Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: LarryW on February 04, 2013, 12:04:16 pm
-
Hello ,
just read the latest copy of marine modeling international , i think the contents of the magazine ,are poor lately,
not a lot of model content , seem to plugging power boats and boat info of old boats any body can Google
they seem put any thing in to fill pages , and the cardboard cutouts to encourage new comers to hobby , used have a good content of
build tips by a chap called tiffy which was more usefull to beginners , my grandson learned a lot from that. .
so i unless goes back to a better format . i will stick forums on line where there is better info....and help
and dont have to fork out £4.15 for bad mag contents that suit the the commercial market..........Larry
-
Hi Larry,
Having just read your post, and understand that you are disheartened about the direction the magazine seems to be going, I've got to ask, have you raised the points with the magazine themselves?
I would expect that all feedback would be welcomed (even if it's not what they're hoping to hear), in order that can investigate peceived 'problems' and address them as necessary.
Andy
-
When it comes to content it is hard to beat Model Boats, it is generally fresh in its outlook & just about has something for everyone that has an interest in model boats. The one thing they could improve is the print size, us oldies don't have the eyesight we once had, Mick B.
-
I think saying it has "Bad Mag contents" Larry is a bit harsh, I think both Model boat Mags have their place and their followers, I subscribe to Model Boats and if I see an article which Intrests me in Marine Modelling I will buy it off the shelf.
In this current climate with Model Boating material seemingly on the decrease I think we need to actively support what few resources we have left.
The other Larry, Larry R.
-
I agree wholeheartedly, we must support all our good sources when ever & where ever we can & count to ten before we bite the hand that supplies us. I have had great service from companies that supply me despite the odd mistake. I am sure the next copy will be better than the last so wait & enjoy. Mick B.
-
Good point about the print size in Model Boats Mick and it is something which is kept under review. However the page count has a major influence on production costs and if the print size were to be increased with the existing page count there would be significantly less content so, on balance, Editor Paul Freshney is sticking with the higher content level for now.
I have had eye problems recently but I regularly visit my optician and update my glasses and don't really experience any difficulty although I accept that won't necessarily apply to everyone. My wife resorts to a magnifying glass if she finds text too small - not ideal but there are always options!
Good to see you back online and participating!
Colin
-
colin , its not just the print size that some of us find a problem with , the colour against the page can sometimes be difficult to read as can the glossy paper the magazine is printed on . i dont subscribe to either publications but will pick up copies if theres an article of interest to me . jon
-
Jon,
Just goes to show that everyone's vision is different, it wasn't so long ago that people complained about the matt effect of the printing and poor contrast!
Sometimes there is not much you can really do about it depending on your particular circumstances. However I do know that a lot of people just tend to put up with failing vision when in fact it could be corrected to a greater or lesser extent (sometimes it's just being too vain to wear glasses) and maybe they shouldn't be driving!
In my case I have glaucoma and recently suffered from cataracts (at age 64) with the latter badly affecting my focusing. I had cataract surgery on both eyes last year and according to my optician now have better than 20/20 vision in both eyes with glasses. The result is amazing, my eyes are now back to where they were around 10 years ago and everything is much brighter. Obviously not everyone will have a condition that responds to that extent but if you are experiencing failing sight then definitely get professional help. Even if they cannot improve things they can often stop them getting worse. As for the glaucoma, it cannot be cured but eyedrops will keep it in check.
Colin
-
I agree with you Colin, most people & I was one of them that neglected my eyes for quite awhile. Not anymore. We should all have our eyes checked at least once a year & if we notice a change in anyway, as soon as possible. I have a pair of glasses just for reading "Model Boats"& look forward to it arriving each month which it does & is always on time too. I can not imagine not being able to read, so I take good care of my eyes. Mick B.
-
I spoke with Barry Steven at Blackpool and told him if you interest is other than warships and fast boat the magazine is poor
-
I spoke with Barry Steven at Blackpool and told him if you interest is other than warships and fast boat the magazine is poor
I find their solar model issues interesting. Going back to the early years of Model Boats / Model Maker they used to be quite technical, I would Imagine that the content would vary dependant possibly on the Editors likes/dislikes ?.
