2/26/10
Darrell Nicholson, the editor of P.S., called me this morning to scold me for an offensive sentence I have now deleted from a post above. In my defense I said it in jest. Most of the time it's obvious that their testing is without favor to one product. It's a tough sell. Especially single, new on the market non-comparison product reviews.
On his March 2010 'Rhumb Lines' editorial page he talks about blog posts, "Who's Lurking Behind Those Blog Posts?".
Last paragraph reads:
"Thankfully, Practical Sailor is not in the business of selling anything except what you have in your hand: reliable, forthright information based on independent, objective research and testing. We have no other interest than to provide our readers with the best available information on a wide rage of sailboats and sailing related products. If what you need is not in this month's issue, we've got it in our files, or we know where to find it. No need to wander the web, or wonder who to trust. Just email me at practicalsailor@belvoirpubs.com - or log on to www.practical-sailor.com, and you'll get a straight answer. But watch out for that diesel engine in the galley."
So P.S. is very sensitive to people like me who think they are legitimately looking deeper into whatever number of products tested in this tricolor case, and 'wandering the web' to do it. Sensistive to testing methods which should have some forthright reader review at times. Sensitive to just plain jerks and trouble-makers.
Darrell suggested I log on to his blog next time I had an issue, insidepracticalsailor.com.
He briefly explained the lengthy testing procedure and gathering of products to be tested: six months or more. The Hella omission and the AquaSignal omission were both because they were NOT on the market a half a year or more ago. Something maybe we couldn't know.
Told him I thought the editor should have mentioned these at the end of the test article before publication - and that another test/review was planned. ASAP.
I don't know what he told me about the allround whitelight omission. It bothers me that they without explanation did not review tricolors with allround lights. How can that just be ignored?
What does he mean about the "diesel engine in the galley"? Maybe he's refering to out of round, old fart curmudgeons like me. Bull in a china cabinet?
Still what we have in their expensive mag is what we see and read there.
But we should cut them some slack.
We have to take them at their word.
Understand that if we do get a comparison and a review of the absent led tricolors (AND ANCHOR LIGHTs) it will be at least 6 months from now.
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