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".
The following information was derived from a variety of sources including library catalogs, E-bay listings, the Google Books library digitization project, and other miscellaneous sources. Please feel free to continue the research at websites such as Worldcat.org, Hathitrust.org, and Google.com/books.
All About Boats- A small annual magazine/booklet published by Popular Mechanics. Editions from 1958 to 1961 are known to have been issued. This was advertised as "A New PM Book to Help you Build, Sail, Maintain, and Enjoy the Boat You've Always Wanted".
Aqua Sport - - First published by Rockly Publications, Silver Springs Maryland, a later publisher was H.K. Publications of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Issues range from May 1952 (Vol. 1, No. 1) to April 1958 as "Boat Sport" magazine with 39 total numbered issues. This periodical was published bimonthly with six issues per year. In June/July 1958 issue, the magazine was then titled "Aqua Sport (Including Boat Sport)" (the 40th issue). This magazine heavily featured the sport of outboard boat racing with many ads and articles from racers; when re-titled "Aqua Sport (Including Boat Sport)", many articles on water-skiing and other water-sports were added. Issues available online include #1 (May 1952) to #40 (June/July 1958) at http://boatsport.org/. At present, no later issues of Aqua Sport are known.
June-July 1958 Aqua Sport
Boat Builder's Handbook - published by Science and Mechanics Magazine. A 1958 and Spring 1962 issue are known. The 1958 issue had the tagline "Step by Step Plans for 20 Boats". The 1958 issue was Science and Mechanics issue #558 and Boat Builder's Handbook volume 8, so maybe the first publication of this title was in 1950.
1958 Boat Builder's Handbook
Boat & Equipment News- This magazine was published bimonthly beginning in 1939 through at least the mid-50's and had both "Commercial Craft" (or "Work-Boat") and "Recreational Craft editions. It had the tagline "The Product Information Service for all 'Priorities-Endowed' Marine Procurement Personnel". Vol. 6 No. 1 was the January-February 1944 issue.
May 1950 Boat & Equipment News
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?
April 1960 Boat & Motor Dealer
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 (Fawcett #140), but it may have begun earlier. By 1956, the publication was written by Hank Wieand Bowman and advertised coverage of "The New Sailboats, The New Outboards, The New Inboards".
1952 Boat Show
Boat Sport - First published by Rockly Publications, Silver Springs Maryland, a later publisher was H.K. Publications of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Issues range from May 1952 (Vol. 1, No. 1) to April 1958 with 39 total numbered issues. This periodical was published bimonthly with six issues per year. In June/July 1958 issue, the magazine was then titled "Aqua Sport (Including Boat Sport)" (the 40th issue). This magazine heavily featured the sport of outboard boat racing with many ads and articles from racers; when re-titled "Aqua Sport (Including Boat Sport)", many articles on water-skiing and other water-sports were added. Issues available online include #1 (May 1952) to #40 (June/July 1958) at http://boatsport.org/.
August 1956 Boat Sport
June-July 1958 Aqua Sport
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.
July 1958 Boatcraft Magazine
Boating Handbook - This was a Fawcett "How-To Book" publication with sections on "Operations, Maintenance, Projects". It may have started as early as 1949, published by Mechanix Illustrated. The 1950 issue was No. 2. Fawcett numbers are 301 (1956), 370 (1958), 406, (1959).
1959 Boating Handbook
Boating Ideas - A Fawcett book written by Hank Wieand Bowman with at least a 1964 edition (Fawcett 555) published. The tagline for this publication as "Practical, Useful, Tested".
Boating Industry - "The Business Paper of Pleasure and Commercial Boating". This magazine published eight issues a year on the tenth of the month. The magazine was based at 505 Pleasant St. in St. Joseph, Michigan. Publication may date back to 1929. Later, 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. The January magazine was the New York/Chicago/Miami show issue; March "Marine Engine Specifications"; April "Outboard Motor Specifications"; May "Spring Selling Number"; June "Boat Service Issue"; August "Marine Buyer's Guide"; October "Announcement Issue"; November "Stock Boat Builder's List".
January 1958 Boating Industry
Boats - Published monthly by Motor Boat Publications, 1953 (Vol. 50) - 1960 (Vol. 57). Numbering was continued from the earlier "MotorBoat" publication. 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".
January 1958 Boats
Boats & Outboards - published by Maco Magazine Corp. of New York City, New York with at least 1959 and 1961 issues known. The 1961 issue was titled "The New Handbook of Boats & Outboards" and was written by Sam Crowther.
