Richard Shead
Slipped Anchor
That's a question for the editor however I understand that both PBO and MBY will be touching on areas that MBM once covered.
For example the latest MBY has the new Sealine 330 on which was core MBM territory
Cheers.
Bring back Motor Boat Monthly
- Thread starter Brightside
- Start date
That's a question for the editor however I understand that both PBO and MBY will be touching on areas that MBM once covered.
For example the latest MBY has the new Sealine 330 on which was core MBM territory
Cheers.
Nick_H
Well-Known Member
Beyondhelp
Well-Known Member
I hope so, I'm way more down market than MBY!! I do think it will change, in fact I kind of feel it now must, hence my pause before I do anything radical and see what happens in the next few issues.
tinkicker0 said:
+1
PCUK
Well-Known Member
Having disposed of MBM, Timeinc will now wreck MBY by making it uninteresting to its core rich readership. Brilliant business strategy!
Richard Shead
Slipped Anchor
petem
Well-Known Member
What lead you to that conclusion? Indeed, I think Richard's example was a good one, the Sealine 330 would be of interest to most MBY readers I would imagine.
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ari
Well-Known Member
You're making a fairly big assumption there that the only people interested in reading about (say) a Squadron 74 are those that own (or are in the market for) a vessel of that size/price.
I wonder how many people that buy Evo Magazine and devour the latest road test of an Aston Martin or Lamborghini actually have six figure cars in their garage? A very small percentage I'd guess, and maybe it's the same for MBY readers. You don't have to own or be able to afford something to be interested in it.
MBY are actually potentially in a fantastic position now because there are no limits. They can carry on doing the 'dream machines' as they always have and which make them so popular, but add more sensible boats that appeal to the MBM readership, and which will allow those MBMers to read tests which appeal to their budget but also enjoy dreaming about the super stuff as well.
Could be a real win/win for them if they carry on doing what they've done but add MBM style tests etc.
I guess it depends a lot on whether they fundamentally change the mag, or keep it as is and add to it.
PCUK
Well-Known Member
Richard hinted that MBY may change but Hugo has always avoided practical stuff as it is of no interest to his readers.
Hugo_Andreae
Well-Known Member
As Petem suggests there was always an artificial (and fairly porous) boundary separating MBM from MBY to try and keep both magazines distinct and avoid too much overlap, particularly for those readers who subscribed to both magazines. Sorry as we all are to see MBM go, it does now leave MBY free to cover as much of the market as we choose to.
We are not going to throw out everything that's good about MBY in a frantic attempt to be all things to all people but we will throw the net wider to embrace some of the boats, contributors and content that made the redesigned MBM so popular with its readers. I am still deciding exactly what that will entail (I learnt about this at much the same time you did) but my current thinking is that we will definitely be testing some of the interesting new 25-40ft boats which we'd usually have left for MBM such as the Sealine S330, Haines 32 Offshore, Saga 365, English Harbour 27, Paragon 25 Ranger etc and I would also like to expand our used boat coverage to include a broader spread of more affordable secondhand craft. I also envisage more product testing and first person owner's reports of cruising adventures, interesting renovation projects etc.
None of this will come at the expense of the more aspirational content – we love boats of all sizes regardless of price and, if I'm honest, the advertising they attract helps to pay the bills. The step-by-step guides and practical DIY projects etc are more likely to find their way into PBO.
Anything we publish will have to meet the same exacting standards of writing, photography and design that has been the hallmark of MBY for the last 110 years. In summary it will still look and feel like MBY but the content will hopefully appeal to an even wider group of readers than before.
In the meantime I'd like to thank any MBM readers who have made the switch across to MBY and ask you to give us a chance to prove ourselves. I would also be very interested to know which elements of the redesigned MBM you most enjoyed and would like to see replicated in MBY.
I hope this answers some of your questions and look forward to reading your responses. You can always email me on mby@timeinc.com if you'd rather discuss it in person.
Hugo
jrudge
Well-Known Member
Either way please make sure the reviews are honest.
Almost every review I have ever read says this is the best boat ever made, that you went into the solent in a F6 with 5 mt waves and the hull just soaked it up at 30 kts and all the whilst the crew were making roast dinner and soufle whilst admiring the astonishing build quality.
Boats are a compromise - they will be good at some things ( we hope) and lousy at others.
All of this is of course related to the magic words ..."if I'm honest, the advertising they attract helps to pay the bills."
Almost every review I have ever read says this is the best boat ever made, that you went into the solent in a F6 with 5 mt waves and the hull just soaked it up at 30 kts and all the whilst the crew were making roast dinner and soufle whilst admiring the astonishing build quality.
Boats are a compromise - they will be good at some things ( we hope) and lousy at others.
All of this is of course related to the magic words ..."if I'm honest, the advertising they attract helps to pay the bills."
paultallett
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the update Hugo.
So in essence what your saying is MBY will go full circle and be what it used to be when I first read it back in 1983. A wee young lad flicking through in awe at the boats and what got me interested in the first place......
So in essence what your saying is MBY will go full circle and be what it used to be when I first read it back in 1983. A wee young lad flicking through in awe at the boats and what got me interested in the first place......
Hugo_Andreae
Well-Known Member
If we can inspire a few more people like you to get into boating then that can only be a good thing.
Hugo_Andreae
Well-Known Member
The reviews are always honest but we tend not to be as brutal/flippant as some of the car mags. Personally I think that makes for a more balanced, thoughtful review. However, before accusing us of saying everything is the best boat ever made, you might want to take a look at this month's test of the Jeanneau Leader 40. There's nothing horribly wrong with it but the verdict makes the point that the Leader 40's pricing (once you've added some essential extras) puts it in Princess V39 territory and concludes that: "Given the gulf in fit and finish between them, that's a tough sell."
