Classic wooden boat magazine / forum usage in New Zealand

[snow(Alan H)]

I have for interest been running a poll on the NZ Classic Yacht Association website / forum - see results below. Very small numbers as most people are still on holiday but you will see that the UK 'Classic Boat' out performs WB here. But finding a book store that stocks WB is always a challenge & those that do have an interesting policy - they only buy what they sold the pervious month, so they will never grow their sales + if some random comes in & buys a copy, as a regular you miss out.

Personal feedback - I was once a 'buy every issue' reader but now find the editorial spread too broad so now buy the issues that appeal to me. I do however 'hang-out' on the WBF a lot

I also think that with the change in ownership with the UK Classic Boat magazine they have climbed to a new high in classic boating publishing, its just stunning, so much so that I have just subscribed to the on-line version as I can not weight for the snail mail hard copy to reach NZ (but still buy it when it arrives). On the negative side this website is lacking

Poll results classic wooden boat magazine / forum usage in New Zealand

[Carl Cramer]

Thanks for yours, Alan. Can you please tell us what the prices are for each, in NZ dollars?

[snow(Alan H)]

Hi Carl

Both sell for around the same price. The lowest is always NZ$15 & a niche outlet like Boat Books http://www.boatbooks.co.nz/ will sell even the latest issue (in this case December '10) at that price. The mainstream outlets will sell the latest (tagged airfreight) for anywhere between NZ$22 > $25.


Like most people we have an issue in NZ with 'what is a classic', while we have a very tight policy in terms of the CYA NZ Register, for the greater audience / public it an be almost anything that 'looks' old / retro. I think on the book stand this works against WB as the masthead very clearly (& correctly) states what WB is all about, where as CB would on face value appeal to a broader audience. Saying that the survey is only open to people who have registered to belong to the CYA NZ forum so they should know what a classic is, but sometimes I wonder

Alan Houghton
Club Captain - Launches
Classic Yacht Association NZ

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[Graeme Forrest]

Carl there is also an ongoing problem with subscription copies of the magazine here. They come from Australia not direct from the US. I think the ship carrying the subscription copies US to Australia calls at NZ on the way and drops off the mags for the retail distributor, hence the latest issues appear in the retail outlets 2 to 3 weeks before the subscription copy arrives from Australia. A year or so ago the Oz distributor advised they had obtained a special deal to airfreight the mags from the US, it seemed to last for about 2 issues then reverted to the old system without any notification. Rather frustrating.

[Carl Cramer]

Thanks so much, Alan and Graeme. Let me look into it and see what we can do?

This has always been a sore spot for us. Back in the good old days of David's Books -- quite a while ago -- it seemed to work well.

Thanks, Carl

[Carl Cramer]

Well, it turns out that we ship direct (air mail) to Boat Books, but that other copies are forwarded from Oz. So they necessarily take longer.

I know it's a less-than-ideal plan but, short of getting a digital subscription to hold you over until the print arrives, I don't know what else to suggest.

If anyone has any ideas how we can grow our readership in NZ, I'd love to read your pm.

Thanks, Carl

[snow(Alan H)]

An idea - make Boat Books the 'master agent' in NZ then all copies will arrive at the same time - BB then supply the other stockiest.

[Graeme Forrest]

There are two unrelated companies called "Boat Books" involved here. One in Sydney Australia who are the regional distribution agents for subscription copies of "Woodenboat", the other is an Auckland New Zealand based book and magazine retailer who happens to stock "Woodenboat". Incidently the subscription price from "Boat Books" Australia for New Zealand subscribers generally cheaper than that for Australian subscribers, it varies with exchange rate variations, but generally when converted to the same currency the NZ price is generally slightly cheaper. Perhaps this is to compensate for the additional delivery delays.

[snow(Alan H)]

Carl

I must say I'm liking WoodenBoat's Facebook & the postings. No delay with cyber-space

Cheers Alan

[Carl Cramer]

Dear Alan,

We do try to help.

I'm envious of your summer right now, even if your weather isn't very summery.

And I am VERY excited at the prospect of Robert Brooke's Family BoatBuilding next month. I hope there are many boats built, and by many good families.

[CapnJ2ds]

I've tried to put my 10cents worth into your surveys Alan, but for some reason (probably my own ineptitude) can't get them to work for me.
I buy both magazines regularly, finding CB a little cheaper - though not always - with WB usually around the $NZ16 mark. Just now I buy my WB at the Westpark Chandlery, but Craig is talking about doing away with it as I'm just about the only customer for it. He doesn't carry CB at all, but the dairy here does.

Some of the problems with supply to booksellers/newsagents (used to be one a couple of centuries ago) result from the (NZ) distributor's computer system, which takes the previous month's returns into account when allocating copies.

John

PS: Sorry I missed you at Mahurangi. A bunch of us from Westpark went up and anchored just below Grants Island, then all piled onto "Oranoa" and came down to view the proceedings. Had a slow pass through the anchorage and caught a fair bit of the racing. We decided that it was a bit of a mission going ashore, especially as we were well catered for aboard. Looking at the quality finishes on some of the small craft made me glad I'd left my skiff tied up behind "Sirena"; she's a bit scruffy just now.

[RFNK]

WB is under $10 in Oz these days. I think I'd be asking why you're paying so much in NZ. I'm interested to hear your comment re Classic Boat Alan. I gave up even looking at it in the shop a couple of years ago because it was jam-packed with advertorials. All credit to WB for not going down THAT path!

Rick

[snow(Alan H)]

Rick
I agree re CB's ad/editorial ratio a few years ago. The publication changed owners less than a year ago & under went a major make over & now is in a bigger format & has a greater pictorial slant. At nz$24.50 for the airmail copy I have become a subscriber to the digital version.
WB still rocks & I buy the hard copy every month.

fyi - I actually really like the ads in WB.

cheers Alan

[RFNK]

I like the ads too but I like WB as it doesn't have ads masquerading as articles. Great to hear that CB has improved! I'll check it out and let you know what I think of your judgement

I just subscribed to WB's iPad version. I've had a me-related teething problem with it but I think it's going to be great.

Rick