Boat Magazines
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For the aspiring boat owner or experienced yachtsmen, there were many boating periodicals available. These magazines reviewed new boats, offered industry news, or related stories of cruises and journeys by boat. National or regional, monthly or bimonthly, these magazines offered up the latest in travel, equipment, or techniques for servicing or improving their boats or motors.
General interest magazines featured special annual boating features including Outdoor Life (February), Field & Stream (January), Popular Mechanics (March), Mechanix Illustrated (April), and Popular Science (March). Some of these general interest magazines published booklets such as Mechanix Illustrated's "Boat Show" / "Outboard Boating Handbook" and Popular Mechanics "All About Boating".
All About Boats- A small annual magazine/booklet published by Popular Mechanics. At least one edition from 1958 is known to have been issued.
Boat & Equipment News- This magazine was published in at least the 1940's through the mid-50's and had both commercial craft and recreational craft issues.
Boat & Motor Dealer - Published monthly except for December and July by Publishers' Development Corporation, Inc. of Skokie, Illinois. Vol. 3, No. 4 was the April 1960 issue, so maybe this magazine started publication in 1957?
Boat Sport - Published by H.K. Publications, Silver Springs, Maryland, issues from May 1952 (Vol. 1, No. 1) to April 1958 are known. This periodical had eight issues per year, though it may have started with less. Eventually publication became bimonthly and known as Aqua Sport (Including Boat Sport) for the June-July 1958 issue (the 40th issue). This magazine heavily featured the sport of outboard boat racing with many ads and articles from racers.
Boatcraft - "How to Build, Repair, Maintain and Enjoy Your Boat". By July 1958, this is "Boatcraft, Including Outboarding Guide", which itself was an earlier publication. By the mid-1960's, this was "Boatcraft; the Boatman's Handbook Incorporating Boat builders", with summer and winter issues in 1964, an August/September issue in 1965 by Science and Mechanics Publishing Co. of New York. This company apparently published this title from 1963 on.
Boating Industry - "The Business Paper of Pleasure and Commercial Boating". This monthly publication may date back to 1929. National Trade Publications, Inc. published this magazine in Latham, New York. Vol. 23, no. 9 was published in Sept. 10, 1960. It is still being published as Boating Industry International. An annual Marine Buyer's Guide issue was published each year. At some point this magazine absorbed the "Marine Business" publication.
Boats - Published monthly by Motor Boat Publications, 1953 (Vol. 50) - 1960 (Vol. 57). Rolled into Rudder magazine to be “Rudder, incorporating Boats” in November 1960. This publication billed itself as "The Practical Magazine of Power, Outboards and Sail".
Boat Show - "Photographs and Descriptions of Over 225 Boats You Can Buy or Build From Kits". This was a printed by Fawcett Books, a publication of Mechanix Illustrated magazine. At least one edition from 1952 is known.
The Complete Book of Small Boats - this was published by MACO in at least a 1954 issue.
The Fisherman - Published in Oxford, Ohio. This magazine began in June 1950 with volume 1, number 1, as the "Midwest Fisherman" by Midwest Fisherman, Inc. The name was shortened to "The Fisherman" with the June 1951 issue (Vol. 2, No 7). Publication was monthly the last issue occurring in August 1958. Outdoor Life absorbed this magazine in November 1958 and it was no more.
Hot Boat - This magazine was active the 1960's with at least a Summer 1963 issue known. This issue had the tagline "American Yachtsman- West Coast Boating News".
How to Enjoy Outboarding - Found with the tagline "Outboard Boating". This is known to have Winter, Spring, and Summer 1956 issues. This became "Outboard Boating Guide", perhaps for the Fall 1956 issue.
Lakeland Yachting - Known from at least 1946 to 1951.
Lakeland Boating - Published monthly in Sheboygan, Wisconsin by Lakeshore Publications. Official publication of the Inter-lake Yachting Association. From 1957 (Vol. 12) on through the 1990s. Also found as Lakeland Boating Central States.
Marine Dealer - "The Monthly News and Merchandizing Magazine for The Boating Trade", 1950's to 1960s?
Motor Boat - Published in New York, NY by Motor Boat Publishing Co. Vol. 1, no. 1 (Apr. 1904)- v. 50, no. 10 (Oct. 1953). Renamed and continued as Boats in 1953.
Motor Boating - First published in 1907 by The Motor Boating Company, Inc. of New York City, New York, most issues of this long-running magazine are on Google Books
Outboard - "Cruising, Skiing, Fishing, Racing" by Outboard Magazines, Inc. of Tallahassee, Florida. Monthly issues are known from 1956 to 1960 with possibly a greater range published. Vol. 5, issue 11 was December 1958, so this magazine may have started in 1953?
Outboard Boating - This was the annual publication of the Outboard Boating Club of America. Vol. 6, Number 1 was January-February 1951, so maybe this publication began in 1945?
Outboard Boating Guide - This was advertised with the tagline: "Boats, Motors, Trailers, Cruising, Water Sports". The Fall 1956 issue was found with the note "Formerly 'How to Enjoy Outboard Boating'". This may be the same publication rolled into "Boatcraft" Magazine by July 1958. This may have be a quarterly publication with a "Fall 1956" issue and May, September, November 1957 issues known.
Outboard Boating Handbook - by noted boating writer Hank Bowman, this was a Fawcett "How To Book" printing, published by Mechanix Illustrated who also issued the "Boat Show" magazine. At least a 1959 edition is known.
Popular Boating - This magazine began publication in October 1956 with the tagline "The New Magazine for Boatmen... Power and Sail". Many issues of this magazine are [Available on Google Books].
Power Boating - Dates from the 1910's? by Penton Publishing Company of Cleveland, Ohio.
Pacific Motor Boat - Published beginning around 1908 in Seattle, later in Newport Beach, California by Sea Publications, 1952 - 1973 (Vol. 65). Renamed to be Sea: the Pacific Coast Yachting Magazine.
Rudder - Published in New York by the Rudder Publishing Co., 1890 (Vol. 1) - 1977 (Vol. 93). Combined with Boats to be “Rudder, incorporating Boats” for 1962 to 1963, Later (1977?) was merged with Sea, to form: Eastern Sea combined with Rudder, Western Sea combined with Rudder; Inland Sea combined with Rudder; Southern Sea combined with Rudder. Numbering continued from Sea, not Rudder.
The Skipper - "East Coast Boating - Power and Sail"
Sea -
Yachting - First published in New York, NY by Yachting Publishing Co. (Vol. 3 was in 1908); published biannually in the 1950's, then quarterly (1960's) in Los Angeles, California by CBS Magazines.
