Antipodean Distribution Timing

[Duncan Gibbs]

I see a thread about advanced copies of issue 225 being out. The November/December 2011 issue is still on the news stands here and I've yet to spy the first issue - shanty boat and all - of 2012 on the news stands. One of the reasons I stopped subscribing was that I would get my subscription copy at the same time as the news stand copy and not waaaay beforehand, when the thing was actually published.

Matt and Carl: Can you see about getting something done on this score?

Cheers

[Tom Jackson]

It's a frustration to us, too. When Robin talks about "advance copies," she means the copies that the printer sends to us here at WoodenBoat. It's a very limited number. We've noticed, though, that not very long after that the domestic newsstand copies are on the racks, and after that the subscribers receive copies, with the timing varying quite a bit even within the U.S.

This seems to be also true for every other magazine. I notice that magazines I subscribe to are on the the rack before I get mine at home, and in some instances—the New Yorker, for example—much of the content is available free on line days before the paid-for issue arrives in the post office box. That's a business model I don't quite understand, I can tell you.

From Australia, you might consider the digital edition. I think, based on what Carl said elsewhere, the Australia/New Zealand distribution is a real frustration to him, as well.

[Duncan Gibbs]

Thanks for the reply Tom. I hadn't considered the digital edition. I do like to actually hold the journal in my mits and flip through it and read the articles away from a computer. I spend way too much time on this forum as it is!

Maybe look at getting copies to be sold here printed here? Being able to have local advertisers in the magazine may even boost circulation in Oz and NZ... Just a thought.

[Carl Cramer]

Thanks, Duncan and all. The best solution we can find so far -- short of me hand-delivering new issues -- is for you to subscribe to both the digital and print. The digital so you get it right away, and the print which will come in time.

This is NOT case of me being greedy. It's only U$10 extra for a digital subscription in addition to your printed version.

Best wishes, Carl

[PeterSibley]

I second the suggestion for Australian printing . It seems entirely rational to print here...on time ...rather than ship from the US .

[Duncan Gibbs]

Thanks Carl! I'm buying issue by issue right now as I have some expenses I'm getting paid off, but as soon as i have a window of financial opportunity I'll subscribe to both digital and hard issues as suggested.

I still think that either you print here, or at least find another, more efficient distributor (like direct post through USPS?), as a two to three month delay (yes it varies that much) seems pretty unreasonable.

[Carl Cramer]

Thanks, Peter and Duncan. It's a great thought to print there (Oz or NZ), but I'm afraid we don't have enough readers to benefit from economies of scale. Single copies would end up being VERY expensive.

We have looked at direct post through the USPS -- that is an option for subscribers. But it, too, is an expensive option.

But we'll continue to explore every conceivable option. Rebecca Hayter is our point person for this endeavor in NZ.

[Duncan Gibbs]

224 hit the news stands today in Murwillumbah. I like the Shanty boat! Probably hit the stands a few days earlier in the big smokes. I reckon you should hand deliver 'em Carl! We're having an EBS here on the 17th of March. I have a lovely wooden shed and it may even have a classic International Dragon in it to drool over. I'm looking forward to flipping over the pages of 225 and sharing a cold one with you mate!

[Carl Cramer]

Don't tempt me, Duncan! Not that I wouldn't like to share a cold one with you....

[Duncan Gibbs]

Just hold out your little pinky finger Carl... I have some twisting to do!

[Phil Y]

1342

[skuthorp]

Come on Carl, Hobart WBS is less than 12 months away and then there's Goolwa and a lazy summer ramble up the east coast......

[Duncan Gibbs]

I could see the article now: "A Voyage Up Australia's East Coast" by Carl Crammer it could go over at leat six or seven issues!

[johnno]

And Little Egret will be finished by then

[Duncan Gibbs]

And the Dragon! Maybe Gary's Hartley and Greg's H28?

[The Bigfella]

C'mon Carl... you can jump on the back of my bike and check out some Indonesian and Malaysian wooden boats too. We leave Tuesday, so get your bag packed.

[Carl Cramer]

You confuse me with someone who is better at multi-tasking than I am, fellas.

I'm concentrating now on trying to figure out ways to get you your favorite magazine delivered more quickly and cheaper.

For the record: I've been to NZ five or six times, and always on holiday. And none since... 10 years ago.

Oz, I've only been to once, and that was when I was a wee bairn (but old enough to know better), in .... 1969. Gawd.

Matt gets all the good trips. Make me a good offer for the Tasmanian WB Show?

[Duncan Gibbs]

It's the best wooden boat show on the Planet and you'd be nuts to miss it? Howzat?

[Carl Cramer]

I'm convinced.

How to get me there?

[Duncan Gibbs]

Buy one of these (write it off as a business expense):



Get on one of these (Qantas fly from New York):



And find a hotel or a billet here:



If you're really sneaky about it, drag that Murphy character along and get him to set up the Wooden Boat Magazine stall at the festival whilst you swan around looking at all the pretty boats, handing out business cards, saying "I'm the publisher of...!"

[skuthorp]

All claimable too, maybe.

It'd be one long BBQ from Rufus down south in Tassie to Bernie on T.I. (She'll have her shed finished by then hopefully)

[WX]

And the Dragon! Maybe Gary's Hartley and Greg's H28?

Jeez it pays to stick my nose in here occasionally eh? WB could do an article on one of the longest Hartley boats builds in history.

[purri]

I can offer a sail on Port Jackson on Amber K and a few industry leads in Sinny for part of a "state of the Union".