I'm not looking to be impressed, surprised, or excited. Just looking for something that I can actually relate to or give a **** about. For example, Hot Rod magazine has some crazy expensive stuff sometimes, some builds that are beyond the common player's means. However they consistently stay relevant and keep your interest by also catering to the average joe who, lets be honest again, makes up 95% of the audience.

I had the same issue with Powerboat and Matt told me to go pound sand. It`s what the readers want I was told . I said I almost like BOAT US more even thou most of it`s content was about eggbeaters and runabouts, I was to told go have fun with that .. ok well I still subscribe to Boat US
. At least they have some relevant info that interests me. For example, cooler shootout, which Tumbler holds ice the longest, different GPS options, new products, tech questions, how to, docking techiques tips, destinations , trailering, ask the experts, nice article about anodes this month, found a cool app in this months Smart Tech, safety, 50 must do things while boating ...etc etc.

Powerboat was a big commercial from cover to cover, I could care less what some $800, 000 skater did with their interior month after month after month , we get it they pay your bills great. How about some relevant info.

Don't care what the PC crowd says, boobs and butts sell....even to the PC crowd.

Other than that.....once Hot Boat stopped dist, I haven't renewed any boat mag. Had enough perf boat stuff at most levels, tech articles, etc,etc to keep me subscribed. And I am one who would way rather something in print than online.

My single person opinion.

I told you to "go pound sand?" I don't recall telling anyone that while I was at Powerboat, but if I did you might have caught me on a really bad day and I'm sorry. We also have a lot of readers who told us they liked what we were doing, but regardless that was no reason to be rude. So again, all apologies.

Toward the end of days, if you will, at Powerboat (and that was awhile ago) the only advertisers we had were "big-dollar" boat builders because, frankly, they were the only builders left standing. Donzi, Fountain and Baja were out of the game starting in about 2008. Pre-owned boats were a huge part of the market but nothing you could build magazine content on. DIY magazines in our world had been tried—the most successful was Family and Performance Boating—but never were sustainable. (There weren't enough aftermarket parts companies to sustain that kind of title, and new-boat builders, for obvious reasons, won't support it. Without an advertising base, you have no magazine.)

In short, we were left to cover an increasingly small market of more expensive boats. The "affordable" boat market was gone. (And it's mostly still gone.) So I'm not sure what direction you'd have had us go in.

Anyway, as I said, I don't recall telling anyone to pound sound sand, piss off or shut up but I have no reason to suspect you're making it up so, again, sorry about that.

Hello one and all. I am searching high and low for an April 1989 edition of Powerboat magazine. I happen to own both a 32 Maelstrom Cat and a 32 Hustler both of which where featured in the magazine I believe. Obviously I am willing to pay for a copy. I am hoping someone has a copy that they are not to attached to. Thank you, Greg

Ok...I'll bite. What's a boat people can actually buy? Priced out boats lately? Here's my example, I'm NOT one of the big earners you see on this site, I'll never be able to own a new OL, Skater, whatever...ever never ever. Not a used one either and if I could get one I couldn't afford to run/store/maintain it. Big deal, I don't lose a bit of sleep over it, I've had nice boats over the years and live a good life outside of boating in an expensive part of the country.

In '02 I bought a new 28' Nordic with a 496HO & trailer for $65K. Ok...affordable, put down half, financed the other, reasonable payments, had fun (in calm waters...not an offshore boat I soon discovered). Now a new Nordic is $100+, seen some well north of $100K. Is that affordable...well it'd be a stretch for me but If I'm dropping $120k it's not going to be on a 28' Nordic, no way, sorry but that boat isn't worth $100+ to me.

So here's the rub, it's no mystery the boating industry is hurting, they only real action is the higher priced offerings so that's where the magazines are going to go. Not sure what you want these rags to do...used boat reviews? That's a real earner... If the market was strong you'd see tons of magazines out there, but it's not and you're getting what you're getting.

Face it, it's a different world out there now, I plan to get back on the water in the next few years, but it sure as heck won't be a new 28'-30' boat...I'll be playing the used market like many others.