Practical sailor mag.

[Valiente]

Originally Posted by deckhanddave

I have a subscription to practical sailor as well but have noticed an alarming number of serious errors in their issues. Errors like doing a rating of winches and stating the wrong facts for the winch. Though this doesn't seem like a life altering error, it effected the outcome of their test.

I have had a PS sub for a few years, and as I am on a multi-year fitting out course, it's invaluable. For a trailer sailor, it's likely overkill, although they do quite a few articles on cleaning supplies and gadgets and safety gear that apply to all boaters.

I do agree about quality control at PS, however. Since they went to colour (and slightly before), I have been seeing far too many copy-editing and proofing errors, rendering some articles nonsensical. I actually applied to be an editor (I'm in this field), but didn't make the cut. Too bad, because it looks like no one's in charge of reading the thing for sense before it goes to press.

Ocean Navigator is pretty hard-core, and I like it for that. I even do the CN puzzles at the back. Good Old Boat is pricey in Canada, and while it looks good, I rarely read it. Sail and Crusing World I gave up, because they focus on dock jewellery and tropical marinas and my budget and ambitions are more steel boat on the hook-oriented. Although I did like the "Hands On Sailor" project ideas. You can buy used books online for that sort of thing.

I suspect that local publications that cater to trailer sailors, small trawlers and power boaters in fresh water would suit you better, as would online forums like this one.

[ThunderFog]

I had a real bad experiance with Practical Sailor. Some how they got my address from some list and sent me a free copy. Additional copies followed. Then came a bill! Then came demands that I pay that bill!! Finally I got a collections notice!!! I had to get a lawer to tell them they didn't have a leg to stand on because I never ordered the magizine in the first place. Harrashment I say. Probably just a missunderstanding so I dropped the whole thing and so did they. Being mad is just a waste of time and energy. Still cost me the lawer fee.... Which was more then the original bill, but I couldn't have the blemish on my credit.

[hellosailor]

Thunderfog, you should move to a more progressive state. In many of them, all you have to do is tell a collections agency "This is not a valid debt because I never subscribed (etc)" and then by law, they are forbidden from further contact with you. And they'll drop you then and there, because the fines for improper collection attempts get steep fast.

I doubt PS just started billing you at random. More likely that someone put your name on the list, intentionally, to harass you. High school kids are good at that, some of them never outgrow it. And for that reason, every publication is aware of this problem and pretty much every one of them will drop it when you say "I didn't subscribe, go away."