1959 Boats & Outboards
Boats You Can Build - published by Popular Mechanics in 1958. Later on, the Spring 1964 issue (#34) was by Bruce-Royal Publishing Co.
Canadian Boating - The full title of this publication was "Canadian Boating for Pleasure and Profit" with the tagline, "Canada's National Magazine of Boating and Yachting." Robert R. Finlayson was managing editor of this publication, publisher was Arthurs Franklin of Toronto, Ontario. The June 1960 issue was volume 35, No. 5, so it may have begun as early as 1925. This publisher also published Marine Trades, Hardware and Housewares, and Canadian Hairdresser magazines.
The Complete Book of Small Boats - this was published by MACO in at least a 1954 issue. The 1955 issue was "New Complete Book of Small Boats – This Year’s Latest Models" as well as "The Complete Book of Kit Boats".
Dell Books - This was another company that published a range of softcover boating and how-to books.
Fawcett Books - This company published a large number of softcover boating and how-to books. Titles included "Boat Show" by Mechanix Illustrated, "Boating Handbook", "Boating Ideas", "Family Boating", "How to Build 20 Boats", "Outboard Boating Handbook", and "Sail Boating".
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.
'H. K. Publications, Inc. - By 1958, this company published Boat Sport and Outboard Boating Guide
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.
How to Build 20 Boats - This was a long-running publication by Fawcett Books with No. 8 being the 1943 issue.
Hydroplane Quarterly - a magazine for the outboard motor racer, this was self published from 1970 to 1974 by Tim Chance of Excelsior, Minnesota. Publication was quarterly as the title suggests, but with some "special"issues scattered in. 22 total issues are known from #1 the Hydroplane Quarterly "Boat Racing Handbook" to Winter 74. Available online at http://boatsport.org/.
Lakeland Yachting - Known from at least 1946 to 1955. This magazine noted itself as "America's Freshwater Boating Magazine". Official publication of the Inter-Lake Yachting Association, Midwest Collegiate Sailing Association, and Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association. The June 1955 issue was Volume X, No. 6. Presumably, this magazine started in 1945 with monthly publication. In 1955, Victor H. Schoen was editor. Published monthly in Sheboygan, Wisconsin by Lakeshore Publications. Eventually this publication became "Lakeland Boating".
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. Numbering continued from the earlier "Lakeland Yachting" title. Also found as Lakeland Boating Central States.
Marine Dealer - "The Monthly News and Merchandising Magazine for The Pleasure Boating Trade", published by Marine Publications, Inc. of Orange, Connecticut. The first issue was September 1958 and distributed at the Chicago and Dallas boat shows in that month with additional copies mailed out October 1 to small boat dealers. It is unknown at this point if any libraries hold copies of this publication.
Western Marine Dealer - A trademark dispute arose between Marina Publications and the publisher of "Western Marine Dealer", the Marine Digest Publication Company of Seattle, Washington. Western Marine Dealer cited use of their name since July 26, 1958. (Trademark Opposition No. 38,994 against trademark application number 58,553 filed Sept. 8, 1958). Marine Dealer said they conceived of their publication in August 1957, coming up with the name Marine Dealer in June 1958. The Western Marine Dealer publisher previously published "Marine Digest" with coverage of small pleasure boating added in late 1946 with a new "Boating News" column. This column was renamed to "Western Boating News" in the July 19, 1958 issue; next changed to Western Marine Dealer in the July 26, 1958 issue. The company took out advertisements announcing the new publication "Western Marine Dealer" to begin in January 5, 1959 with 24 issues a year. The first copy was actually first distributed in October 17, 1958. The trademark opposition was dismissed and the Western Marine Dealer received its trademark and continued publication. The University of Washington Libraries list numbers 1 to 48 (1959/1960) in their catalog.
MotorBoat - 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. Volume 17-19 available online from Hathitrust.org, digitized by Google from the University of Chicago Library Collections.
MotorBoating - 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
N.A.M.D. Report - A publication of the National Association of Marine Dealers. A source refers to a July-August 1958 issue of this publication.
Ohio Boating - "Serving the mid-America boater", by Professional Publications of Vermilion, Ohio. Vol. 5, No. 1 was issued in January 1961, so this magazine may have began in 1956. The Mariner's Museum in Newport News, VA has one copy in their library.
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.
