Boating Life getting the axe

[lowkee]

A bit of back story: I have a subscription of Boating magazine for a good while, now, and it kind of sucks. It almost seems the point of the magazine is how to finance a boat you can't afford. Literally, it will list the monthly payment of any boat it reviews.. what the..?! So I began looking for a magazine which has some content meant for me, and I found Boating Life. I subscribed to it and have yet to receive my 1st issue, so I email Bonnier Corp (the owners of it) asking them why. This is the reply I received:

I apologize that you have not received your magazine as of yet. Bonnier Corporation acquired Boating Magazine in June. Since then, there have been no publications of Boating Life Magazine as we are combining the 2 magazines into 1. From here on out, you will be receiving Boating Magazine. This starts with the October issue, which you will be receiving shortly. Your full subscription term will start with that issue. Boating will be managed by the same publishers for Boating Life and have the same great material. If you are not at all happy with Boating Magazine, you can contact customer service at 1-800-289-0399 at any time and they will provide you with a refund for the unsent issues.
I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any further questions, please contact us at 1-800-289-0399 or online at www.boatingmag.com.

The short of it is.. Now I have two subscriptions of the exact magazine I was trying to rid myself of.. sometime life plays cruel jokes.. sometimes life is a cruel joke.

I really like magazines, always have. I just love the format of them. They give you starter info on tons of subjects which you can learn more about on your own if you are interested. They are the perfect brainstorming session to me. Some I have subscribed to are: Scientific American (until you realize most of the stories are poorly theorized BS presented as fact, some scientists will do anything to become 'published'), Maxim (years ago when it had the original editorial staff, was still funny and had truly interesting stories.. have to love a magazine which prints in language you hear at a bar ), Popular Mechanics (an awesome mag which I subscribed to for a good 12 years as a kid). I think Popular Mechanics stands out, as they are well known for presenting 'the next big thing' every year until it either gets debunked or comes to fruition (eg: flying cars have been a cover story since 1980)... makes for a funny long term joke.

So my questions are:

Are there any other boating mags worth subscribing to?
What other magazines do you find interesting/worth subscribing to?

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

That suxs what they did! I have a subscription to Motor Boating and it suxs also. Nothing but Yachts, the really expensive ones that only Bill Gates can afford.

Now my dad has a subscription to Hot Boats and it's pretty good. They have some really good info and tech stuff not to mention a lot of cool looking boats.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I saw the new mag, its better than the old one, a lot more tech articles and ask the mechanic type stuff.

I don't mind the boat reviews as long as they rip the crap out of the fluff boats.

I recall one line..

" no lock on the elctronics box, why bother".
Thats my type of review.

If you want to read boat stuff that makes sense try David Pascoe's articles, his reviews are ruthless.
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/articleslist.htm

 

[freelancer]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

Wait, let me stop laughing that's hilarious

Anyway, I get a few of the boating magazines myself, lot's of pictures of nice boats that I'll never be able to afford and maybe an occasional good article. Honestly, the Iboats forums are the only place that I've ever been able to get the type of meaningful exchange that matters to me as a boater. Also, going to the AC boat show every year gets me in front of the new stuff and all buttered up for the boating season.​

 

[nlain]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I have had subscriptions to several boating mags, fishing mags, outdoors mags and they are all just one big commercial. Some do give a little info but not much especially if your interest is coastal Ga. There are bunches of freshwater mags that actually give fishing info for Ga but nothing I have found for saltwater Ga. The freshwater mags are still loaded with adds to sell you something, I don't really mind the adds if the articles could be printed without 20 pages of adds mixed in. Put the adds between the articles and I would come closer to looking at them than in the middle of the article I want to read.

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I've had that "buyout" issue a couple times myself, sux.
As for Boating mag, 2 subscriptions, they work well in the outhouse.
If the outhouse is not an option perhaps you could light one and use it to burn the other!

Couple mags I like, Smithsonian Air and Space, I dropped it cause it got a little pricey but dang did they have awesome photos and articles in there!
I also like Discovery, lotta good articles in there.

Outdoor Life and Pop Science are OK. Not to deep but they're only about 7 bucks a year, so what the heck.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

i'm with freelancer.

Honestly, the Iboats forums are the only place that I've ever been able to get the type of meaningful exchange that matters to me as a boater.

bread's been short this year so i've let my magazine subscriptions run out. i get most of the info i need right here...

 

[jacknbella]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I subscribe to "Trailer Boats" and it's a pretty descent mag. Good luck!

