Re: [Paddlewise] Sea Kayaker Magazine

Hmm, let's see. Sea Kayaker magazine is now; no good/too flashy/too light
weight/too heavy/too local/too exotic etc.

I grabbed a stack of kayak-related publications at home and did a quick
comparison.

Sea Kayaker: Some articles were very relevant to me and were subjects I was
interested in. Much of it was of little relevance, but I despite this I read
some of those articles because they looked interesting, with a good use of
layout/graphics/illustrations.

Will add the copy to my collection.

Newsletter of local sea kayak organisation: Generally articles were of poor
quality, but I read them out of loyalty. I learnt a few things, and had an
involvement in several issues. Dated layout.

Will file the copy, just for the record.

Coaching publication from well-known international kayaking organisation:
Dismal. A couple of good points, but message is lost by poor writing and
awful layout. I tried hard, but despite my interest I didn't finish any
article. 

Will "recycle".

Newsletter from national instructor's organisation: Some good articles, many
not paddling related. If interesting I read anyway. Layout is classic
"newsletter" format.

Will lay around for a while and probably be "recycled".

I have paid for all of these publications, three as part of membership fees.
Sea Kayaker Magazine is the only one I troop down to my local kayak shop to
collect. 

Checking my back copies, they too had articles I didn't like. It was
interesting to note that a couple of previous authors were really bagged
over issues, they simply stopped writing, and the readers were the losers. A
dangerous precedent.

Sea Kayaker Magazine may not be perfect, and can not "be all, for all", but
looking at what else is around it is a winner.

Not too much time for reading at the moment anyway, too much paddling to be
done.

--------I have disclosed my involvement in the above publications.----------


-- 
John Kirk-Anderson
Banks Peninsula
NEW ZEALAND