All,

First, thanks, Indy, Dave P and Tank for coming to the "defense" of Powerboat. But I don't see anyone busting too hard on the magazine. (OK, Padraig thinks the writing is mediocre and shallow, and as the guy who does most of that writing I say he is completely entitled to his opinion and I hope I can turn him around some day.)

I'm not surprised most people missed the announcement of the decrease in issues for 2009 in the March issue and on the Powerboat website. Though I knew what was happening, I missed them, too. Rest assured that Powerboat will make good in delivering the issues you all paid for.

I am not the official voice of Powerboat. I'm a freelancer and have been for the past nine years. But a couple of things you might find interesting:

1. We don't take any pleasure in another competitive magazine going out of business. Each magazine in the high-performance market offered something different. Each magazine kept us on our toes. Regardless of what we think of "the competition," we take it seriously.

2. Cutting issues was not a choice anyone wanted to make. No one is "happy" with it. But these are tough times, and we want to be around for a long, long time. Hard decisions have been made.

3. You're not seeing a lot of "new models" tested because there aren't a lot of new models to test. We can only test what we're brought (we can't demand anything). Even in a good year, and we all know this is not a good year, the average builder might have one new model. What do try to ensure is that if the builder is bringing us the same model it brought last year, that the model at least be equipped with different power.

4. We listen to you guys. We read the boards. We've learned what you like and don't (and I'm afraid that most of you East of the Mississippi will never like custom deck boats, but they're a big deal out West and that's part of the market we serve) like. We've had our blunders (remember the Save-the-Manatee public service ad?) pointed out to us.

We don't see Powerboat as a "finished product" and we never will. We appreciate your voices.

Thanks for reading.

:eek:Can I complain?:party-smiley-004::evilb:

Matt,

Great post keep up the great work

You deserve to be heard-speak.:party-smiley-004:

Just received my may issue of Powerboat Mag,:grinser010:

That's good that your taking steps to be here in the long run. I think we all have done that to some degree. I haven't ....nor will I complain about the other mags I ordered and never got anything. I have always been the guy who doesn't want to kick anyone while they are down. I have been there and I got kicked a few times.. Unfortunately some of these magazines went under and got my $40 bucks. I am sure most of us on here spend that in the 15 minutes at the bar on any given weekend.

Good luck to Power Boats and any other magazine that is hanging on. :drink::drink:

Just got mine today. A little thinner yes Because there are not the 6 pages from a certin Beak company in front. O I didnt want to say the F word!!!!

Thats pretty funny right there:drink:

Probably not a good idea.




Matt, nicely put...As usual.

It won't be long if they don't step up and do the right thing