As regards print, the current print is bigger than early issues, yes the glossy pages can make it hard to read dependant on the light, but I would rather have the pages as they are now as they look better, in my opinion :-))
-
I don't buy many magazines these days, and I honestly can't remember the last time I purchase a model boat publication, and I'm saying that as someone who used to purchase one regularly.
Personally I liked the publications best from the 1950's and 1960's- that was before I was born, so that's an objective opinion, not one formed through rose-tinted spectacles. Editors like Vic Smeed at the helm, who seemed to have a golden touch for what modellers wanted to see. I also liked the multi-format approach they used to employ back then e.g. Model Maker and Model Boats, where you had a variety of modelling disciplines. I remember Model Maker being resuscitated back in the late '70's and early 80's, but perhaps it didn't catch on, because it didn't seem to hang around for very long. All the same I enjoyed those publications.
One publication I do still purchase regularly is Model Engineer Workshop, which I find a fascinating read.
-
as for the print, i personaly dont have a issue with that. my problem with the feb. issue is that i felt quit cheated by the magazine.
in the jan. issue they promised a article about making your own propshafts.
and yes i know basicly how to make them, but always want to learn to improve.
however in feb. issue the article itself was all about modifying vendor shafts to exposed shafts, and the only mention about the scratchbuilding of them was a note at end of page that it would be next issue, wich sets me thinking , yeah right, thats what was said last time.
its a bit like, why should i spend money on a magazine wich does not deliver a promised article, when i know i will also be able to find and print the info on the net. ( reason was for having a reliable, reputable source, and other possible interesting ideas i might get from articles )
for me atm, i am in doubt if i will pick it up again to even check articles. for some it might be a minor thing, but for me it comes over as a breach of promise and trust , wich i take very serious
( probably from having worked in a prison for the last 9 years, where trust and promise is just about short of life or death matter )
vidion
edit : propshaft article is about mmi magazine as per thread title :)
-
Vidion, you seem to be a bit confused! The print size issue related to Model Boats while the propshaft issue related to MMI!
I was interested to see the comments from Subcilture and The Long Build concerning the content of issues published back in the 1960s and 1970s.
There was indeed a lot of good stuff in those old magazines but it was written for modellers who possessed much greater basic skill levels than the average boat modeller does today. If you wanted something then you had to make it yourself, you couldn't just go online and feast on all the amazing ready made stuff at very reasonable prices as you can today which has, incidentally, dealt a body blow to scratch building as many people quite reasonably take the view that why spend hours making something when you can just buy it and stick it on and away to the pond you go?! Times change. Of course there are still us old codgers who yearn for the 'good old days' and fine, whatever floats your boat. However the magazine editors need to sell their issues so the content reflects where the balance of the market is currently at. If they didn't then readership would drop and traders would not wish to spend a lot of money on adverts and there would be no magazines to complain about.
Mind you, what goes around comes around. Horses used to make good glue and maybe we should be analysing the makeup of some of the wonder adhesives we currently depend upon. :}
Colin
-
indeed missed that print issue was for modelboats, but my point about content of mmi magazine still stands, wich is the magazine this thread was opened about
vidon
-
Well you know I just offer my own opinion, and wonder how many others out there feel the same. Is there a whole bunch of twenty to thirty somethings out there buying the mags? If so I'd be fascinated to know where they are- as I see hardly anyone in that age bracket participating in this hobby.
MMI was always a great counterpoint to Model Boats, which always came across to me as more of a traditional publication. MMI took a few chances like introducing regular columns for unusual sectors of the hobby like model submarines with their 'Up Scope' articles.
I don't know what the circulation of the major magazines is, or how it's changed over the years, but I expect the publishers keep a tally. The RTR crowd tend to be a fickle bunch, and will no doubt move on to the next 'big thing' in time.
-
The average age of model boaters these days seems to be well over 50 judging by the attendance at shows and events so I doubt whether the twenty or thirty somethings make up a very significant part of the readership - they have other things to occupy them, usually digitally based I suspect!
