Latitudes & Attitudes / Living Aboard Sold

[Janet H]

I was interested to read about the sale today of Latitudes and Attitudes and Living Aboard magazine. Anyone here a regular reader?

[Qldcruiser]

Yeah, I am.

Always a good read without the stiffness of the more mainstream mags.

I hope it doesn't lose the carefree nature it has always had.

Cheers
Rob & Annette
S/V Blue Lady

[redbopeep]

I just went to the site of the new owners--they're definitely NOT the freewheeling folks that started L&A. So, this will be an interesting transition.

[kpaternoster]

Hi there! I'm one of the new owners of LatsAtts/Living Aboard, and saw your message. I wanted to respond that while we aren't the "freewheeling" types that started L&A, we are planning on keeping the magazine's look & feel the same. There are a lot of subscribers that love the way the magazine is, and we don't want to change that by any means.

I also wanted to add that we are all avid sailors, NOT racers, but cruisers. My partner, Chris, and I are working towards our circumnavigation (hopefully on an older 42' something or other with a nice galley - gotta cook!). The other 2, DJ and Joe, were planning on cruising down the coast in the Baja HaHa, and then heading across the South Pacific.

We ARE business people though, and we want the magazine to not only survive but thrive. We all see value in what Bob has created, and we want it to continue.

Anyway, all we can ask is for a chance... and so far, we've been greeted with open arms by the industry. That's probably more than you were interested in reading, but I wanted to say we're really one of you all, and excited about what the future holds.

Thanks, and hope to hear from anyone that would like to be in contact! Any ideas are welcome.

kim

[redbopeep]

Hi, Kim

Welcome! And thanks for whetting our appetites about your own personal experiences with cruising. Please come back and tell us more about yourselves and your cruising goals.

I have enjoyed much of L&A in the past--and when it was just a magazine I used to give L&A subscriptions to friends that I though needed to think about unwinding. Even so, as I'm not of the freewheeling nature I was referring to, I'm giving YOU a real compliment in #3 above Take it. And I am really looking forward to the transition and sure hope it meets some of my expectations!

[kpaternoster]

Hi again - thanks for the warm welcome here too. Thanks for the compliment too... we are probably more freewheeling than it appears... hehe... but thanks anyway!

So, Chris and I met in Austin TX 8+ years ago, and we were both lake sailors on Lake Travis. I am from California though, and once you have lived on the ocean, it's hard to be inland (no matter how good the food, drinks and music is). We sailed all the time - 2-3 days a week. Then, we just decided why not come back out to California and set ourselves up to buy a boat, move onto it, and go cruising. I had been running my own company that pretty much moves wherever my computer moves, so we figured I could probably work from the boat.

My how things have changed... we moved back out to the Bay Area almost 4 years ago. Chris hacked one of his fingers off right after we got here with a table saw while he was building our nightstands (he makes beautiful furniture). In an effort to help him get out of his depression about his future, I sent him to get his 6-pack license. He stayed for 2 weeks and finished out the Masters Near Coastal. In the meantime, our good friend Lisa bought the Sailtime base here in San Francisco, and Chris because her base manager and director of her sailing school. Those 2 together in the first year earned ASA Outstanding Instructor of the Year and Outstanding School of the Year.

Now, this year, as if things couldn't get even more interesting, we start talking with Bob about his future, and find out he wants to sell the mag to someone to help him take it to the next level (he wants to stay involved with creative, but didn't want to run the business side of things). We've been working on this for a good part of this year (since April). So... that's where we are now...

As for our own cruising plans, they've kind of been put on hold for a bit as you can imagine. Chris and I were lucky and found this place with a boat slip in the backyard, but no boat to put in it (well, that's not entirely true, we do have a boat back there, but it's not a boat you'd want to go cruising in - too small). We thought we would buy something that Chris could work on, and then we could slip into her and take off. I think that will be delayed for a while now, but at least it's a sailing-related business and not something too boring!

