Yachting Monthly Jan issue

[Seajet]

Dan,

I've got a garage full of old PBO's, YM's, a fair few Sailing Today,Y World, back to 'Small Boat' and Yachting & Boating World'.

Also a couple of box files of brochures purloined in the 1970's as a spotty teenager.

I can offer ' Gold Access ' for browsing through this treasure trove for a very modest fee...

 

[Greenheart]

Cheers Andy, we might do business, when I acquire a big-enough dinghy to ship some box-loads home......there's something about the old articles that I find more readable than today's. Sad to say I also believe the writing style was better in the old days.

Nice if IPC did batch-together the thousands of articles they probably aren't selling many of at £6.95 apiece, and offer them as cm-thick bundles inside a nice pictorial cover each month. I can't believe that wouldn't make more money than their online technique!

 

[Joker]

You could also see from the cover that the boat's had a very recent, very smart and probably very expensive paint job!

 

[Tranona]

Cheers Andy, we might do business, when I acquire a big-enough dinghy to ship some box-loads home......there's something about the old articles that I find more readable than today's. Sad to say I also believe the writing style was better in the old days.

Nice if IPC did batch-together the thousands of articles they probably aren't selling many of at £6.95 apiece, and offer them as cm-thick bundles inside a nice pictorial cover each month. I can't believe that wouldn't make more money than their online technique!

If you are small and agile you can get in my loft and peruse PBO back to the 70's, YM from 80's. all Classic Boat and Watercraft plus if you really behave yourself Motor Sport from the mid-60s!

You are right about the quality of writing in the past - even better if you go back to MG's days at YM. However they are written for the times and most of the content has been rehashed in some form or another to take into account changes in the market and particularly the nature of the readership. For example can you imagine a two years series of fitting out George Taylor's Atlanta being acceptable today, or JDS devising the perfect method for ejecting a used tea bag from the galley!

Tough producing a readable mag these days when much of the current stuff has moved away from the "mass" audience which in itself is more diverse in its interests and there are so many other sources of information available.

 

[Seajet]

I think modern boat reviews are much more scientific, the snag is nobody dares make the slightest criticism so people come to regard this crucial part of a sailing magazine as pretty useless.

It's about time reviewers of boats and equipment were allowed to say what they really think as in the old days; I remember now the review of the Kaitanen 'Outboard Sail'; " Right, we've set off from point A, now to re-arrange Point B to coincide with wherever the hell we end up ! "

I think most people really buy magazines for entertainment - hence the popularity of The Confessional - and this is where todays' magazines are really sadly lacking; as mentioned in my OP I don't often buy the sailing mags nowadays, there's far more entertainment to be had here !

BTW, for reviews as they should be done, have a look at the 'Pub & Restaurant Guide' forum along from here !

 

[Greenheart]

...boat reviews are much more scientific, the snag is nobody dares make the slightest criticism so people come to regard a sailing magazine as pretty useless...I don't often buy the sailing mags nowadays, there's far more entertainment to be had here!

So true. I don't like the technicolor glossiness of YM, YW and PBO as they are today, even if that style attracts newsagent custom; but IPC could still contrive to get my money by subscription if they'd supply a sort of monochrome 'Old Fart's Fun Afloat' journal.

If you are small and agile you can get in my loft and peruse PBO back to the 70's, YM from 80's. all Classic Boat and Watercraft plus if you really behave yourself Motor Sport from the mid-60s!

Thoroughly decent offer, much appreciated, although at this end of the year, "small" and "agile" aren't words in common use around me, very much...

Your mention of the teabag-disposal method is so entertaining in itself, I'm recalled to my belief that there's a considerable readership - of a certain age, perhaps - which IPC could profit by catering for, if they had a mind to, just by republishing these very singular articles; generally relevant to life aboard, often somewhat irresponsible, rarely politically correct, always humorous and unfortunately, mostly by authors no longer with us.

