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bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1757 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/10/2024 : 17:13:09

I may be aging myself, but the June edition came in the mail and on the back page they announce that this will be the last edition printed -- all future will be web based only. I am not a"digital" guy and far prefer printed material, especially when a monthly periodical. Am I alone or do there think as I do that this was a short sited decision by PS?

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9047 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2024 : 20:23:53

I recall a "few" years ago that my library no longer had P/S issues in the periodicals section... I think I asked about it and learned that P/S was no longer taking subscriptions from libraries--I guess they felt it cut into their subscription market. I suspect it is getting worse and they are struggling--the sailing market seems to be shrinking (find me a new 25' cruiser or a 20' daysailer). Sail magazine and others are focused on high-dollar yachts. Marina yards are filling up with derelict sailboats. High-dollar yachters don't take care of their own boats--they aren't "Practical". Who (under 50 years old) do you know with a 40'+ sailboat who maintains their own diesel, or knows what to do if algae clogs their fuel filter and their auxiliary quits 20 miles out?

P/S might be preaching to a half-empty choir loft.

Meanwhile, I have gone digital for four newspapers, as well as Defender and West Marine. I get P/S newsletters where I can read some without a subscription, but not others... (I no longer am a "practical sailor", but some topics relate to all boats and to seamanship.)

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3411 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2024 : 21:03:55

In the past, whenever I have had a choice between a hard copy magazine or digital, I have always selected the hard copy version. I always found it easier/more accessible to review the hard copy - then putting it aside to finish reading it some time later the same day or during the next week. The down side (for me) of having magazine hard copies, is that I wound up saving them and the pile would then keep on growing. Nowadays, I generally do not keep past issues around that long - I try to digest the info and then add it to the recycle trash pile that day or end of the week or so. (Okay...maybe a few copies I still keep for months.)

In regards to certain publications/magazines that have either a limited distribution and/or no advertisements (ie. Practical Sailor), the subscription costs are relatively high. So, when I received my PS June issue today in the mail and it indicated they were curtailing the hard copy (that the publication would now only be available digitally), I guess I was not completely surprised. On the positive side, since the monthly issue is generally not that many pages compared to a regular magazine, it is not all that much to go thru reading off the PC and if indeed there are some articles that one would like to save for say a month or perhaps a year or so, saving it digitally at least does not add clutter in the house.

Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5320 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2024 : 19:52:45

I�m a semi-dinosaur. I like watching TV on a TV, while I have digital streaming services, I also erected a nice high gain outdoor antenna, and get 100+ OTA TV channels from the NYC and Hartford-New Haven markets. I like radio and streaming radio, and listen to podcasts too. I get several newspapers digitally too.
And email and digital newsletters on several topics. I also read digital books from my public library (on Hoopla).

I get it that publishers (they are all publishers in my view) either rely on advertising or subscriptions, or both. I don�t spite them for trying to figure out what interests me and serve ads that will be relevant.

But I rail against two things:
1. Pop-up ads that play videos or obscure the content while I�m trying to read it, and
2. That Joe Namath ad for Medicare Advantage. Disingenuous!

Other than that, I�m cool with both physical media (although I�d digitized my videotapes and cassettes years ago), and digital media.

All that said, it�s sad to learn that Practical Sailor will no longer print a physical magazine. It was always great visiting a sailing friend and thumbing through their back copies of the magazine for a cool idea. A digital archive doesn�t give you the serendipity of discovering a relevant article that you�d never have intentionally searched for. There�s a bit of magic in that.

Btw, here�s my trick for defeating print content with intrusive ads.
1. Open the article on you device.
2. Before the ads pop up or the video rolls, put your device into �airplane mode� or switch off the WiFi connection.
3. Read the article undisturbed.
4. Close the browser and turn off airplane mode.
That advice and $3.50 might get you a cup of regular coffee�

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5320 Posts

Response Posted - 05/16/2024 : 09:39:32

� and speak of the devil? Today I received an offer from Practical Sailor to become a member. Crosstracking of cookies perhaps, or purely coincidental? I wish them luck!