The TRUTH behind the Inglorious end of Latitudes and Attitudes

[addy2012]

The Inglorious Demise of Latitudes & Attitudes and Seafaring.com | The story of why the iconic sailing/cruising magazine, Latitudes & Attitudes closed it's doors after 15 years

[daddle]

Does anyone care?

[rebel heart]

Jesus I just read that whole thing. What a train wreck. Cliff notes :

- two guys buy latts and atts.
- they do poor due diligence.
- bob, the previous owner, goes apeshit and submarines the deal
- everyone blames everyone else
- the two guys are litigating

If the two guys are reading this, grab the domain names and hit me up.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by daddle

Does anyone care?

Apparently you did enough to post on the subject.

Mildly interesting as we used to subscribe and saw lots of stuff seemed crazy and it makes more sense now.

The buyers were clearly clueless and didn't do due dilligence even after repeated problems and personal issues.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

Jesus I just read that whole thing. What a train wreck. Cliff notes :

- two guys buy latts and atts.
- they do poor due diligence.
- bob, the previous owner, goes apeshit and submarines the deal
- everyone blames everyone else
- the two guys are litigating

If the two guys are reading this, grab the domain names and hit me up.

Thanks for the cliff notes...I tuned out after a few paragraphs...all too common of a sad story when clueless people buy a small business...and neither side is likely to find remedy in court...the only thing you know for sure about filing a law suit is that attorneys are going to make money.

[zeehag]

dont forget that bobby bitchin was so overextended he had to try to sell of his toys and goodies...and even begged for partners in his shannon project-----sold fast and lost ass....so, does he need a presidential buy out or can we let bad judgement go unrewarded....

[GaryMayo]

Their problems go much deeper than a few weeks or months. I read a review of a sailboat that I know something about, from personal experience, and their review was so far from the truth, it was comical. In a later snippet of the same sailboat, the author said he had never been near one, and did not want to.

I dropped this source of information (disinformation) from my radar a long long time ago.

[Blue Stocking]

Found it mildly entertaining, didn't use up too many brain cells.
__but then again, I used to enjoy Mad magazine as well.

[s/v 'Faith']

I never subscribed to L & A, but picked up a copy from time to time. I did post to their old discussion board... I find it unfortunate when a fixture in the sailing realm goes south. The circumstances are significant....

... If it had been a sinking of a boat there are usually two crowds that gather; one who stand on the shore and yell insults and cast stones, and then the other who offer sympathy (and sometimes help).

What I think is noteworthy that nearly ever comment I have heard about this was from the second camp. L & A has a large and devoted following... Lots of folks identify with the idea of being black sheep.

Peace to all, hope Bob comes out on top again.

[Group9]

I'll say this. When the Bob guy owned it, I sent in my check and got my magazines. When the new guy got it, I sent in my check, he cashed it, and I am still waiting on a magazine or a refund.

Based on that, since one guy stole money from me, and the other didn't, I think I'll believe Bob's version.

[Kettlewell]

I've worked a lot of boat shows selling Ocean Navigator subscriptions and talking to subscribers about whatever, and a very common comment was, "the only two magazines I read are Ocean Navigator and Lats and Atts." I could never quite understand it, as they are sort of opposite poles of the boating magazine world, but Lats and Atts certainly captured the imagination of a lot of people. The story of its demise is fairly typical in the marine industry, where many companies are started and run by people who are passionate dreamers themselves, but not necessarily business experts. I once met a successful publisher of a trade magazine for the funeral industry, and I had to ask him why he chose that industry to cover. His answer was he had not the slightest personal interest in the funeral business himself, and therefore he could run his magazine dispassionately as a business. His advice was to never run a business if you have a personal interest in it--clouds your judgment. Not sure I agree with that, but there is a kernal of truth there.