Member input needed, re: selling sailFar

[CapnK]

All -

I have been contacted by one of the bigger boating publications, one which has been around since before the 80's, and they have told me that they want to buy out sailFar, for a six-figure sum.

My attorney has told me that I cannot go too deeply into the details of the transaction, so I won't name specific names or numbers, suffice to say that perhaps we have changed the 'cruising world' a bit, even though our membership is not 450,000...

I am somewhat flabbergasted by this, it was totally unexpected, and has all happened only this week.

:o

What to do?

It seems that the magazine is receiving a huge amount of subscription cancellations, that many of their readers have heard of us and have been reading and understanding what it is we are experiencing and writing about with our KISS-principle small boating philosophy. These same ex-subscribers are extremely unhappy and disappointed that they only hear about big-boat boating in the magazine, and have begun to leave in droves.

The magazines buying of the site would allow them to effectively get rid of our somewhat subversive-to-their-interest example that glossy mags are 'selling', not necessarily 'sailing', publications.

This puts me in a bit of a dilemma. I do strongly believe in what we are doing/experiencing/teaching, but that six-figure sum will allow me to buy the 45'+ boat of my dreams, one complete with all the electronics, hot and cold running water, plasma satellite TV, roller furling, etc...

I am thinking hard about it. I hope you'll all understand it if the site disappears later this week.

Good luck. In the future, I will toast you all with a finely blended, icy cold margarita from the deck of my Formosa.

Ciao', little-boat people.

[AdriftAtSea]

Nah, I don't believe it.. given the date, and the fact that you'd be miserable on a Formosa... all that maintenance... you'd be spending more time varnishing than you would sailing.. and how would the crew dogz get on and off a beastie that big???

However, you are probably right about Sailfar being a bit on the subversive side...catering towards smaller boats to do what the magazines and mass media want us to think can only be done in bigger, more expensive boats. 

One point a friend of mine made recently is that in many areas, when he is out cruising, he finds that boats larger than 35' often have trouble finding a slip to dock at for the night...

[CharlieJ]

 ;D have another beer, look at the calendar and quit dreaming :o

[bayracer]

Give this guy 100 of those------ minus karmas  and call me in the morning after the beer wears off.  Talking about magazines, I don't read propaganda as a rule. Its all paid publicity, every single issue under every single title.

[Lynx]

If this site goes like the Big Mags then I will stop reading it as well.

[BobW]

While I've been impressed with SailFar's growth (I was #197 in November), it's unlikely anyone's going to pay six figures to get to 282 people!  Its also unlikely any Big Mag would notice the loss of 282 subscribers (assuming everyone of us ever subscribed to a Big Mag).

So let's just stay in the semi-subversive role you've carved out and continue to SailFar! ;D

[maxiSwede]

I didn´t know you had those April 1 jokes in the States too...

learning something new everyday here... keep up th good work CapnK and the rest of you!

;) ;D ;) ;D ;)

P.S: the spring time is coming to my cruising grounds too, will soon tell you all a little story of the first little voyage of the year. D.S.

[Bubba the Pirate]

Just another reason CapnK is our hero!!!

I love it!!   Keep up the good work! 


TrT

[Norm]

Cubemonkey and I came up for air after an arduous afternoon of stripping woodwork in the living room and read the subject post.

We got caught... it being April 2nd here and all that.

Now that we've restarted our hearts and scrolled down a bit.  Thanks for the humor.

Norm and Elizabeth

[AdriftAtSea]

He had to catch someone out... the date of the post was the giveaway for me... ;)

[CapnK]

Darn those CrewDogs - I knew I should never have taught them to type...  ;D

Hope everyone had a fun and surprising April Fools Day.  ;)

[AdriftAtSea]

CapnK-

I think the Crew Dogz spell better than you do... ;)

[bayracer]

Kurt, you own a frigging boat, located in the close proximity of many fishing hulls. We all know about fishermen, too.You cannot exist without some of it rubbing off on you.  ;)

[s/v Faith]

Any updates?

All -

I have been contacted by one of the bigger boating publications, one which has been around since before the 80's, and they have told me that they want to buy out sailFar, for a six-figure sum.

My attorney has told me that I cannot go too deeply into the details of the transaction, so I won't name specific names or numbers, suffice to say that perhaps we have changed the 'cruising world' a bit, even though our membership is not 450,000...

I am somewhat flabbergasted by this, it was totally unexpected, and has all happened only this week.

:o

What to do?

It seems that the magazine is receiving a huge amount of subscription cancellations, that many of their readers have heard of us and have been reading and understanding what it is we are experiencing and writing about with our KISS-principle small boating philosophy. These same ex-subscribers are extremely unhappy and disappointed that they only hear about big-boat boating in the magazine, and have begun to leave in droves.

The magazines buying of the site would allow them to effectively get rid of our somewhat subversive-to-their-interest example that glossy mags are 'selling', not necessarily 'sailing', publications.

This puts me in a bit of a dilemma. I do strongly believe in what we are doing/experiencing/teaching, but that six-figure sum will allow me to buy the 45'+ boat of my dreams, one complete with all the electronics, hot and cold running water, plasma satellite TV, roller furling, etc...

I am thinking hard about it. I hope you'll all understand it if the site disappears later this week.

Good luck. In the future, I will toast you all with a finely blended, icy cold margarita from the deck of my Formosa.

Ciao', little-boat people.

[Tim]

Well we have not heard much from El Capytan lately, maybe we are corporate owned and he is on a beach smiling.

[jotruk]

Good April fools joke you got me for a little while

[Oldrig]

Omigod! Could it be! Does any selling magazine really have that much money? Oh, yeah, it's April 1st.

Have a cold one on me, Cap'n!

[Gerald A. Gotts]

WOW, I've been away  for a bit and yes you got me too cap'n !!  I  was almost frantic , well maybe not quite frantic more like WOW he would really do that for a measly 6 figures.  C'mon ya'll know this thing is worth way more.

hats off to the Cap'n.  ya got me


p.s. I really would go through withdrawals.

[Navyvet]

LOL Wow OK at fist I was like 6 figure take it but I looked at the date... You almost got me hats off to you Capt. that was good. ;) It would be a sad :'( thing to lose this site but in this day and age if you can get money get it. 8)

[Godot]

Look closer at the date ... 2007.  What an odd post to resurface.