Perhaps IPC is too worried about looking contemporary, to benefit from what made its output so popular in the past.

I s'pose Dylan Winter's freedom of expression on the subject of people's conduct afloat, is the uncalculating heartfelt honesty I liked in editorial from earlier days. But now the hordes so noisily voice their disagreement, most journalists prefer not to rock the boat.

 

[jellylegs]

I put it here because I think PBO types more likely to be interested in Centaurs nowadays

What a stereotype.

 

[skipper 14]

What a stereotype.

Yes I think the stereotype is very unfair to the westerly.

PBO tends to be read by bearded pedantic ****wits, such as the plebs moaning about this months yachting monthly cover (which as far as I can see is a lovely photo of a couple of guys having an exciting sail).

Where as a diverse range of different types of sailors own and sail Westerly Centaurs.

 

[dylanwinter]

brilliant

Yes I think the stereotype is very unfair to the westerly.

PBO tends to be read by bearded pedantic ****wits, such as the plebs moaning about this months yachting monthly cover (which as far as I can see is a lovely photo of a couple of guys having an exciting sail).

Where as a diverse range of different types of sailors own and sail Westerly Centaurs.

brilliant

attack one stereotype by lobbing another one into to the mix

genius

D

 

[Tranona]

brilliant

attack one stereotype by lobbing another one to the mix

genius

D

Great things, stereotypes. Avoids the user having to think!

Some of the best times of my life were when I used to explore stereotyping with budding managers. Some would go home not knowing who they were, or more scary thinking they knew how other people saw them.

 

[Nicholas123]

Well I have to say I was remarkably disappointed; I don't often buy sailing mags nowadays - frankly I get better info and entertainment here - but I bought this issue specifically because it has a Centaur on the front cover, " Why Lord Nelson would have loved the Westerly Centaur " and " UK's Favourite Boat ".

As my father had one ( no. 2187 Caroline ) and a relatively novice friend has just bought one, I thought there would be an interesting review.

What I got was a superficial sketchy story by someone who clearly doesn't know the boats.

Judging by the mentions of excessive weather helm and the windward keel coming out of the water,

Sounds odd that they would say Nelson would have loved the boat & then say the windward keel comes out the water.Was'nt Nelson much of a seaman then?
Sounds like a hatchet job to me......any publicity is good publicity.
Pity really because I'm sure a lot of people have got a lot of pleasure out of them.

 

[skipper 14]

genius

D

Thankyou

 

[skipper 14]

Sounds odd that they would say Nelson would have loved the boat & then say the windward keel comes out the water.Was'nt Nelson much of a seaman then?
Sounds like a hatchet job to me......any publicity is good publicity.
Pity really because I'm sure a lot of people have got a lot of pleasure out of them.

I think the link to Nelson was intended to illustrate how well the boat was suited to sailing the small harbours of North Norfolk where Nelson grew up and learnt to sail.

As you may be aware the Victory was of slightly different design to the Centaurs, so was not equipped with bilge keels, but I'm sure Nelson sailed his ships slightly less conservatively than others at times.

 

[jellylegs]

I think SKipper 14s assessment of the types who use this forum was not so much a stereotype, but more of an objective truth!

I have read a lot of these threads, as they concern my boat, and the conclusion is, some people have way too much time on their hands.

 

[Greenheart]

I have read a lot of these threads, as they concern my boat, and the conclusion is, some people have way too much time on their hands.

Outrageous! Just because you've only made a few contributions here. When you've been a member of this forum as long as I have...oh...you have...

...yeah, you're probably right.

 

[tidclacy]

Must admit very rarely buy Yacht Mags now. I scan them in a newsagents to see if there is anything interesting and unfortunately don't find much at all.

I used to looked forward to them eagerly each month, is it me too long in the tooth now?

How about newbies do you find them ok?

 

[NickRobinson]

Must admit very rarely buy Yacht Mags now. I scan them in a newsagents

I thought I was cheeky!