Ask The Editor! MBM or MB&Y.

[powerskipper]

here some ideas for you,


how about the actual storage on boats for not just safety gear but things like pots and pan.

comfort of mattresses,

can the average sized wife see out the screen.


what the gel coat is like on different models after a few years wear and tear.

covers , what best kind, are they easy to erect, take off.

tender sizes for different models, weight boat can carry or store.


how easy is it to single hand the boat.


easy of access off and on the boat in different types of moorings,

recommended bow thruster power for different sizes,

ease of throttles to use, and smoothness of use.

instruments ,can you really read them when under way.

where can you put a chart.

Is the shower on the boat worth using,

do you bang your head in the heads.

how easy is it to change engine parts if something goes wrong.



I could go on,
but will leave it at that for now.

 

[stevieee]

Add some totty to the mags, then I could save some money and cancel my Camera Magazine.

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[powerskipper]

it depend on your persecutive to what you call totty /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Input from SWMBO over the years.

Can you dress for dinner in the boat without having the thing to yourself?
Can you find a place to apply makeup etc in comfort.
How safe is the boat for children?
Can children who don't/won't/can't share a room be accommodated sensibly?
Can you, within reason, cook underway, or at least make a brew?
Can someone under 5'6" take down or put up the canopy?
Are the railings and handrails etc sensibly placed?
How accessible is the boat to the elderly or less than spry?

 

[studgies]

as long as there is an equal ratio it does not matter /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[powerskipper]

Hi Siomon, thanks for your company last nigh. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[studgies]

Julie, Likewise, I hope the trip back was a good one and you had fun in the Flyer!

 

[powerskipper]

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif new toy to play with and fun, but IPS has its limits.

 

[studgies]

and they are???? I feel another post coming on /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gifP

 

[tico]

Alleujah!!!
Couldnt agree more, whats the boat like to use?
Rather than just concentrating on the looks

Does it handle anything more than a Solent chop or the photo boats wash.

Can you see ouit of the canopy?
How long does it take to put it up?
Where do you store it when its off?

What do you have to move to get at the engines?
ETc, etc

 

[ari]

[ QUOTE ]
Alleujah!!!
Couldnt agree more, whats the boat like to use?
Rather than just concentrating on the looks

Does it handle anything more than a Solent chop or the photo boats wash.

Can you see ouit of the canopy?
How long does it take to put it up?
Where do you store it when its off?

What do you have to move to get at the engines?
ETc, etc

[/ QUOTE ]

Steady on old boy, you're asking for a proper boat critique there!

You don't suppose boat testers faff about putting canopies up and down do you? That might be important to owners but it just gets in the way of blasting about the solent having a jolly old time. Leave that to the dealers to puff and swear getting the canopies back on after they've gone

When was the last time you saw boat canopies mentioned in a boat test?

That's real world stuff that is, no canopies in a boat brochure.

 

[Alistairr]

How about getting prospective buyers to test the boat with the reporters team, You find someone, say on here looking for a particular model of boat(new or used), and you go testing a couple of different boats with them, and that way you get an honest report, from a buyer and a report from the test team! And at the end, you can report wether the buyer ended up buying any of the boats tested.

Can we have feed back from the 2 editors again, please.

Cheers

Al.

 

[SimonC]

Plenty of good ideas here...

Glad to hear that the owners' reports are popular... I've just been lining up a few more over the last couple of weeks, so there are some good ones in the pipeline.

Re: boat tests, again, some useful comments and I've passed these on to Carl, who as deputy editor makes a lot of the running on the boat tests.

At the risk of getting into a lengthy debate on something that's been talked about many, many times on here, I do object to comments that say our boat tests are "basically brochures" etc. They're not. While we're not interested in stitching anyone up with a proper hatchet job just for entertainment value, I think that recent boat tests have shown we can and will criticise where appropriate. This month's test of the Beneteau Monte Carlo 37 is one example - it's a high profile launch from a big company, but I think anyone who has read the test will appreciate that we make some serious criticisms.

A lot of the points that Andrew and Julie make on boat tests are things that we do already consider - access on and off, galley storage, safety for adults & kids, ease of use of throttles, engine access etc - although we don't mention them every test, only when something requires comment, good or bad. Even so, it's really helpful to have your thoughts on what you're looking for in a boat, so thank you.

 

[thamesS23]

how about the few suggestions about more articles aimed at people with a more limited budget?

 

[SimonC]

It's definitely really important that we don't price anyone out of reading MBM.

What kind of thing are you looking for? Secondhand tests of older/smaller boats? Smaller new boats? DIY/refurb articles? How to cut running costs? All of the above, or something else?

 

[Alistairr]

Smaller new boat would be good, but i' also like to see older upto 30'ish boats say up to 20yrs old.

Al.

 

[PEJ]

A typical trip for me is to go to a beach, anchor offshore and row the dighy ashore with the kids. How about a guide to nice beaches for this. Maybe you could do a series going around the coast.

I like a quiet beach but with some sort of shop or cafe ashore for the kids. Beaches that are not easy to get at from the land are good for us boaters. A run down on the type of sand/shingle, if it drys out a long way, facilities ashore, best wind direction for shelter etc etc.

 

[ari]

[ QUOTE ]
This month's test of the Beneteau Monte Carlo 37 is one example - it's a high profile launch from a big company, but I think anyone who has read the test will appreciate that we make some serious criticisms.


[/ QUOTE ]

Credit where credit's due, yes you did. And well done for pointing out that they're ramping a "good" basic price by even charging for wipers! That is good and relevent stuff and it's great to see it.

But, to use the example above, where is even a hint of comment about the canopies? Easy to put up? Erect in seconds? An absolute nightmare?

Let me ask you this. Did your tester put up or lower the canopy? Or was it down when he arrived, stayed down for the test, and still down when he walked away leaving it for the dealer to deal with?

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

[ QUOTE ]
Smaller new boat would be good, but i' also like to see older upto 30'ish boats say up to 20yrs old.

Al.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why stop at 20? There are a large number of boats older than that changing hands as starter boats or when families grow and budgets get tighter. OK, not everyone wants a full study on obscure minor makes of grp boats on the non-tidal Itchen but maybe articles in the manner of the test of time stuff on Princess 32, Moonraker and so forth of a few years back have their place again. Yes, reprint service and all that but pros and cons of living with an older boat might be good, recent experience stuff. There again, that's something I'd like to see, not automatically representative of someone more interested in getting the ultimate speed from a 20' sportsboat.

Perhaps a series along the lines of "Granny has left me £25K in her will and I want to go boating on that sum"?

 

[Whitelighter]

Further to the old boats idea, I would like to see some detailed articles on updating older craft. I have always liked the Princess 435 and the Fairline Turbo 36. They are both still very attractive boats, the 435 especially so and now they are coming into a sensible price bracket. When I upgraded a few years ago I went to see one I could afford, and from the outside it was still as sexy as ever, but inside it was so dated I couldn't live with it.

I would like to see costs and ideas for renewing carpets, upholstery, dasboard fascias etc etc - DIY and professionally done. I have seen one Turbo 36 that has had the works and it looked great - no more brown galley tiles and lino for that boat!