Praktical Sailor

[ebb]

Was just about to toss an envelope into the recycle.
P.S. wants me back. Their letter addressed to "Dear Fellow Mariner" is written by what appears to be a professional advertising writer as it has all the indication of the species. "Say, YES! to this Risk-Free Invitation and get......etc." "NOW AT A PRICE SO LOW..." "FREE BONUS GIFT" and other shill that indicates a marketer has you by the labels.
It's especially egregious from an outfit that is supposed to blow through garbage speak in testing consumer products.

"Dear Fellow Mariner,
It's sunset. You've dropped anchor off Key Biscayne and would like to wake up the next morning in the same harbor. Who will tell you, before you set sail, that the steel and aluminum anchor you're using won't hold in mud? Not the anchor manufacturer."
Unless PS has done more anchor tests since I no longer get their publication, the only tests they ever did was SUV pull tests in marina mud. Totally noncredible imco. Other tests, not PS, have been done, that were NOT done in mud. If I drop my anchor because I was influenced by a PS test then I better have another think coming!
Just what is meant by the phrase: 'steel and aluminum anchor'?
Whether it holds in MUD is not the point! It is what the hell is it doing on your sailboat anyway? OK.

"You've decided to repaint the bottom of your Alberg(sic) sloop with one of the new anti-fouling, anti-slime paints. Who will tell you which brand works best before you spend $100 per gallon. Not the paint manufacturer."
Really took me aback to see Alberg mentioned. Afterall, PS's chow is new products and new boats - so that's a surprise. Maybe they COULD tell me about bottom paints, but I think their testing methods suck. They paint small squares of different products SIDE BY SIDE on panels and place them in a slough for various periods.
Don't know if that is exactly true since I've been onboard. But tests should be designed for active boats in active water at varying temperatures in various climates. Might even test these bottoms on boats.
The place you find out about the bottom used in your area is at your local yard - and from other sailors.
Trinidad has the best reputation of them all.
If you are using a copper sloughing paint, use the one with the highest % copper in it.

"WHY YOU CAN TRUST US
....."I don't have to tell you, it's expensive to own a sailboat. If just one tip from P.S. saves you hundreds on a navionics system or thousands on your next sailboat, sending for your risk-free subscription will have been well worth it. Won't you mail in your Discount Voucher Today?"...

What was that?
Dang, too much wind!
(and they never got around to telling this fellow mariner how my subscription was "risk free".)

[Tim D.]

somewhere it stated that you subscription would be automatically renewed unless you wrote in a stop notice. Nothing "risk free" about that!

[Bill]

OK Ebb, why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel?

[ebb]

Want some mo'?
Their regular subscription goes for $69 (from their internet web site)
for Seven (7) issues.
OK? That's every other month!

The "cover price" on the 'discount voucher' mentioned above is $52.50. Whatzat? Are they trying to appear like they have a more reasonable price?
They don't tell me, the gudgeon, anywhere in the mailing what the usual sub rate is. The "cover price" is $16.50 LESS than the real subscription rate. Which is gonna be my BIG surprise when I get pinteled at renewal time.

The one time "courtesy rate" on the voucher is $14.97. That's not bad. But what is the "cover price" quoted above? The DISCOURTEOUS rate?
And why isn't the actual subscription price quoted? Discourteous?
(I would ask Lewis Black to say a few words here:
"$*@?*&!*X! - *)":.>@#!!!")

Perhaps they are. (discourteous)
You won't be paying that bait rate ever again. Or even the cover price.

[Tony G]

'Don't want to incite a mob, but, has some one here ever known anyone anywhere that has actually received their 'free' gift for re-uping? I have yet to see one after many times of being duped.

However, if you wait long enough some of the periodicals will slice as much as 90% off cover price. That's usually when I cave.

[bill@ariel231]

yup, i got the "leatherman clone" as a free gift back when Dan Spurr still edited the magazine. it lasted less than 30 seconds on the first job attempted.... got what i paid for it. On the other hand i thought there was still some value to the magazine when he was the editor..