trawlers featured are a little out of our league but the articles about mechanical, hydraulic, electical, fibre glass, cruising, safety issues, and much more can be related to on any level. C-Dory and C-Ranger boats advertise in it so there must be some good for smallboat owners too. I've subscribed to it for five or six years and enjoy it even though I've never owned a trawer, I keep all the issues and hope to use them for reference. Some of the cruising articles are really informative and cover both coasts, the Great Lakes, and major rivers.
 
My favorite always has been WoodenBoat. Still own two of those hard to maintain, but beautiful boats. A 1930 Salmon Beach Boathouse 10 foot row boat, and a 1950 15 foot Wolverine. Robbi
 
I really liked the Great Lakes Sailor Mag. and was sorry to sea it go. I have tried some of the other ones, but they were hard to relate to $ wise and as all Mag. today, to much advertising.

C-Otter on Lake Superior.
 
C-Otter,

It's a real pleasure to find someone who remembers Great Lakes Sailor. We took a great deal of pride in putting that magazine together.

However, your comment about too much advertising brings up an interesting point. Early on, one of our subscribers wrote that he liked our early issues because we didn't have much advertising "junking up the pages."

We just looked at each and shook our heads in dismay. When a magazine maxes out circulation, they can, if they are very lucky, cover the cost of publishing.

Everything else: physical plant, salaries, utilities, promotion, our advertising, travel expenses and so on, comes from advertising revenue.

If you take a look at Sail or Cruising World or almost any magazine, including Time, Newsweek and others; they are much thinner than they used to be. Advertising is off, again, partly due to internet influence, among other things.

Sorry about the publishing lecture. Thanks once again for your kind comments about GLS.

Nick
"Valkyrie"
 
Nick - for years I have subscribed to Trailer Boat Magazine, which may be the most relevant magazine for C-Dory type boats. Over look the luscious babe on every cover, the contents are good. Covers boats, engines, trailers, towing rigs, how to do projects, etc.
John
 
There is a magazine called Big River published in Winona, Minnesota that has great articles about river news and lore, natural history and life on the upper Mississippi.

I have purchased a few issues of DIY-Boat Owner, the Marine Maintenance Magazine. It has interesting and practical articles on maintenance, handling, electronics, ...

I also enjoy reading National Fisherman at the local bookstore. You won't find any articles about water skiing or suntan lotion, but is has good information about weather and safety written for people who earn their living on the water.
 

We always enjoy Pacific Yachting, from British Columbia. Most of our cruising was in Canada and they cover it well. They always highlight an area or marina. They also publish a free marina guide which is very complete called the Boater's Blue Pages.

Roger
Dreamer
 
My Favorite Magazine List is as follows in descending order......

3) Nor'Westing

2) Trailer Boats

1) C-Brats


.....oh...wait... :disgust .... I guess the C-Brat site isn't a magazine, but I do get my BEST information there, additionally I get to "converse" with a bunch of SUPER folks! :wink
 
Since a new thread has been started asking about boating magazines, I've resurected this thread from the "search" engine.
 
I've got to put in a plug for Southern Boating, in the US southeast.

Why, you may ask, do I read a regional boating magazine for a region at the complete opposite end of the country? Because I WRITE for them, that's why! This is a new gig for me, but I've got an article coming up in January on new safety gear, and one for February on the Faria Maestro system.

I've also got to mention our new regional magazine, Pacific Yachting. This isn't the familiar Canadian magazine, it's a new sister publication for "Pacific Northwest" boaters. It's a bold play in a market that is, arguably, already saturated with boating magazines, but it looks like a great magazine. An no, I am not writing for this one...yet. :-)
 
I have never owned a sailboat and have no idea if I ever will -- if I do, it will most likely be some sort of daysailer, maybe one that I build. But I have found that I, and many C-Brats, think like sailors (and, of course, many of the Brats are ex-sailors.) Relating these comments to the current thread, I am going to put in a plug for Sailing magazine. It is entertaining reading, has great photography, and there usually are ideas that apply equally well to C-Dory cruising as to sailing. For example, the current issue is the annual Safety at Sea issue. I may never go offshore, but thinking like an offshore sailor makes my coast cruising safer.
 
I enjoy PowerCruising, as it relates to our boats. I've let most of the other magazines I used to subscribe to lapse, except Lats & Atts (Latitudes and Attitudes), a rather irreverant take on the cruising life. Used to be all sail oriented, but there are more trawlers and even the C-Ranger Tug featured recently. Written mostly by the readers' submissions, it does not do extensive "boat tests", but is more casual feeling. When cruising in different areas, I pick up the local/regional magazines.

Like others, I find info on the net keeps me informed and entertained... and we have that with us on the boat and don't have to wait for mail to catch up.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Back
Top