Fall 1956 Outboard Boating Guide
Outboard Boating Handbook - by noted boating writer Hank Wieand Bowman, this was a Fawcett "How To Book" printing, published by Mechanix Illustrated who also issued the "Boat Show" magazine. At least a 1955 to 1961 editions are known with Fawcett numbers 258 (1955), 304 (1956), 330 (1957), 366 (1958), 403 (1959), 476 (1961). Later on, it was published as "Hank Bowman's Outboard Boating Handbook" by Arco Publications.
1956 Outboard Boating Handbook
Outboard Dealer News - This magazine was published by H-K Publications, Inc. with volume 1, no. 1 being the February 1957 issue. Dick Van Benschoten was a writer for this publication.
Outboard Exhaust - This publication began about 1932, published in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It featured coverage of outboard racing, primarily in the Midwest. The latest known publication was in June 1934, but more may be out there.
July 1933 Outboard Exhaust
Outboard Progress - "A trade publication for the outboard industry." This magazine was published in Tallahassee, Florida by Outboard Magazines, Inc. with eight issues a year. Vol. 2, No. 5 was the January 1959 issue. This magazine had a special annual "Gold Book List" issue described as "A Comprehensive "Who’s Who" In the Outboard Industry." Eventually by 1962, this magazine became "Boating Progress". The Mariner's Museum in Newport News, VA has two issues in their library.
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 Boat - Published by Los Angeles Trend Books with at least a Fall 1959 issue known.
Power Boat News - a weekly publication, issued every Saturday, by the Rudder Publishing Company of New York City, New York. This appears to have been published beginning in 1905, and it is unknown how long it lasted. Volume 1 (1905-1906) available online from Hathitrust.org, digitized by Google from the New York Public Library Collections.
Power Boating - First published simply as "Boating", the magazine was re-named to "Power Boating" for the December 1907 issue. The first issue may have been September 1905 (The October 1905 issue was Volume I, No. 2. and the stated issuance period was monthly). This was published by Penton Publishing Company of Cleveland, Ohio. Volume 38, No. 12 was issued December 1936. Volumes 1 to 4, 6, 11, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23 available online from Hathitrust, digitized by Google from the University of Michigan Library and University of Chicago Collections.
Pacific Motor Boat - Published beginning around 1908 in Seattle (the October 1915 issue was Volume 8, No. 1), later in Newport Beach, California by Sea Publications, 1952 - 1973 (Vol. 65). Renamed to be Sea: the Pacific Coast Yachting Magazine in 1952. This magazine described itself as "Devoted to the rapidly growing power boat and yachting interests of the English Speaking Countries of the Pacific." Available online from Hathitrust.org, Volumes 8-15 (1915-1922), digitized by Google from the New York Public Library Collections.
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 original "Rudder" is available online from Hathitrust.org, Volumes 12-38 (1901-1922), digitized by Google from the University of Michigan and Cornell University Library Collections. Rudder, in conjunction with Fawcett Publications, produced an annual "How to Build 20 Boats" paperback book.
The Skipper - "East Coast Boating - Power and Sail". Eventually by 1960 this magazine had the tagline "Combined with Ships and The Sea".
Sea - the full title was "Sea - the Pacific Coast Yachting Magazine". This later combined with "Pacific Motor Boat" in 1952 to become "Sea and Pacific Motor Boat". The first year of publication was 1937 (Vol. 1) with monthly issues beginning in January of each year. The magazine was published in Los Angeles, California by Pacific Coast Publications. One library catalog notes that issues from May 1950, have the subtitle "Western Yachting and Boating". Volumes 1 to 16 (1937-1952) are available at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Maritime Research Center. The New York Public Library has volumes 5-11 (1941-1947).
Speed and Spray - "the International Magazine of Boat Racing". Published by Marine Publications, Inc. of Newport Beach, California. This magazine began publication in June 1952 with issue #1, Vol. I, No. 1. 22 issues are known up to May 1956 (Vol. 2, No. 10). Publication by that time was by C-B Publications of Fullerton, California. Publication was spotty with 6 to 7 issues published per year with the entire year of 1954 with no issues published (publication skips from September 1953 (Vol. 1, No. 11) to April 1955 (Vol. 1, No. 12). The complete range of issues known are available online at http://boatsport.org/.
Trailerboating - Written by Patrick M. Royce; the 1960 issue was published by Royce Publications of Newport Beach, California. The 1961 issue was distributed by ABOS Publishing of Mishawauka, Indiana.
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.
January 1959 Yachting
