The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed a few changes to Motor Boat & Yachting...
The eagle-eyed amongst you may have noticed a few changes to Motor Boat & Yachting this month. The lairy orange flash on the cover may have alerted you to the fact that MBY has had something of an overhaul.
The time had come to freshen up the magazine a little, a process that is essential to keep any magazine on top of its game and prevent it from becoming stagnant. So we deconstructed MBY and looked at the things that worked and the things that could have been better. We also looked at the responses from our Reader Survey to find out what you, the readers, think of the product. Then we reassembled the magazine incorporating the feedback we?d received and the ideas generated in numerous brainstorming meetings (in the snug bar of The Mad Hatter).
The result will be one that we hope you?ll like. We?ve kept the parts of the magazine that have proved successful and popular, and reworked other sections so that they are more informative and appealing. Specifically, MBY boat tests have a justifiable reputation for authority and impartiality, and our cruising pieces are treasured by many of our readers. So we?re concentrating on key boats and key cruising areas to make sure the magazine is relevant to all of you.
New sections in the magazine will concentrate on real-world boating. We will be increasing the amount of product tested within these pages with a monthly comparative product test (this month, it?s hand-held GPS/plotters), and a monthly Product Review (crew bags this issue). We are also introducing a Masterclass section where we take a detailed look at an aspect of boat handling and seamanship (this month, anchoring ? see p64).
At the back of the magazine we?ve made some big changes. We?ve listened to opinions on our Buyer?s Guide and decided to make some changes.
Each month we?ll feature a Top 10 listing of new boats in different categories and specific tips on buying a particular category. We?re also including a brilliant new feature for second-hand buyers: Instant Expert. This will give you all the information you?ll need for buying the featured boat each month.
Finally, we?ve rejigged our columns. Ray Bulman has moved towards the front of the magazine where he joins Peter Cumberlidge. And Alan Harper?s new column will be packed full of his insightful and witty observations on boats and boat owning. The back page will now be A Day in My Life ? a true story of boating grit, determination, disaster, courage or just downright maritime madness.
We hope that you?ll approve of the changes we?ve made to the magazine. I?m sure that you?ll find it even more useful and relevant to the type of boating you do. We?d love to know your views, so drop us a line or an email. And if you?re visiting the London Boat Show, please come along to our stand (S2212) and let us know what you think.