We have a pretty good idea what boats we'd like. In an ideal world, and with a lot of cash to spend, we'd love a newer Valiant 42 (but as you know that's an expensive boat). We looked at an 80's vintage Hans Christian 43 a few weeks ago, and I absolutely fell in love with that boat. Chris tends towards Bob Perry designed boats, and as is typical of my pink side, I like to look at the shower separated from the head and the galley layout.

We're both good sailors, though Chris is a GREAT sailor, and my sailing has really wilted in the past couple of years living out here. I don't get out on boats near enough, and when I do, it's usually so cold that it's not all the fun. I stopped skiing for the same reason! But, eventually we'll get it together, and we'll start headed down that path again.

I look forward to hearing more from you too, especially about any ideas you have to keep the look/feel of L&A the "same", but completely different (if you know what I mean). We're open to ideas!

Thanks again, and I suppose that's still probably more than you wanted to know, but there you have it.

kim

[redbopeep]

Hey, thanks for all the info. How we all got here is always interesting and never obvious!

I've always thought of Bob Bitchin as the "real deal" in terms of his biker image as well as the whole L&A brand image. I appreciate the guy because of that. However for every "real" biker out there, we all know 100 suburban Dilberts with their polished up Harley in the garage just waiting for that Sunday outing...uh...let's see...brunch at the nearby B&B and then a ride to look at sailboats down at the marina...and this week, our Dilbert will be dropping off the bike at the dealer for the routine maintenance...Dilbert doesn't have time nor inclination nor skill to fix things himself...

Get my drift?

Well, back to Bob--I like Bob and the extension of Bob that was/is L&A. Now, many of the boomers out there dreaming of cruising like that whole L&A cruising idea too. Their stack of old L&A fit in the rubbermaid bin right next to their HOG in the garage.

Just as Harley has recently re-focused their marketing efforts on the real market potential of younger bikers (look at this article "Bare bones bikers Help Harley Slay Geezer Glide Image" I hope that the new L&A team will be able to tweak and change to attract and support the conversion of younger cruiser-wanna-be's into cruisers who are going places.

On a personal note--I know what you mean about "cold" burrrrr....I'm beginning to think I'm a total wimp these days! I often have so much clothing layered on that I look like the Michelin man! And that's in the summertime

It is often cold on the Bay sailing, though. Of course if you're able to take off and cruise while putting out the magazine, you'll be finding yourselves in warmer climates--right?

Fair winds,

[TravelingAgain]

This is too funny! I just joined today cruiserlog today because I am heading down to the Caribbean in a couple of weeks and hope, hope, hope to lend a hand here and there to be able to sail and island hop. I wanted to see if there were any women here and was happy to find JanetH as a moderator. So I'm reading this thread... and the story I'm reading sounds familiar and I look at the name of the poster again... well, that's because I know her.
Hello Kim!
Hello everyone, actually.
I actually sailed on Lake Travis with her, on my friend's boat. I was a guest in Kim's home at the time. She's good people. Give her a chance to get comfortable.
(Wow, I know a magazine owner. Cool.)
I never expected to be posting this!
And now back to my original goal — to get to know folks here and post and hopefully find some sailing opportunities from Florida or PR.
~ Deb

[redbopeep]

Welcome, Deb. Please go over to the Tavern and introduce yourself and your cruising goals. You'll be more visible there than here!

Also you may wish to look over the crew ads in our CrewFinder

I look forward to hearing more about you and your plans,

Fair winds,

[Mate1860]

Aloha Kim,

Just a suggestion....

Every yacht club we have visited (and Harley Davidson) have the same concerns. How to draw younger members (or riders). It seems the demographic stays the same and/or is just getting older.
Maybe have a regular article dedicated to drawing younger readers and future sailors (features on youth sailing programs, regular content written by young sailors, a kiddie page so children can read after Mom or Dad?).

Good luck with the magazine, looking forward to seeing the changes.

[redbopeep]

Sad news. Lats & Atts has shut down.

Info

[redbopeep]

Sad news. Lats & Atts has shut down.

Info