By the same token we were also the only boat magazine that I know of which was prepared to point out that the first Princess V48 we tested was prone to slamming even though they were our biggest advertisers. It didn't go down well at the time but Princess have since made a number of changes including fitting new trim tabs which has significantly improved the ride to the benefit of everyone.
jfm
Well-Known Member
Paul, 1983, you young whippersnapper! My first issue was the 1973 one (May I think) with the 6 boats in big seas across the channel, incl Moonraker 36, two Faireys, Apollo 31, Laguna 10m. I still have a scanned copy on home PC. That mag got my dad and me into boating (and therefore cost us rather more than the £1 cover price, when you add it all up over the years
)
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paultallett
Well-Known Member
Paul, 1983, you young whippersnapper! My first issue was the 1973 one (May I think) with the 6 boats in big seas across the channel, incl Moonraker 36, two Faireys, Apollo 31, Laguna 10m. I still have a scanned copy on home PC. That mag got my dad and I into boating (and therefore cost us rather more than the £1 cover price, when you add it all up over the years
Earls Court January 1984. A boy of 11 years old is sitting on the flybridge of a Fairline 40 which was nose to nose with a Princess 45 and just in pure awe....... My Christmas present that year was a Graupner Sea Commander (Powels 46)
All of this is MBY's fault..... I hope you feel guilty now Hugo!!
jfm
Well-Known Member
Yup I have to say I've noticed some sensible criticisms in recent tests. I particularly noticed the Leader 40 bit that you mention above Hugo, and I think 2 issues ago Jack had a good go at a boat whose touchscreen dashboard was unreachable from the helm chair
It varies a bit though - last month I think Dave Marsh praised the Azi50 (iirc) for having a recess in the middle of the dash to put your sunglasses in, which recess actually served to put the screens out of reach! Also, Dave's praise (again on the Azi 50 iirc) of the dashboard airco outlets "to help nervous helmsman" or whatever it was he said was pretty cringe-inducing. Overall I think you could repeat the v48 success and put a bit more pressure on the builders to cure some bits of stupid design, but directionally it's good and I think Jack's reports are excellent and always well worth reading. Dave ought to know a bit more boat engineering by this time too - his comment last month about common rails in diesels somewhat suggested he doesn't really understand what makes a modern diesel clean (it isn't the common rail)
The cruising articles are generally excellent especially when fresh/first hand and written by readers, not regurgitated from old notes. The overall mix of different types of article is good, and the photography is generally excellent. It's easy to criticise and we have to remember that the mag is trying to pelase all of the people all of the time, which is mission impossible. I enjoy reading it, and I'm sure it would be much worse if I edited it, so I'll definitely keep my subscription going
As an aside I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at that insert from Ferretti this month: "Of the many challenges facing flybridge yacht designers, the question of the tender is one of the trickiest. If it's stowed on the flybridge it takes up space, a stern garage takes up space that could be better used for the engines or crew, and if stowed on the stern platform a crane is needed to launch it. Ferretti Yachts' new solution is the best of all worlds. The tender sits on ... the stern platform, but instead of a crane to launch it, the whole platform lowers in the water at the touch of a button allowing the tender to float free!... that's a classic Ferretti solution." Are these Ferretti guys for real?
Brightside
Well-Known Member
Hugo
Thank you for your replies - appreciated.
Pleased to hear that you will cover reviews of the 25 - 40ft boats.
The "market" that appeared in danger of being neglected was the Rivers and Broads boaters.
Would welcome boat (new and pre owned) and product reviews, small news items - Builders, Manufacturers, EA, Broads Authority, - travel logs (e.g. the MBM coverage over the years of boating through France, Germany, Holland, the trip around Britain, across Biscay etc.), always found boating confessions amusing/re-assuring! Boat handling tips again always a good refresher.
Not asking for MBY to become MBM, but I enjoy a good boating magazine read and afraid that for me at least MBY was far less of a read (and keep) than MBM had become.
Good luck and again thank you for taking the trouble to respond.
Best wishes
Thank you for your replies - appreciated.
Pleased to hear that you will cover reviews of the 25 - 40ft boats.
The "market" that appeared in danger of being neglected was the Rivers and Broads boaters.
Would welcome boat (new and pre owned) and product reviews, small news items - Builders, Manufacturers, EA, Broads Authority, - travel logs (e.g. the MBM coverage over the years of boating through France, Germany, Holland, the trip around Britain, across Biscay etc.), always found boating confessions amusing/re-assuring! Boat handling tips again always a good refresher.
Not asking for MBY to become MBM, but I enjoy a good boating magazine read and afraid that for me at least MBY was far less of a read (and keep) than MBM had become.
Good luck and again thank you for taking the trouble to respond.
Best wishes
petem
Well-Known Member
Personally I think that river boating is one topic that YBW shouldn't cover. Before you know it, they'd be covering Ditch Crawlers! Sorry!
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petem
Well-Known Member
Thanks Hugo, it's been some time since I've bought YBW or MBM as I flick through them at the airport and feel there was too little content in either to tempt me to buy. If I could choose the best bits from both mags then I would have bought it.
So I'll definitely take out a subscription to MBY and give it another go (in fact it would make an ideal birthday present for my lad to buy me).
Pete
ari
Well-Known Member
What an amazing idea! I bet all the other big manufacturers are kicking themselves for not thinking of this first!