What Do You Think Of Sea Ray Living Magazine?

I happen to like it.

I will never be featured in it, and no boat that I will ever own will be written about but I don't think that there is another manufacturer out there, other than possibly Harley Davidson, that cares as much about the people who own their products like Sea Ray does.

Keep my subscription coming.

Bob
 
I think their approach is aimed at a specific segment of the market which are obviously people with means to afford new boats. Which is perfectly fine. But, as someone stated on a post a few days ago, the small runabouts are now $50k. That price point probably hits alot of people. My point is this: aim the marketing at a wider audience, such as the audience CSR represents...small, big, old, new...all walks of life. You need people moving into good, used older boats both big and small just as much as you need people moving into new models. You have to like or want to buy my boat before I can move into a different boat, whether its new or used. If you raise the bath water, all the toys float higher.
 
When I had my 220, the flagrant marketing of large boats angered me, then I bought a 330DA and this year a 390DA...Apparently, I'm their target audience :-D
 
They did a story on Lake Cumberland a few years ago. Funny how many dressed up and acted differently so they would look like the magazine when they came and tied up with the group.

Lots of us did our normal boating thing like any other weekend tie up. Of course they only took pictures of the 'fancied' up people serving the drinks with umbrellas :) Oh, and they certainly where not interested in taking pictures of our older sea rays, only the biggest and newest models.
 
Lets face it - if you post here on CSR you are not Sea Ray Living's target audience. The majority of us here are the one's keeping the older boats alive and having fun on the water. SRL's target audience buys the large models brand new, has the marina maintain them 100%, and trades them in every 3-5 years. With that said, I do enjoy flipping through the pages of SRL for entertainment....also, it makes good bathroom reading.
 
It is marketing at it's best. Sea Ray is in the business of selling new boats. They do feature some older boats. I like the president of Sea Ray and what he writes.
 
What the entire boating industry needs is a realistic boating magazine with practical articles and reviews. First, there are never (or at least very rarely) a real negative review. Forget the new 500K+ boats because that audience isn't looking at these mags anyway.

Look at Excellence (Porsche mag) or Forza (Ferrair) mag, sure they review the new models but the majority of the mag is about the older models, how to shop for a certain model, price ranges, interviews with owners of older cars who actually uses them, etc.

Wouldn't it be great to be able to sit down and read a monthly magazine about boating that actually targets the "normal" demographics. The guy who winterizes his engine but can't rebuild it, the couple who weekend regularly with two kids on a 30' boat, general maintenance upkeep, etc. I'd love an in-depth review and article of the boats that are in our price range. For me, I have no interest in the 26' 100K wakeboard boat when for 90K you can get a beautiful 2001-2004 340 SD.

Just thinking out loud here....
 
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