My impression is that model boaters these days are largely comprised of mature people migrating from other areas of modelling and retirees with more time to devote to their hobby. As such, the offerings from kit and semi kit manufacturerers and the traders that support them with fittings, electronics and other gear are particularly popular as, taken together, they offer the opportunity of getting some really nice models on the water in the minimum time. I think that a glance at the adverts in the magazines will confirm that.
As most people know, I am associated with Model Boats on a freelance basis but I recognise that MMI provides an alternative take on the hobby which appeals to many. In this respect we are lucky that model boating currently supports two dedicated magazines but how long that will continue is anybody's guess.
Without giving anything away, I can confirm that Model Boats significantly outsells MMI but the latter has it's devotees and both magazines coexist on an amicable basis serving overlapping but slightly different sections of the market. So, as always, you pays your money and takes your choice!
Colin
-
Colin i think you and others are missing the point slightly with coments like the av age of model boaters are over 59 these days.Yes i know this is maybee quite right but have you myself and others asked why.
Personally thinking out aloud here if I was an editor I would be looking at how to attract the youngsters into the hobby.....how can we do it...well BOTH mags are full of immacukate models steam plants etc which are well above pocket money prices.Shouldnt the editors or maybee yourself be looking at this fact and addressing it.
How.......well how about some articles on simple cheap boats that can be built on pocket money basis in other words Blue Peter style.
Colin dont think this is a dig at yourself far be it...just fod for thought.
And I agree the contents of MMI are pants some monthhs tbh
Dave
-
Good point Dave,
I can't speak for Paul Freshney although he regularly features Glynn Guest models which are ideal for beginners, but I have tried to include some simple models in the special issues that I have edited such as the Moonmist article by Glynn Guest. This year's Special will include an Aerokit build by Dave Milbourn.
I think you have put your finger on the issue that we need to attract youngsters into the hobby but I think that Clubs have a role to play in this respect.
There is also the point that in our generation you were used to building stuff yourself from your apprenticeship with Airfix kits. Today's youngsters expect to be able to skip over that which is why RTR boats are so popular. You buy it and then can put it on the water straight away and run it. You will get some youngsters willing to put in the effort but I think they are in a minority.
Colin
-
I must be in the minority then because I must say that I like Marine Modelling International, more so than Model Boats, for some reason, and must say, that the editor of that mag, Barry Stevens is far more approachable to the modelling and general readers than that of Model boats, unlike in the old days when John Cundell was in charge.
Just my opinion for what it's worth.
-
Ye Colin you are quite right in what you are saying that clubs have a lot to do in attracting youngsters to our hobby,BUT it would help immensly if Editors showed some leaning towards the youngsters...
Yes I know there are ready to run boats out there and some parents will simply buy son or daughter what they want in RTR, BUT how about an article comparing say 3 of the readily available RTR boats with some home built boats,what I am getting at here is simple really if the AV price of a RTR...say is £200 lets compare it with a Home built boat a TUG for a TUG RTR v hme built and compare prices etc BUT it as got to be done at the lower end of the scale and have it on the front page so it catches the eye etc etc etc.
Mrs Stav has suddenly got into our Hobby.....she now has commandeered half my shed .....and wanted to get a RTR but thought they were far to plasticy and has bought a Vintage Model Boat kit and has built it herself OK I showed her how to do it.....BUT without Help there would be NO WAY a Biginner could have done it.Most of the kit mnfr dontthtink of a complete newby building a model and this is where out Hobby has gone so so wrong in my opinion.Yet I must admit one company have got it so so right....Aeronought...I bought her a Ramberrator(It's a springer tug) WOW a child of 8 yrs old could do it ...clear concise inst with pics....this is what we should be pushing to the youngsters.
OOPSY sorry we gone slighlty off topic SORRY
Dave
-
I have to agree with Neil on this one.
Some 15 years ago ( or meybe more) Model Boats was in a real hole ( IMHO)........MMI appeared as a breath of fresh air. I subscribe to both magazines, read them both and enjoy most of both..................... and im 59.
I must admit Model Boats has really improved in my eyes over the last year or two, but i still read both.
Is that OK Barrie ?
-
I feel several good points have been made here. I get Model Boats now & will in the near future subscribe to MMI, why, because you always find something different in each.There is a lot of competition for the young peoples pocket money these days & it seems to me that the I phones & I pads are winning. However I would suggest that the clubs could do much more by getting involved with the shop sections of schools & donating some time to teach the kids what a great hobby model boats can be.Don't go in with a superior air but teach them something simple that they have a good chance of completing. Have a competition for the best effort & get the shop teacher involved right from the start too, even make it a father & son effort. I am sure there are much better ideas than this but if we do things like this things will start to happen. Don't forget to get the Traders involved too, I am sure they would love to help out with a good program. In my younger days I put on workshops for the customers that had a interest in old sportscars & I must say I always had more than I could handle to the point of having to run the workshop more than once. My wife even supplied the munchies too for free. All it took was a few hours on a saturday morning & was well worth the effort. So I would say to the clubs give it a try, you might be surprised by the response. Mick B.
-
I fogot to say I find Model Boats a very mag & good value for money, we pay a fair bit more over here than you do in U/K and we don't get the goodies either, LOL. Mick B.
-
Just one further point Dave - both magazines can only print what contributors are prepared to write. There are a lot of people who can build model boats and a lot of people who can write but there is not a great deal of overlap! This inevitably does influence the content a bit as people tend only to write about things they are personally interested in - it's very boring otherwise!
Colin
-
Hi All,
Nice to replys to topic, what is needed are pages like modelers like Bluebird..... aimed at a younger modeler ......Larry..
-
On a slightly different matter, do either magazines sell 'digital' editions yet?
Very interesting debate regarding the future of Newspapers on radio 4 yesterday:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qjc39
-
They both sell electronic versions. Model Boats seem to have got the pricing structure about right, with the online edition being a tad under half price. MMI's electronic version is ludicrously overpriced at about three quarters of the price of printed copy.
-
Hi All,
Nice to replys to topic, what is needed are pages like modelers like Bluebird..... aimed at a younger modeler ......Larry..
reading through this thread
I was wondering if possibly it would be worth while for a magazine to do a special edition "intro to model boats" where it shows/explains the differant types of ART/ kits/ semi kit and scratch building techniques as well as possibly a step by step build for beginers for under a certain price all ready to sail
-
I was wondering if possibly it would be worth while for a magazine to do a special edition "intro to model boats" where it shows/explains the differant types of ART/ kits/ semi kit and scratch building techniques as well as possibly a step by step build for beginers for under a certain price all ready to sail
Well, it probably would be possible but there is also a big risk that not enough people would buy it. Most of the existing readership are established modellers and probably not very interested in a beginners edition so you would be reliant on casual interest from youngsters and newcomers who are just browsing the shelves. How many would you print? Places like W.H. Smith want minimum print runs before they will stock magazines and an assurance that a certain proportion will be likely to sell. Those that don't get pulped which is a dead loss for the publisher. Also, advertisers want to be sure that their adverts are reaching the target audience - you probably wouldn't get adverts from airbrush suppliers for example.
Projects for beginners do get covered on a regular basis in both magazines and in the Special issues of Model Boats I have been editing but as part of the general mix intended to give the magazines maximum 'shelf appeal'.
There are of course things called books which specialise in boat modelling at different levels and I'm sure our members could recommend some suitable ones. ok2
Colin
-
I was interested by the comment about old mags. Peter HS93 was having a clear out and gave me about eight boxes of very old mags. I find them quite fascinating and don't mind the lack of colour or poor print quality. 40+ years old and still being read - not sure if electronic copies will have a legacy audience.
Dave
-
We should think ourselves lucky ...
As big as America is it could not support the printed version of the Air Age magazine Radio Control Boat Modeler. I believe it was re-started as a digital version only.
The font size of Model Boats has always been too small in my opinion.
-
The font size of Model Boats has always been too small in my opinion.
That is one advantage of the digital version - you can zoom in to make it readable. The downside is you then have to scroll all over as a page doesn't fit on the screen, unless you have a huge monitor I suppose. It's a shame that it is just an image of the physical magazine and not a proper electronic version which can reflow to the available space.
-
I like old school magazines, but I like digital copy too. I don't have the space for heaps of books, and a lot of magazines over the years have ended up lining the dustbin. You could fit all the model boats and marine modelling magazines on a disc or two, and make it cross referenced if you really want to go to town. The information is preserved in digital aspic, and you can distribute that information much less expensively. Surprisingly, I find this sort of thing is done much more effectively by amateur organisations and individuals than the big outfits.
If you make a magazine or book digital, you don't have to concern yourself with stockists, print runs etc. The overheads are tiny. You concern yourself with content, and whether it's in binary code or black and white print, that has value regardless.
-
Paul Freshney tells me that to enlarge the font size could lose the equivalent of half a dozen or so pages of editorial material - about the same as one major feature article. Extra pages aren't the answer as the price would then have to go up! No easy answers I'm afraid!
Subculture:
I find this sort of thing is done much more effectively by amateur organisations and individuals than the big outfits.
Well yes, probably because they give their time for free whereas it is a significant expense for commercial organisations who have to justify the cost.
If you make a magazine or book digital, you don't have to concern yourself with stockists, print runs etc. The overheads are tiny. You concern yourself with content, and whether it's in binary code or black and white print, that has value regardless.
But you still have the issue of formatting mixed text and illustrations on multiple display platforms with different aspect ratios.
Colin
-
No necessarily. Professionals are often brought in for cetain tasks, and costs distributed amongst the membership. Amateur organsiations may not be required to make a profit, but they do have to remain solvent.
I didn't say there were zero costs, I said they were very small in comparison to producing a printed publication. An organisation I belong to went from being a £35 a year membership to about £8 a year, just by going electronic with it's publication.
-
Hi All,
Nice to replys to topic, what is needed are pages like modelers like Bluebird..... aimed at a younger modeler ......Larry..
Hi Larry, and others who are discussing the younger generation, how to get started, boat builds, costings etc, etc.
As a contributor to Model Boats magazine via the BMPRS News column I do try to include members other interests in Model Boats and not just the offshore racing element. I'm always keen to promote the younger generation joining in the fun. In fact over at BMPRS we have had a handful of 'junior' members rejoin (plus a few new one's as well) this season along with their mums and dads who have been around last season learing the trade so to speak, they are a breath of fresh air, their enthusiasm is right up there. They are being eased into the racing gently learning about how to behave safety wise in the pits and launch area's and they get to run their boats around during lunch breaks for a bit of fun and build up their confidence. This is something their parents have instigated, they want them to learn the 'proper' way and gain a bit of respect from fellow racers :-)) I agree with the way they have gone about this, several of the parents have said they could have bought an RTR boat or cheque booked a scratch built race boat but their kids enthusiasm deserved better, so off they went and involved them in the boat build, they learn racing etiquette by watching the racing, they are quick to jump in and watch lakeside boat repairs asking numerous questions, all part of the learning process. This season is when we hope it will all come to fruition when we start to see some of the youngsters actually entering the racing in their own right, and good luck to them.
With regard to content in the magazines as a contributor I'm always open to content from anyone regarding 'boaty bits and bobs' and I do try to cover member profiles as an added sideline. In last years MB mag I also covered a basic build on an A and D class racing boat build with costings, hints and tips etc. I would love to see contributions from interested parties who would like to see photo's of their boats in print, if it's not my cup of tea then I'm sure the editor can put you in touch with a relevent contributor to get your interest published, but it really is down to communication, communication, communication, that's you communicating with us, as we don't always know what is out there. The same goes with local clubs it is up to them to entice the younger generation into the hobby, I know it's difficult these days they seem to be more interested in their lap tops and social media (or as I prefer to call it their life support machines {-) {-) {-) ) than get their hands grubby and build something to be proud of but there we go ! Having said that one of our youngsters that has gone through his, dare I say it, 'apprenticeship found his photo in print and rushed it off to school to show his teachers who became very interested and asked all sorts of Q's of his parents, seems he might be getting a bit of sponsorship as well, and good luck to him, so I suppose all is not lost.
Can I just say good luck to all local clubs who are trying to encourage the younger generation into model boating but a word of warning, we have to comply with certain regulations, take a look at the BMPRS website www.bmprs.co.uk (http://www.bmprs.co.uk/) where we have policies in place to cover the aspects of junior and vulnerable members. These are covered under our own intellectual rights so please don't nick them :-)) , sorry about the longish reply but hey %)
Cheers
Scoop
-
It is nice to see you helping the young members Scoop. I am not a fan of the racing but I read every report that you do & find that interesting. It is nice too to see the ladies involved making it a sport for everyone. Your articles are also well written & makes for easy reading. Some tech stuff would add a bit of interest for the old guys like me too. thanks again, Mick B.
-
Just one further point Dave - both magazines can only print what contributors are prepared to write. There are a lot of people who can build model boats and a lot of people who can write but there is not a great deal of overlap! This inevitably does influence the content a bit as people tend only to write about things they are personally interested in - it's very boring otherwise!
Colin
And there are some, Colin who can build and can write about building their models and have been turned down by an editor for some reason or other {-) {-) {-) {-)
-
When aiming a club or society at specifically young people, I think it can open up a massive can of worms with regards to child protection. The policies are far more relaxed if the group is aimed at all ages.
-
And there are some, Colin who can build and can write about building their models and have been turned down by an editor for some reason or other
For reasons that are maybe best left unaired I suspect!
Colin
-
as for the print, i personaly dont have a issue with that. my problem with the feb. issue is that i felt quit cheated by the magazine.
in the jan. issue they promised a article about making your own propshafts.
and yes i know basicly how to make them, but always want to learn to improve.
however in feb. issue the article itself was all about modifying vendor shafts to exposed shafts, and the only mention about the scratchbuilding of them was a note at end of page that it would be next issue, wich sets me thinking , yeah right, thats what was said last time.
its a bit like, why should i spend money on a magazine wich does not deliver a promised article, when i know i will also be able to find and print the info on the net. ( reason was for having a reliable, reputable source, and other possible interesting ideas i might get from articles )
for me atm, i am in doubt if i will pick it up again to even check articles. for some it might be a minor thing, but for me it comes over as a breach of promise and trust , wich i take very serious
( probably from having worked in a prison for the last 9 years, where trust and promise is just about short of life or death matter )
vidion
edit : propshaft article is about mmi magazine as per thread title :)
Most magazines that give a synopsis of the next issue, usually give a codocil that this is what is intended. Indeed if you read this months Model Boats, on page 8 outlining next months issue has printed
"The listed items are in preparation, and whilst every intention is to publish them, this is not a definitive statement of content"
With such a disclaimer, you can hardly accuse magazines of breach of trust if items do not appear until a later edition
-
It is nice to see you helping the young members Scoop. I am not a fan of the racing but I read every report that you do & find that interesting. It is nice too to see the ladies involved making it a sport for everyone. Your articles are also well written & makes for easy reading. Some tech stuff would add a bit of interest for the old guys like me too. thanks again, Mick B.
Thanks for your comments Mick, much appreciated, what sort of technical stuff you after ?
Regards
Scoop
-
"The listed items are in preparation, and whilst every intention is to publish them, this is not a definitive statement of content"
With such a disclaimer, you can hardly accuse magazines of breach of trust if items do not appear until a later edition
Quite! The editor does depend on the contributor coming up with the goods, but if the contributor is unable to finish the article due to personal circumstances or perhaps the completed model can't be run because the only available local water is frozen solid then there will be delays.
There can be many reasons why it is not always possible to publish material as intended and I do rather feel that some people may be over reacting a bit. The decription of delayed publication of an article on model boating as being a 'breach of trust' justifying potential legal action strikes me as being a bit over the top to say the least. Is it the intention that the hapless editor should be sent to prison or stood in front of a firing squad?
Colin
-
nobody is talking about about justifiying potential legal action, i just stated that for me holding word and promise is important, and in this case the article was something different, it touched on it, but was just not about what was announced. it was not making from scatch but modifing bought to something other appearance. dont know where the whole legal action comes from , but its not from me. articles delayed due to frozen pond and such i can understand, not like maybe , but at least understand. but ill just drop from this thread as it is taken to never mentioned heights
vidion
-
Hi Scoop, I would like to see some of the work & the layout inside the boat & what can be done to the motors to gain more power & still keep them reliable. I am sure there are a lot of tricks of the trade, thanks, Mick B.
-
I would think there is an endless list why things go wrong & get delayed. I would suspect that most editors try their best to deliver what they promised but life sometimes gets in the way of our very best intensions & nothing is left to save the day. I am sure the propshaft article will still be revellant when it arrives despite some of us been disappointed with the delay. Overall the Model Boat Mag delivers 95% of the time & that is a pretty good average where I sit.Mick B.
-
I think Videon was just saying that the article was actually delivered but the content was not as described on the previous box ..... It was not scratch building but modding.
Dave
-
Yes Dave you are correct, but if you follow what was done I think it was O/K, but then not every one can think it through to a conclusion. We hope they do it again better than the first time. Mick B.
-
Hi Scoop, I would like to see some of the work & the layout inside the boat & what can be done to the motors to gain more power & still keep them reliable. I am sure there are a lot of tricks of the trade, thanks, Mick B.
Hi Mick,
March and April 2013 issues of Model Boats mag contain details of boat handling, recognising faults and how to rectify them in the BMPRS News column. I will take on board what you have requested but not every builder uses the same engine bay set up, they seem to find one they are happy with and use it for all boats. Regards tuning etc I will put in the odd bit of info at the end of my race articles as and where space allows.
Cheers
Scoop
-
Well my other hobby is astronomy - what relevance has that I hear you cry - well I could say exactly what you are saying here about astronomy magazines, all pushing equipment costed in the £1000's all crying the same about the quality of the articles and lack of youngsters coming into the hobby.
For my sins I edit and publish our club magazine, costings are expensive - we were quoted £600 to produce 100 copies of our magazine - in the end it was cheaper to buy our own printer and pay for the inks, half the published price and we have the printer for the next issue too. prior to that I would do the printing at work for free (with an acknowledgement).
The big problem is getting articles for magazines, people nowadays go on forums like this and document their progress online, then dont feel the need to get it together to put in print, we used to manage 4 issues a year, now we are down to 1, 50% of the issue is now sent electronically (reducing costs considerably).
I agree with a lot of the comments here, provision has to be made to make it easy for youngsters to get into hobbies (any hobby) articles are needed to help newcomers get going (especially the ones that recieved a new boat / kit for christmas).
Grendel
-
Thank you Scoop, it sounds like you have a very good feel for what is needed. I will be looking forward to the next issue. It is hard to get people to write anything these days but it is still the best way to get to a wider public. Grendel you made a smart move to cut costs but don't be tempted to drop your print copy. It would surprise you how many people read it. Mick B.
-
As stated above, writing for a commercial magazine is very different from doing a forum build blog. With the blog you can proceed at your own pace as you go along and if you decide to do something else for a week or two then you can. The whole thing is open ended. Photos don’t have to be wonderful as long as they show the point you are trying to make.
With a magazine, things are a lot different. It has to stand on the shelves next to all the other magazines and look equally professional even if it is being produced on a fraction of their budgets. Contributors need to carefully structure their material, usually working to a specified word count and number of illustrations. Text needs to be properly spelt and grammatically correct (Editors don’t have a lot of time for re writing). Photos need to be of excellent quality, not only in terms of being in focus but also composed to give visual impact. They must also be capable of being cropped without undue loss of quality if the designer needs to save a bit of space on the layout. Obviously you will need to have all your material available before you start (series articles as used to appear many years ago are not popular these days) and if you are doing a two parter then the Editor will still want all the material up front for space planning purposes and to be sure that he/she isn’t left standing at the altar with part one only!
