An Opinionated Boat Magazine

[DCBDaytona]

After reading ***boat, Powerboat and a few others over the last 10+ years, I've noticed a trend. Why is it that the Magazines rand and rave about every single boat tested? I've yet to see a really opinionated article showing the cons of a performance boat. The pros are definately shown...Is it because the boat manufacturers would no longer bring there boats out for pictures/testing if the negative aspects were shown and detailed?
I personally think a new mag should come out and speak the truth, and not sugar coat every boat tested. I think this would force some Manu's to raise the bar and create fierce competition between all lines.
And I know...***boat has a magazine?

[boxscore]

Exactly the reason I stopped subscribing a long time ago.

[RitcheyRch]

The car magazines are the same.

[DCBDaytona]

The car magazines are the same.
Not really. They test them, rank them in categories and give a final ranking from 1-10.

[RitcheyRch]

A few have seen do that but not all.
Not really. They test them, rank them in categories and give a final ranking from 1-10.

[BadKachina]

Advertising dollars influence the articles position, and even if a company doesn't advertise in their magazine, if they ever want them to, they have to be careful not to offend them. It's just typical politically correct business b.s.. On the other hand the magazine company's purpose is to make a profit..... :rolleyes:

[HALLETT BOY]

An article in Powerboat a while back stated that if a boat performed poorly, the manufacture was asked to correct the problem and bring it back for a re- test, kind of like if your car fails smog, go fix it and bring it back for a free re-test ! Unfortunately, the magazine doesn't divulge that information.

[uvindex]

I personally think a new mag should come out and speak the truth, and not sugar coat every boat tested. I think this would force some Manu's to raise the bar and create fierce competition between all lines.This is not a new question. :) Any pub that accepts advertising from the manufacturers has an inherent conflict of interest. The same dilemma exists in magazines that evaluate wine, stereo equipment, guns, you name it. Some pubs do better than others at exhibiting objectivity or at least trying to seem objective.
The only way to have a TRULY objective magazine would be one that accepts no advertising, doesn't accept manufacturer "samples" to test (in other words, buys them on the open market) and stuff like that. Consumer Reports follows that model, but they don't test hot boats. :)
The nearest thing to a Consumer Reports for boats is Powerboat Reports (http://www.powerboat-reports.com/) but I don't think they focus much on ***boats either. :)

[catman-do]

Its all about $$$$... Some of those articles are bogus and the manufacturer will kick back some dough in order to have their company ran. If the mags slammed their product one month then why would the person advertise with them the next. I would say a good majority of their income comes from advertisements being run. Not our 9.99 a year subscriptions.

[DeeCandyBar]

magazines only survive from advertising money (ad pages). the money from subscriptions and retail sales helps but it doesn't make them successful - it's all about ad pages.
try getting advertising revenue from a boat manufacturer whose boat you just trashed in your last issue

[ChumpChange]

should come out and speak the truth, and not sugar coat every boat tested. I think this would force some Manu's to raise the bar and create fierce competition between all lines.
Isn't that what the forums are for? To get the negative aspects of the boats? Of course, mods just delete it after the manufacture complains about their complaints.

[JustDawn]

Speedboat magazine gives pro's and con's about each boat tested...(Even gigged DCB :220v: ) over something....I dropped my longtime subscription to ***boat,after realizing that it's nothing more than an infomercial for the various mfg.s...
Anyone remember the isssue where ***boat editor Kevin Spaise was gonna spill the beans on 2 certain hulls...Refered to one as the demon boat....
Guess he wimped out..after pressure from the builders in question...Nothing was ever published. :rolleyes: (PlayDeep)

[RiverDave]

Speedboat magazine gives pro's and con's about each boat tested...(Even gigged DCB :220v: ) over something....I dropped my longtime subscription to ***boat,after realizing that it's nothing more than an infomercial for the various mfg.s...
Anyone remember the isssue where ***boat editor Kevin Spaise was gonna spill the beans on 2 certain hulls...Refered to one as the demon boat....
Guess he wimped out..after pressure from the builders in question...Nothing was ever published. :rolleyes: (PlayDeep)
Speedboat does in fact give some criticism to everyboat tested.. Granted I don't agree with all there criticism (they thing every dashboard should be mat black to reduce glare etc..) but atleast there is criticism to be read.
Overall though I still think ***boat is the best thing going. Atleast when you read the articles you get a kind of "upbeat" feeling, and an idea about the boat. I dig the fact that the pictures are taken in Havasu n Parker etc..
RD

[shockwavebd]

magazines only survive from advertising money (ad pages). the money from subscriptions and retail sales helps but it doesn't make them successful - it's all about ad pages.
try getting advertising revenue from a boat manufacturer whose boat you just trashed in your last issue
And we have a winner.................................... :crossx:

[Chipster27]

I look at most of these magazines for the eye candy, both babes and vehicles.
The funniest thing is to read on article on the current generation bike/car/boat/widget, it's in that article that you find out about all the flaws in last years bike/car/boat/widget.
The article will go something like this: Last years "insert vehicle" had all these flaws, but this year they've fixed them and made this better than ever.
Oh really?!?! Last year you same jack-holes said last year's model was the best. I find it very funny.

[doesitfloat?]

Exactly the reason I stopped subscribing a long time ago.
Ditto...

[boxscore]

Isn't that what the forums are for? To get the negative aspects of the boats? Of course, mods just delete it after the manufacture complains about their complaints.
Of course...
Bayliners and Elim's suck monkey ass. (protecting HB's advertising dollars by stating it)

[Kilrtoy]

The same reason you have a 22, We all know what boatsare at the top and at the bottom
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[shueman]

show me the money.....I'll print whatever you want.... :crossx:

[DCBDaytona]

The same reason you have a 22, We all know what boatsare at the top and at the bottom
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Yes, both you and I do. :crossx:

[GunninGopher]

I'm pretty sure ***boat gets good $ for publishing boat reviews. If they did too much slamming of boats, that might go away.
One thing to consider is that maybe the boats are really that good. They sure could say something about the outrageous prices that are being charged.

