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I
can almost hear the collective scoff when I say, “Welcome to the
new and improved Power & Motoryacht,” and why not? Few
are the words in the lexicon of American media more often overused and
less often earned. But if you’ll grant me a few minutes, I’ll
prove PMY has earned the right to use them.
What
you’re about to see is the result of a year of research and planning,
and all of the changes spring from two goals: to make PMY more
informative and more fun. One way we’re doing this is with our new
look, the joint effort of Aimée Colon, our art director, and Sara
Hylan, our former art director. The look is cleaner and more modern and
breaks up most of the columns into segments that invite “grazing,”
picking out subjects that are of particular interest to you.
The
content of the columns has changed, too. “Latest & Greatest”
now offers useful stuff you might not normally consider “boating
gear,” products chosen because we believe they’re things you’ll
actually want to have aboard. You’ll find publications, CDs, and
even Web sites here, and we invite you to offer submissions on things
that have worked well for you.
“Just
Launched” continues to bring you news of boats that are so new we
haven’t been able to test them yet. However, instead of equally
detailing three launches each month, we now cover one significant launch
in detail and provide short synopses of two or even three others.
“FYI”
emphasizes fun. You’ll still find boating-related news, a quiz,
and a boat-show calendar, but you’ll also find a counter that tracks
out-of-the-ordinary statistics, a mini-interview with a high-profile boater
or industry rep on an unexpected subject, and “Stuff We Like,”
which will feature anything from something nifty we saw on a boat test
to an inventive product we found while out in the field.
“Cruising”
has been replaced by “Cruising Life,” which provides firsthand
stories and hands-on tips for living aboard. We’re actively seeking
submissions from cruisers to make this column as relevant as possible,
but we haven’t forgotten about covering cruising destinations. You’ll
find feature-length stories about those in future issues.
At
3 1/2 pages, “Electronics” is now the largest column
in its field, and more important, it continues to be authored by Ben Ellison,
hands-down the best boating electronics columnist. The pages will be divided
among a main story, “Electronics Q & A,” and a smattering
of notable new electronics.
We’re
also bringing back an old favorite: “Sportfishing Digest,”
which will run four times a year and focus not so much on technique as
on the unique people who make this such an interesting sport. And of course,
your old favorites are still here, although they may look a little different.
Fexas remains our “Spectator,” but you may find him even edgier,
and Capt. Bill Pike still offers his quirky take on life on the water
in “At Sea.” Diane Byrne, a.k.a. The Megayacht Queen, continues
to use “Megayachts” to bring you up to speed on the latest
big-yacht launches and the people who make these gold-platers so interesting.
Finally,
there’s one change you probably won’t notice right away. We’ll
be asking—and paying—readers to tell us what they’re
doing on the water, share an entertaining yarn, provide a proven tip,
or just sound off about what’s good or bad or ugly in boating. After
all, it’s people who make boating such a special activity.
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