The new Classic Boat logo and profile...

[Guest]

Hmm, I aint that convinced about the style they are trying to put into it. I do not want to sound conservative, but what I really enjoyed was the old Classic Boat style that really was standing out from the rest of the crowd. I think it should have been based on those elements, and not just copying the rest of the glossy gang, that's not what I would call classic ;-)

 

[Twister_Ken]

Strangely, i was looking at an example of this in my Newsagents this morning. They've still got one edition of the old cover version on sale - the one about an open boat in Greece I think, along with the current edition.

They display the mags with the l/h edge showing, the next mag along overlaps all but about three inches of th eone underneath.

In that situation (which is probably he commonest way you'll see mags displayed) the old cover announces itself very demurely, with only the C showing. You'd have to know what you were looking for to spot it. The new one is easily visible, and tells you immediately that it is 'CLASSI'.

That apart, I do prefer the new version. I actually think it is a classic design which will stand the test of time whereas the old design became twee pretty quickly. Sure, the new version is more honest workboat, than Fife classic, but that's what much of the content is anyway!

 

[Guest]

I should not worry. Although the new masthead is a perfectly good design, it is nowhere near as distinctive as the old (particularly the original Pete Greenfield version), and it does not reinforce the "brand". At the next change of editor (not long off at the current rate of replacement) I predict that we will find the old cover reincarnated, perhaps with some tweeks.

Looking more at the content of the mag, when eventually we go back to the old cover and larger page size, it would be nice if we could go also back to the Greenfield practise of only having adverts at the back of the publication too. The best days were The Boatman ones. What an excellent mag that was! Far too much poncing around on expensive yachts by superanuated ex editors in the present Classic Boat, rather than honest articles by actual boat owners, as was the Greenfield style. Has the present Classic Boat forgotten that it is meant to incorporate The Boatman? We no longer find it refered to anywhere?

Of course, I could just subscribe to Watercraft and give up Classic Boat as unbearably poncy these days, but I still have hope....

 

[Skipjack]

I sometimes find Mike Burn's contributions hard to read, but his defense of the old logo is superbly constructed, and Dan Houston's willingness to print it should also be applauded.

I have just read Dan's article concerning Lloyds scuppering 'she' for 'it', and whilst I agree with him, I also see an analogy with scrapping the dear old mast-head for the bland replacement, with all the spin Mike nailed.

Skipjack