[RiverDave]

I'm pretty sure ***boat gets good $ for publishing boat reviews. If they did too much slamming of boats, that might go away.
One thing to consider is that maybe the boats are really that good. They sure could say something about the outrageous prices that are being charged.
As shockwavebob said once.. If you've ever gotten real up close and personal with the boats that are ranted and rave'd about both in the mag and on the forums you'd be less then impressed.
I think an evaluation on a boat by a team of experts should not only include the realistic handling of the boat in various conditions both water and manuever, but the construction of the boat in areas that are both visible and unvisible.
As far as construction is concerned, you'd be amazed at how differently 2 boats that are priced very similar can be built so differently.
Personally I do'nt think I'd ever buy a new boat from a mfg.. Maybe a couple, but the other mfg's I'd try to get a hull that I could build my own parts for, and have rigged (or rig myself) and then have them build the interior and so forth. For the time being though I'll just stick to getting an old builder and starting over.. (For the time being, that might change here soon enough)
RD
RD

[Jbb]

Not so fast...... :p
I have been reading Hot Boat for a long time......I remember on more than one occasion the test team had some unpleasant things to say about Python boats handling characteristics on more than one occasion....I remember this because I was looking at buying one at the time ......and read the article at Python....lol
and more recently I remember reading some bad comments about a boat being downright dangerous....I cant for sure remember the Manufacturer....but I think it was......well one of the West coast builders....Jim Wilkes seems like a tell it like it is kinda guy....

[HMF'er]

I have had a subscription to Motocross Action Magazine for many years. I've had other mx mag subscriptions, but continue to read MXA because they're always honest. Not only do they rate each bike in various categories (ergos, brakes, forks, shock, etc) they are not afraid to state which ones suck. They have been opinionated for years and yet continue to publish full 2 page ads for all the major bike manufacturers. Apparently none of the bike manufacturers are pissed off yet. Red Rider here on HB works for Honda, maybe he can chime in his opinion....

[Throttle]

I can recall a couple times recently reading hb and was suprised when I found them knocking down a couple builders... :argue:

[Partycattin]

I read a write up in HB a while back. Basically that have to walk a thin line. All the boat manufactures advertise in the magazine but they also want to provide the readers with honest stuff. So if a boat comes to demo/test and is not up to par, they give the manufacturer a chance to correct the problems and come back at a later date.
It still seems funny that they try to sneak 1 negative line into each write up.

[2forcefull]

I think the level of quality has come way up in the last ten years, of all the west coast boat builders. most likely the same guys have worked for at all the shops, work gets slow and they go to the next shop. the guy goes up and says " I've been rigg'n over at e------r for the past 4 years you guys hirering? now that he's at the new shop try'n to work his way to the top you don't think he says "this how e boat does it"? hot boat allsways let you know, "this boat is slow to plane" ,"we thought it should go faster with the power it has" no leg room, can't see the gauges ect. I found there artc. helpful

[Tom Slick]

Aside from the magazines kissing a little butt for the all mighty advertising dollars, you also have to consider that the manufacture knows exactly what he is bringing his boat to the lake for. Do you think that when a manufacture gets invited to a magazine evaluation that he is going to drag any old boat out there to be scrutinized by the testing staff? Hell no, the manufactures usually go above and beyond to bring one of their nicest built and best performing models to the test. Usually it is a new boat with just a few hours of dialing in time and a boat that is totally dialed in, rigged bitchen and detailed to the hilt. A manufacture is going to leave no stone unturned for the magazine test crew to tear apart.

[2forcefull]

Aside from the magazines kissing a little butt for the all mighty advertising dollars, you also have to consider that the manufacture knows exactly what he is bringing his boat to the lake for. Do you think that when a manufacture gets invited to a magazine evaluation that he is going to drag any old boat out there to be scrutinized by the testing staff? Hell no, the manufactures usually go above and beyond to bring one of their nicest built and best performing models to the test. Usually it is a new boat with just a few hours of dialing in time and a boat that is totally dialed in, rigged bitchen and detailed to the hilt. A manufacture is going to leave no stone unturned for the magazine test crew to tear apart.
I agree there, whats to stop them from putting a 598 motor and telling hot boat it's a 525? now the boat runs 92. fastest boat on the water with a 525!

[Daytona100]

You could pretty much just look at the pictures and see if you like the boat or not. Than go to the manufacture of your choice and go for a ride and see if you like it. What pisses me off is every single tunnell tested they write the same carbon copy phrase : This tunnell turns to the right with no outward lean like other tunnells" From what iv read from all there reviews every tunnell turns and rides the same. Never any usefull information like gear ratio and prop pitch. Just a weak eye-candy mag nothing more.

[Havasu Cig]

Good thread...
I recently bought a Cobra replica ( the car not the boat) and while doing research on the different people building them I purchased a very good video that had interviews with different experts. One of the guys interviewed worked for a major car magazine and his number one advice was "do not believe what you read in the magazines". He said they are kept in business by advertising money, and they are not going to say anything really bad about one of them. He said you have to look at the mags as entertainment, and not a source of good honest info. I think that is pretty good advice.

[Mandelon]

Ya gotta read between the lines on their articles. If they are not pleased with something they say is good. When they like something they rave about it.
If the report is not absolutely glowing......the boat sucks. :rolleyes: