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Best Canal Boat Mag


Gobbledygook

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Hello All,

 

I'm new to the world of uk Canal and Canal Boats and would like to spend some time on deciding what is best before dipping my toe in the water, so to speak.

 

What is the best magazine, that covers a wide spectrum and is the most informative ?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

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To be honest when starting out, buy them all. After a couple of months you'll weed out the ones that might not be relevant to you. We still subscribe to Canal Boat after 4 years, however never bother with any of the others now. If you're planning to build your own or fit out, other magazines might be preferable.

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Hello All,

 

I'm new to the world of uk Canal and Canal Boats and would like to spend some time on deciding what is best before dipping my toe in the water, so to speak.

 

What is the best magazine, that covers a wide spectrum and is the most informative ?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

For me it is a dead heat between Waterways World and Canal Boat with the third monthly Canals & Rivers falling someway behind the other two magazines. In Canal Boat I particularly enjoy the cruising guides (and the quite splendid photography) of Derek Pratt. In Waterways World I really enjoy the Better Boating series. (Admittedly I'm probably the only member of this esteemed forum who needs plenty of Better Boating advice!!) :lol:

 

So which is the best is purely subjective. You will just have to try them for yourself and decide which one suits you the best. I do think it will be hard to decide between Waterways World and Canal Boat, which is why I subscribe to both!

 

Good reading!

 

Stewey

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I subscribe to neather. Infact i dont subscribe to any magazines about anything.

 

As the others say, depends what you want, waterways world is proberbly the one i read most, but theres really only becuase i see more of it on the boat.

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For me it is a dead heat between Waterways World and Canal Boat with the third monthly Canals & Rivers falling someway behind the other two magazines. In Canal Boat I particularly enjoy the cruising guides (and the quite splendid photography) of Derek Pratt. In Waterways World I really enjoy the Better Boating series. (Admittedly I'm probably the only member of this esteemed forum who needs plenty of Better Boating advice!!) :lol:

 

So which is the best is purely subjective. You will just have to try them for yourself and decide which one suits you the best. I do think it will be hard to decide between Waterways World and Canal Boat, which is why I subscribe to both!

 

Good reading!

 

Stewey

 

Stewey,

 

I agree with you. I started with Carnal Boat which was good for the erotic life on canals, cruising and peeping. Then I also subscribed to Waterways World, which I find more practical hands on.

 

Maybe somebody should start a magazine called Canal Boat Mechanics with more technical articles? Looking at some of the questions on topics exhibited here, there is certainly a demand for the answers!!

 

Keith

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Practical Boat Owner and Classic Boat both contain more useful information, about the practical side of boating than any of the Inland rags.

 

If you want to read the latest sycophantic review of the new Clonecraft narrow boat though...

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For a good starting point I would say Waterways World and Canal Boat, but just buy one or two of each to help you understand their style and then it is down to what you like best.

 

Towpath Telegraph can be useful and as it is free then if you do not like that issue it is good to get the Morso going anyway.

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Stewey,

 

I agree with you. I started with Carnal Boat which was good for the erotic life on canals, cruising and peeping. Then I also subscribed to Waterways World, which I find more practical hands on.

 

Maybe somebody should start a magazine called Canal Boat Mechanics with more technical articles? Looking at some of the questions on topics exhibited here, there is certainly a demand for the answers!!

 

Keith

 

"erotic" ???? :lol: :lol: Bloody hell, I've been missing something, somewhere! :lol:

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Canal Boat was fine, especially the Nov.07 edition :lol: when Kevin was editing it but since he has given up being editor (but still doing everything else) they seem to be employing the same proof readers as Canals and Rivers. That means that there is an error virtually every sentence with some making no sense at all. I must say however, there has been a substantial deterioration in all magazines and as I have a complete set of Waterways Worlds for comparison the decline in both quality and quantity of content is as dramatic as it is sad.

Edited by PaddingtonBear
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:lol:

Canal Boat was fine, especially the Nov.07 edition :lol: when Kevin was editing it but since he has given up being editor (but still doing everything else) they seem to be employing the same proof readers as Canals and Rivers. That means that there is an error virtually every sentence with some making no sense at all. I must say however, there has been a substantial deterioration in all magazines and as I have a complete set of Waterways Worlds for comparison the decline in both quality and quantity of content is as dramatic as it is sad.

 

Re Canal Boat - I think you and me must be reading different magazines - by your calculation there there must be a couple of hundred errors in each magazine - can you point me out a couple of dozen in the current edition?

