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Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/03/2006 : 21:46:04

For many years now I've felt that Sail is funded mostly by adds and that to sell adds, they have to show a good subscriber lists.

I dropped my subscription and some contractor for Sail called tonight offering 36 issues (3 years) for 1 dollar an issue.

A dollar won't cover paper, ink and postage let alone the contractor who called me, so either one of two situations apply... Sail desperately needs some cash flow or more likely Sail is financed mostly by adds but must show a good subscriber base to sell the adds.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224

N/E Texas and Great Lakes
Arlyn's Sailing Site

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2006 : 21:51:29

Yup, that's a standard practice.
Mags need distribution, distributors are basically told they will get 50% of the sale price for whatever they sell. So 3 years at $12 per year generates $18 gross profit (but 50% is not the lower limit, it can be much lower).
It's a numbers game for sure!

paul

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2006 : 21:58:16

In the May issue of a similar magazine "Sailing" has an article and photos of the Catalina 25.

Edited by - on

lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2006 : 22:19:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by OLarryR
 In the May issue of a similar magazine "Sailing" has an article and photos of the Catalina 25.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That seems odd. I was under the impression that magazines usually only write reviews of boats currently in production; the last Catalina 25 came out of the mold almost 16 years ago.

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2006 : 22:38:19

Arlyn - there aren't very magazines out there that don't make all of their money off of ads. It is the very reason for a magazines existence - The mission statement may say otherwise, but without subscribers...well you already stated that. That is why they have companies selling you the subscription. If you meet certain demographics I'd bet you get an even cheaper rate....or not.

Larry - Sailing, I beleive, does a used boat review and usually pretty well to boot.

dw

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2006 : 23:11:44

I also (having dropped my "Sail" subscription) got a similar call this evening.
Derek

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 04:28:16

Latts and Atts started sending me their magazine for nothing, never even asked for it. I don't find it interesting either, but I must have gotten on some list that would make them think I'd want it.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 06:06:07

I have a problem with many magazines focusing on only large boats. they very rarely have articles on boats 25 foot or smaller. However, I at the boat show in Wash, DC a couple of months ago and was looking at magazines and decided to subscribe to "Sailing". They sometimes have articles on small boats, more so than "Sail" and also articles on used boats. I recommend everyone take a look at the May issue for the Catalina 25 article. It is not just a half page article. It is at least 2 full pages and oversized pages at that.

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 06:07:36

I have found "Good Old Boat" to be a very good mag....for me. It always has something that I find helpful, useful or interesting. JMHFO Cheers.

Edited by - on

Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 06:38:43

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">[i]
I dropped my subscription and some contractor for Sail called tonight offering 36 issues (3 years) for 1 dollar an issue.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Arlyn! Hold out! I get their mag at a one year subscription for $10!

Edited by - on

Justin
Admiral

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502 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 07:53:32

I used to subscribe to Sail, but I accidently let it expire. They never sent me any notice that it was ending and I never recieved any calls. I don't miss the magazine since it didn't have much pertaining to me, I just oogled over the nice expensive new boats. The subscription actually ended in December, the month before I bought my first boat, my C-25.

Oh and anyone who wants really cheap subscriptions, try ebay. I just checked and Sail goes for less than $5 a year shipped.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 08:22:32

Gotta get a copy of Sailing--that's a rare event!

Some years back, I let Sports Illustrated expire, and they went berserk! They kept sending me issues, and then an invoice, and then collection letters with not-so-veiled threats. I had a similar experience with a "trial" subscription to Practical Sailor--sent their invoice back marked "Cancel" (as the offer stated), and started getting threatening collection letters from a "law firm". I wrote their publisher and said, "Try me!" He wrote back that he was talking to the distributor about being "over zealous".

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 12:11:51

Dennis,

I bought a copy of "Good Old Boat" on the news stand. Also "Wooden Boat". I like thos emagazines but they seem very pricy. Probably because of limited interested distribution. ? Anyway....I am still thinking of subscribing to "Good Old Boat".

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 12:57:52

Hi Larry, I just subscribed to Good Old Boat because I knew I would continue to buy it. Cheers.

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 15:28:35

Personally, I happen to like Lats and Atts mainly because a big chunk of it is written by cruisers who are out there cruising and not by professional "yachtsmen." I like Latitude 38 for the same reason even though it's strictly a left coast rag so there's nothing local in it for me.

I've always liked Soundings, too.

Steve

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2006 : 22:33:15

I just wanted to clarify the info I posted before regarding "Sailing" magazine's article on the Catalina 25. While Sailing magazine usually has an article on a used boat, the May issue has it on the Nimbus. The May issue besides the used boat section, happens to have some featured articles on trailor sailboats/23-25 footers. The Catalina 25 is covered in a separate 5 page article. They also have a separate article on a Santana 23.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2006 : 07:53:51

I cannot find Sailing on the net, the only one I find is south Africa sailing magazine. I would like to see the article.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2006 : 08:16:14

http://sailingmagazine.net/ I didn't find that article in there, but some older reviews are there.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 05/05/2006 08:31:54

John G-
Admiral

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793 Posts

Response Posted - 05/05/2006 : 08:18:00

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by fhopper@mac.com
 I cannot find Sailing on the net, the only one I find is south Africa sailing magazine. I would like to see the article.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

 

[url="http://sailingmagazine.net/index.html"]Sailing Magazine [/url]

Two replies within a minute! Ask and you shall receive.

Underlined words are a HOT link.

Edited by - John G- on 05/05/2006 08:25:13

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