Sail Magazine

[seajunkie]

There is an article in this Decembers issue of Sail magazine where a CD25 is mentioned. In the section called "Voice of Experience" where sailors screw up and they discuss what they did right and what they did wrong. The painting doesn't look much like a CD25, they forgot the engine well.

I was kind of disappointed that there was no credit given for making the right decision by purchasing a CD!

[Jerry Hammernik]

I have often felt that the 25 is underrated when people talk about CD's. Maybe it's because the 25 is not an Alberg design. But it is so similar to the Alberg boats as to make it a distinction without a difference.

In the article there is no mention that the boat was anything but capable. The crew made some questionable decisions (which they readily admit) but at no time did the boat put them in danger. I sailed a 25 for 20 years in all kinds of conditions. Many a trip I sailed with 28's, 30's and 36's. We held our own with them and made the same passages and we were often able to beat some of them to port at the end of the day.

I moved to a 28 to gain weight for punching through head seas and for more interior room. 3 grown men for 2 weeks in a 25 can be done, but it will remind you of living in a third world country. But it was not because the boat ever let me down. I often said that she would take a lot more than the crew would.

So for those of you with 25's, Stand Tall. You are truly sailing a small ship that will go out and return safely on days when many larger yachts won't leave port.

[Neil Gordon]

In the article there is no mention that the boat was anything but capable.

As Jerry says, the article was about the crew and the weather and not the boat. The story would be about the same in a 30 footer or 40 footer.

For those who haven't read it, it's about a faster than anticipated night passage, with bigger wind and seas leading to a night time, backlit (by Cleveland) landfall. Can't blame missing the harbor entrance (oops!) on the size of the boat.

[M. R. Bober]

I dropped my subscription years ago when I could no longer easily distinguish the copy from the advertising.

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster (Home of at least one periodically grumpy old sailor), VA

[Joe Myerson]

I dropped my subscription years ago when I could no longer easily distinguish the copy from the advertising.

Mitch,

I can't agree with you more ... of course, the magazine I used to work for went out of business because it didn't have enough advertising.

As magazines lose revenue they become more and more vulnerable to pressure from the few remaining advertisers. It's a terrible thing, because so many sailing magazines (I still subscribe to SAIL and Cruising World, but wonder why) are becoming nothing more than advertisements for over-gadgeted, lightweight bleach bottles.

At least there's still Good Old Boat (I have no interest in that publication, but it's an honest one).

--Joe
(A grumpy, barely working boating writer.)

[Rebinva]

nm

[The Patriot]

... many sailing magazines ... are becoming nothing more than advertisements for over-gadgeted, lightweight bleach bottles ...

It seems that sailing magazine articles are subject to the same cycles as other gadget/technique publications. Back when I read photography magazines, I could always count on the annual darkroom techniques issue, the annual macro technique issue, etc. The articles themselves were almost carbon copies of the preceding year. After reading sailing magazines for a while, I noticed the same pattern.

There was the annual bottom painting issue, the annual sail washing issue, the annual anchoring technique issue, the annual storm technique issue, etc. After a while everyone learns the basic operations well enough, so these articles become essentially useless. Perhaps they are of interest to folks just starting out, but there are any number of well written books that cover these subjects in one place and more coherently, and they do so without advertisers either overtly or inadvertently manipulating editorial content. There are a few publications that seem to avoid this syndrome, Practical Sailor being one of them. I don't read Good Old Boat, but every so often I wish I did .

Of course books weigh a lot and take up space, but nowadays I can carry what amounts to the Library of Alexandria on board in a few CD-ROMs.

[Neil Gordon]

I dropped my subscription years ago when I could no longer easily distinguish the copy from the advertising.

Mitch has a macro that automatically posts the above into any thread that mentions Sail Magazine. As for the article in question, it's devoid of even hints at advertising content.

As for the magazine overall, yes, it's filled with lots of positive reviews of boats and products that are otherwise advertised and I don't pretend otherwise.

[Joe Myerson]

Armond,

I should have listed Practical Sailor along with GOB.

Now, brace yourself for a boring rant -- one I launch into every time this subject comes up. If you've heard it before, just skip the rest of this posting:

Both Practical Sailor and Good Old Boat use a different business model from the majority of magazines in the United States: They rely on subscriptions to finance their operations. In the case of Good Old Boat, they also receive advertising revenue, but not enough to drive the editorial product.

In addition, GOB relies on readers to write articles. They don't pay very much for contributions, but--especially for amateurs--it's an honor to get published there.

Practical Sailor accepts no advertising and is 100-percent financed by its subscribers.

I believe that some of the so-called "yachting" publications in England follow a similar model. It's too bad that American publishers cannot really move their magazines into a similar model -- it would avoid the pay-to-play syndrome that has turned most US boating magazines into glorified advertisements for bigger-is-better boating.

Americans have been used to paying next to nothing for their publications. Now, with the advent of electronic publications, there's little chance, IMHO, of shifting readers on this side of the Pond to the other model.

But, perhaps, it's time for old fogies like me to cut loose from an attachment to ink and paper and embrace DVDs, e-books and the like. Still, I can't see keeping a laptop or iPad/Kindle close at hand while I try out a new repair or improvement technique.

Sorry for the rant.

--Joe

[Dixon Hemphill]

Did anyone else look for the outboard on the pictured Cape Dory 25? The article said that the men started the outboard as they entered the channel but there sure isn't an outboard in the photo.

[M. R. Bober]

I dropped my subscription years ago when I could no longer easily distinguish the copy from the advertising.

Mitch has a macro that automatically posts the above into any thread that mentions Sail Magazine. As for the article in question, it's devoid of even hints at advertising content.

As for the magazine overall, yes, it's filled with lots of positive reviews of boats and products that are otherwise advertised and I don't pretend otherwise.

I must defend my good name. I do not have that macro..

The absolute worst of the ad/ed merge was the former "Motorboating and Sailing" which sent an ad on their letterhead to my house.

Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster (where it is easier to see when the air is clear), VA

[Joe Myerson]

I forgot to add WoodenBoat to the list of publications that do not follow the advertising-driven model.

While I love to look through copies of that beautiful magazine, I don't subscribe, since I would never own another wooden boat, unless I were to win the lottery big time.

--Joe

[seajunkie]

I really just wanted everyone to know about the honorable mention in the magazine. I subscribe to a few magazines. Although Good Old Boat is my favorite, I like Sail. I like looking at the new boats coming out. I like the pictures. I also like to see the boats that will be available to me in thirty years because none of them are on my radar until they are about that old.

[jvanghel]

I believe the picture in the article is a photograph not a painting, and if you look closely with a magnifying glass you can see the lower unit of an outboard motor. I have never been on that particular CD, but I believe the outboard sits in a well with a hinged cover.

Jim[/i]