 

Tim

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Canal Boat was fine, especially the Nov.07 edition :lol: when Kevin was editing it but since he has given up being editor (but still doing everything else) they seem to be employing the same proof readers as Canals and Rivers. That means that there is an error virtually every sentence with some making no sense at all. I must say however, there has been a substantial deterioration in all magazines and as I have a complete set of Waterways Worlds for comparison the decline in both quality and quantity of content is as dramatic as it is sad.

 

 

Are you sure you aren't following the same spelling book as me - it was written by eeyore or something, the idea is to have an average of correct spelling over a lifetime. This means using all the right letters, but not always in the right places.... :lol:

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Front Page features in Practical Boat Owner over the last few months:

 

Top 10 boats to trail and sail (from £3500)

 

French Riviera, on a shoestring

 

6 Practical Projects.

 

How to spot a bargain cruiser (from just £1500)

 

12 modern classics (from just £6000)

 

Spring fit-out special.

 

And from (the posher) Yachting Monthly.

 

Solar panels and wind generators (group test and buyer's guide)

 

What's your boat worth?

 

20 battery power tips.

 

How to get afloat for less than £5000

 

(and also) "They sneaked on board and attacked us with machetes" (the offshore equivalent to Finch)

 

When the inland mags start writing up about attainable boating, for the young and less well-off, I'll start buying them again.

 

You read here about real enthusiasts, like Janet, GRPcruiserman and others who get their boaty fix without having to spend thousands and, apologies to others, I find that far more interesting reading than "We look at another Clonecraft, worth more than your house."

 

If you want to get a bigger audience, write about achievable goals, as well as the Bugatti Veyrons of the boat world.

 

I love to read about how ridiculously expensive it was to restore Lulworth but a story about a couple who rebuilt their 21' Kestrel for less than a grand makes my goals look achievable, too.

 

The inland mags don't provide this and give the impression that anyone who spends less than £50k on their boat is no better than a licence dodging continuous moorer.

 

Rant over.

  • Greenie 1
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bones passes carlt a bun.

I would also add (no bun bribe necessary, though) that I find the "Canal Boat" pundits columns (not sure of the correct term) by the likes of Bones and Phil a most entertaining read.

 

Just the right length for the WH Smith reading rooms, but not enough to persuade me to buy the mag.

 

If they were given 2 pages, of course, I'd be unable to finish before those familiar words "It's not a library, you know!" rang out.

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dot dot dot

 

Just the right length for the WH Smith reading rooms, but not enough to persuade me to buy the mag.

 

If they were given 2 pages, of course, I'd be unable to finish before those familiar words "It's not a library, you know!" rang out.

 

 

I find that fainting whilst holding the mag in a reading position usually gives one enough time to finish the second page of an interesting article....

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I find that fainting whilst holding the mag in a reading position usually gives one enough time to finish the second page of an interesting article....

 

I really must get my eyes retested - I read that as farting, at the first attempt! :lol::lol:

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I really must get my eyes retested - I read that as farting, at the first attempt! :lol::lol:

 

I think, on reflection, that would be a better idea. Sure to clear the area for the entire day.

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When the inland mags start writing up about attainable boating, for the young and less well-off, I'll start buying them again.

There is - and has been for the 10 or so years I've been working on waterway magazines - a desperate shortage of people willing and able to write (and photograph) cogently about practical boating matters for the inland market. I would be absolutely delighted to hear from anyone who thinks they might be able to do it.

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There is - and has been for the 10 or so years I've been working on waterway magazines - a desperate shortage of people willing and able to write (and photograph) cogently about practical boating matters for the inland market. I would be absolutely delighted to hear from anyone who thinks they might be able to do it.

 

I would love to!

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:lol:

 

Re Canal Boat - I think you and me must be reading different magazines - by your calculation there there must be a couple of hundred errors in each magazine - can you point me out a couple of dozen in the current edition?

 

Tim

I recall 1 sentance I had to read 3 times before deciding it just was not going to make sense and gave up. Latest issue. Not really a couple of hundred.

I also must admit to reading Bones page first each month. They tend to be amusing. (I mean that in the nicest possible way Bones...)

 

I would be interested to hear what a skeleton-fart sounds like.... :lol:

 

edit ... for the lack of proof reading before posting :lol:

Edited by Shinner
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I once applied for a post as Technical Writer with Waterways World in 2004.. I was short listed to a group of four, each of which was given a project of 500 to 600 words accompanied by photo's and diagrams, working from home that was a problem for me, the editor at that time was Hugh Potter.

 

Didn't get the job of course but the experience was interesting.

 

Feel free to PM me for a bit more detail.

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