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I get "Boating" magazine too, some of the articles are Ok, I wait all month for the new one and have what interest me read in about 20min. and wait another month. Iboats, there is way more info than any magazine could provide, with real situations that we all face, better than any magazine anyday. And it's alot more entertaining here too

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

Iboats rules over any magazine out there!

I had subscribed to Trailer Life when i first bought my Travel Trailer,20 pages of advertising and just a few pages of anything of interest...Canceled that one....

 

[IVAZ]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I really like magazines, always have. I just love the format of them. They give you starter info on tons of subjects which you can learn more about on your own if you are interested. They are the perfect brainstorming session to me. Some I have subscribed to are: Scientific American (until you realize most of the stories are poorly theorized BS presented as fact, some scientists will do anything to become 'published'), Maxim (years ago when it had the original editorial staff, was still funny and had truly interesting stories.. have to love a magazine which prints in language you hear at a bar ), Popular Mechanics (an awesome mag which I subscribed to for a good 12 years as a kid). I think Popular Mechanics stands out, as they are well known for presenting 'the next big thing' every year until it either gets debunked or comes to fruition (eg: flying cars have been a cover story since 1980)... makes for a funny long term joke.

You are so right, the current Maxim is not good. I think the staff went to FHM.
Popular Mechanics is really cool. My son and I built a $40 computer from one of their "how to" articles. The housing for the pc was a cereal box (thats what they used). I think the name of the article was called "building a computer under $75". We built ours a little cheaper because we had an extra wireless card. My dad used to provide me with that mag as a kid so I do the same for my boys.

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

It won't be long before newspapers and mags will be a thing of the past. Just like how the telegraph was replaced by the telephone and the telephone being replaced by the cell phone, or reel to reel then 8 track, then cassette, then CD, and now chips.

I don't understand why newspaper websites or even the magazine companies don't charge a membership fee to enter their site. Seems to work for the porn industry.

Probably the editors, writers, and researchers get all their info from the web anyhow. Why leave your desk when it is available there?

 

[MRS]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I subscribe to "Trailer Boats" and it's a pretty descent mag. Good luck!

Yup not to bad of a mag about the only one I look at myself.

 

[bekosh]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

It won't be long before newspapers and mags will be a thing of the past. Just like how the telegraph was replaced by the telephone and the telephone being replaced by the cell phone, or reel to reel then 8 track, then cassette, then CD, and now chips.

I don't understand why newspaper websites or even the magazine companies don't charge a membership fee to enter their site. Seems to work for the porn industry.

Probably the editors, writers, and researchers get all their info from the web anyhow. Why leave your desk when it is available there?

I think you are right about that. I read my local paper on the internet for free. Why pay for it?

For boat mags, some have already gone paperless, or at least somewhat so.
Boating World free online subscription
BoatUS publishes a used boat guide free online

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I subscribe to "Trailer Boats" and it's a pretty descent mag. Good luck!

Trailer Boats is the best one out there.....the issues have gotten pretty thin the past few years, but it mostly pertains to the boating style found on iboats. Definitely worth the subscription.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

Now my dad has a subscription to Hot Boats and it's pretty good. They have some really good info and tech stuff not to mention a lot of cool looking boats.

I was told that magazine ceased to exist last year sometime?!

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

None of the mags are worth their subscription cost. Go read them online. Trailer Boats just rubber stamps manufacturers press releases. They don't even take their own pictures! And my favorite is when they repeat subscriber letters! I have been quoted in it twice, so that's cool, but not cool enough.
Boating Magazine was and is getting the same way. The "new" magazine is no better than the old one.
I will let both my subscriptions (TBM and Boating Magazine) expire and just read online.

 

[Numlaar]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I have only ever subscribed to one "boating" type magazine, but it wasn't really about boats, it was about fishing...

Florida game and fish.

I have found that the articles in it are bar none, excellent! It really pertains to the Florida fisherman, and gives very good tips and tactics for fishing anywhere in FL for any type of fish (fresh or salt) at the given time of year.

I have had the subscription for about 10 years now, and keep it going.

Sorry no boating mags to recommend for ya, and even worse if you don't fish and aren't in FL lol

 

[brianvolt7]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

iBoats is the best read out there. I have looked at a couple of these mags but they seem to be like my Field and Stream, same stories over and over just dressed differently. And like featured items in Field and Stream, I cant afford anything their selling.

GOOD FISHING TO ALL

 

[jacknbella]

Re: Boating Life getting the axe

I don't know about the rest of you, but I still like to read a good mag when sitting on the throne, unless I decide to get wireless internet in there!!! But yes, iBoats does rock!!! iFourWinns is pretty good too for Four Winns' owners...