PBO

[surekandoo]

I'm getting fed up with PBO! Am I the only one who's getting tired of articles on safety equipment, man overboard procedures, fires on boats, mishaps & accidents?

Do the editorial staff think this is the only way to sell a magazine on boating?

I've cancelled my direct debit and I suppose the magazines will eventually stop arriving, but what should I change to?

All I'm interested in is sailing, mainly coastal around UK, but like to read about other sailors adventures both in European waters and around the world. Some practical advice is always welcome and I'm especially keen on tips to improve a boat's performance.

What do you lot out there recommend & why?

 

[paulburton44]

Sailing today isn't a bad read.

Know what you mean about PBO !!!!

Getting a bit repetitive ???????

 

[Thistle]

Almost all magazines go through phases when they seem to concentrate more on some aspects than on others. They all also tend to be a bit repetitive, though some have longer than others between repetitions. There's nothing strange about that, it's largely a reflection of the readership who indicate fairly clearly to the editors (eg through these forums) what they want to read about. There's also a turnover of readership so what's old hat to you is new and interesting to others.

Remember too that individual readers change and the interests which attracted you to PBO in the first place may have cooled and been replaced by others which need to be fed from other sources.

I, for one, have subscribed to PBO for a few years and intend continuing to do so. I do detect some repetition but still manage to learn from most of it and there's still enough new - to me at least - material to keep me interested. I also detect my interests widening and find a wider range of publications creeping into the house as well.

My betting is that most of those who move on from PBO will sooner or later return to it, perhaps alongside other magazines, because it is the publication which best complements our "hands on" approaches to boating.

 

[goldscoter]

there is an american magazine called sail if your interested. you could probably order it online. very entertaining if a little light, doesnt go for the equipment side of things so much as sailing stories,human interest etc

 

[fastjedi]

I'm beginning to come to the same conclusion.

My New Years resolution is to "struggle less and have more FUN"

Whilst I appreciate the value of safety articles and learning about other peoples misfortune ..... Lighten up a bit Mr PBO, lets have more fun!!! Surely, most of your readership sail in UK coastal waters for rest and relaxation.

Many of the destinations covered in the past two years are in places I can only dream of visiting with a young family. Most of the articles i'm interested were covered in the late 1990's through to 2001 (My PBO reading habits 'only' extend back about three or four years) I want to know how to get more out of my boat ...... for example, how to get the most out of my fractional rig ...... and enjoy the places I can visit, classic UK cruising destinations ... For example, Dartmouth, Cowes, Falmouth etc

 

[BigART]

'Cruising World', an American magazine is very good and a reasonable price with a wide spread of cruising type articles and very little of the repetive (endless 'how to manoeuvre in a marina') articles.

 

[CharlesM]

I must agree

PBO used to have some really interesting practical articles, but the last issue bored me to tears.

Went out and got Yachting Monthly which was a pleasure to read.

Must admit my interest is more in the long range cruising than costal hopping...

Charles

 

[Colvic Watson]

Agree, Feb issue was the most boring ever. It is also irritating to see regular articles on why sailing is SO DANGEROUS it should only be attempted after a 3 year land based course, and then only in the company of a private lifeboat /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. PBO is meant to be more down to earth than YM, but not tedious. At least the boat reviews are more likely to be in my budget.

 

[Parsonsheath]

I agree with your comments, I originally just got PBO because years ago it was more about basics and home made boats, things which which seemed more achievable to me.

Yachting monthly seemed full of day dreams, and I was not really interested, now I still read PBO ,which has altered radically, and moved closer to YM, but I also take YM as it is full of cruising articles, and even if I have not got there yet, that is the current goal

 

[Captain Haddock]

Have to agree it seems it needs a rename instead of PBO it should be DBO (Danger Boat Owner!)

Flicking through it the first thing I saw was a yacht ablaze !!! Then people nicking outboards, Navigation with a bottle of Bordeaux and to cap it all a plea from Andrew Simpson to keep it all simple /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif... hmmmm

I'm hoping future issues will be better and less doomladen. The recent run of issues has transformed the art of sailing and enjoying happy days cruising into a voyage into the depths of disaster and danger that even Captain Ahab would think twice about.

 

[DepSol]

I never used to read PBO was always MBM or MBY but now have subscribed as I quite like it. YOu cant please all f the people all of the time.

There have been some really good articles in it and the variety is good but I am from a mobo back ground am just getting interested in sailing. Phone up Sarah and tell her what you think if you want the mag to change. It cant be that bad as the abc figues have gone up recently i heard.

Dom

 

[billmacfarlane]

Funnily enough I was thinking the same thing after browsing through this month's mag. I've been a bit fed up with them all for a while( had a bit of a rant on Buttlescut), but I think PBO has overdone it this month. I'm not going to repeat my rant, only to say that they all overdo the safety aspects of sailing to the detriment of what I think sailing is all about - which is at the end ENJOYMENT !!!!! Try Yachting Monthly - it's probably a bit better.

 

[VicMallows]

Yeah, but at the end of the day if we all stop buying we won't have the forums (far more interesting!!). Regarding the American mags, had to survive on them for a few years, but.........

Vic

 

[Andy_Hampton]

I think the PBO and YM could learn a lot from French mags like Voile Magazine and Voile et Voiliers. Tons more content for your money, better and more varied articles and somehow they manage to make sailing seem much more fun and attractive. Might even encourage a few more people to take up the sport.

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

I agree to an extent though I like the articles about real incidents and conclusions about what can be learnt, and 'confessionals'. I would also like to see accident reports and investigations right through to the bitter end. Not cover-to-cover, but a few pages per month.

 

[celandine]

I agree.
I seem to recall a post a year or so back from some overseas-type-person who had been reading PBO's and who was laughing at us for all the man-overboard articles. What seemed to amuse him was the thought that the British cannot put to sea without falling off.

Mick

 

[BrendanS]

Ho hum, you've done all you can by deleting direct debit, and the mags will surely soon stop arriving. You can always watch reality TV, or am I just being cratchit Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[surekandoo]

Yes, I suppose it's all to do with "nanny state"ism. Must be a sign of my age, but we don't seem to be allowed to do anything these days without receiving safety advice from some quarter or another.

What's happened to common sense?

I also note that hardly anyone has sprung to PBO's defence, a telling sign surely.

 

[surekandoo]

Reality TV!!! hawk, spit. Don't get me on that hobby horse. How can it be reality TV with a script & camera crew breathing down your neck.

Brendan, please don't wind me up!

 

[Thistle]

I've just received the following in an e-mail advertising a French publication. It's their translation, not mine!

"Voiles News is a free E-magazine and you have just received its News Letter. If you wish to subscribe or to not receive any more our News Letter, click HERE, thank you to recall us in your message the folowing e-mail ...

"We propose to you an actuality rich and varied in light sail, but for technical reasons with one of our shelterers, we have only few new current events to propose to you in livable sail, we excuse ourselves and will recover this light delay of it as of our next News Letter !

"A great THANK YOU to every body, we receive between 300 and 850 visits / day and are on the way to become a E-magazine (Electronic magazine) significant of the veil. Don't hesitate to diffuse our News Letter with your friends yachtmen to make us known.

"Good reading and with soon."

I think I'll stick with PBO, thanks!