Above all, you are writing for a much bigger audience. Items on forums like Mayhem will typically be read by a few hundred people at most, both the main model boating magazines have a circulation of thousands – ten times as many.
Another point is that if you have written a detailed build blog, don’t assume you can rework it into an article for publication. Editors are not usually interested in publishing material which is already in the public domain, they like exclusives!
Don’t be put off writing for the magazines, but do recognise that you do need to be a bit more organised than when doing a blog. Both the main boating magazines are happy to offer guidance and help to prospective contributors but they won’t do your job for you.
Colin
-
we wont be dropping the paper copy - we did a poll and 50% wanted electronic, but 60% still wanted paper (ie 10% wanted both) we changed the membership forms so you had to opt in to a paper copy, plus have said that you may be charged a contribution toward postage (another huge part of the cost). When you look at the costings its a surprise the magazines on the shelves can be put out at such a cheap price (I know volume sales help bring costs down - but still..)
Grendel
-
Hi Grendel & also Colin, if this kind of work was easy everyone would be doing it. What we do see today is some very bad writing in articles & such. It has a lot to do with how simple some seem to think it is. One must give credit to some of the excellent work we still see in the magazines we buy on a regular basis. Mick B.
-
As stated above, writing for a commercial magazine
Colin
Note the larger font in Colin's text :o O0
-
HI,
Large or small font, as long its about model boats, and is in moden world, and is aimed at the scratch builders.....
and the young ones , i think there is room for more improvment in both mags , nice to see Colin fighting is corner.
i think he could edit a new mag....... better still if took on board BLUE BIRD........ winge over ....
i will stick with on line sites........more info there and dont have to fork out wasted monnies....Larry...
-
Note the larger font in Colin's text
That's simply because I composed the answer in MS Word to avoid the risk of it disappearing when I pressed send! When you paste from another program you can't always be sure how it will come out. Just be glad it wasn't a combination of flashing and fluorescent!
Colin :-)
-
Well to get back to the tread I got my March Issue this morning and was very disappointed will be thinking of canceling my subcribion as contents is very poor again but this is only my view. Am getting fed up of flicking though it in a few seconds instead of a hour or so good read.
Regards Howard.
-
Larry,
I was not fighting my corner, just pointing out the difference between a professionally produced magazine format and the blogs and other posts that appear on forums. If you went in to W.H. Smith and bought a magazine which was full of spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and unstructured text with dodgy photos you would quite rightly complain. Yet that is something which is commonly accepted on forums. Also, the information you get in a magazine will have been edited and subjected to checks for correctness by the Editor but on a Forum anyone can post what they like whether it is right or not and mistakes are often not picked up and where they are there can frequently be an argument between people who are sometimes not well informed. In short, the internet is a free for all and you venture in at your peril. That is not to say it isn't useful but you do need to take what you read with a pinch of salt and cross check it wherever possible.
Colin
-
Would be nice to be able to go into a W H Smiths Colin and buy a copy of Model Boats Magazine as where I live I can never get a special issue as there say Scunthorpe is not big enough so have to make a 65 mile round trip to Doncaster To get each year so pleased I subscribe and get my monthly one in the post.
Regards Howard.
-
You could always order one, probably cost less than the fuel for the round trip.
We have some very good content coming together for this year's Special issue. It will be advertised in the May issue of the regular magazine.
Colin
-
Hi Colin, I just got my March issue & it is as usual good reading. I will have to place a special order for the special edition. I have personally always found it is well worth the price, keep up the good work. Mick B.
-
Model Boat magazine is normally good thought it was Marine Modelling International we was finding poor lately I know i have and thats the one I was on about.
Regards Howard.
-
Howard I can't comment on Marine Modelling as I have never read it. I am thinking of getting a subscription to it though. Any mag that expands our scope & boat building skills can't be all bad. If like you say the content is not up to par it will pay the price in lost sales. Mick B.