I waited a few days to see if anyone else would bring it up and have been surprised that is hasn't been talked about. Then I realized that, perhaps, Steve's letter was sent to a smaller audience.
His letter is a very odd one - and I wonder if it was the type of thing that should have been written and then thrown out. But it's likely of interest to trawler owners and I'm offering it for your, um, enjoyment...
...Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Dear SDMC Clients, Colleagues and Friends:
I'm sharing this note to let you know I've submitted my resignation to PassageMaker, a magazine for which I have written for the past fourteen years. Because my relationship with many of you has centered on PMM and/or Trawler Fest, I want to share with you my plans, and let you know how you can continue to access my editorial work.
As you know, I am passionate about seaworthiness, reliability and safety, and have devoted my professional life to working with the marine industry, boat buyers, and owners to insure that vessel systems meet the highest standards.
As PMM's Technical Editor for the past twelve years, I took seriously my accountability to review all technical information published in the magazine, to insure it met the highest standards, while holding my personal writing to the same standards. That has often led to honest and valuable debate with readers, other authors, editors and publishers, from which I, as well as PMM's readers, have benefited. Within the past year, however, my vision for readers, as well as my goals and ideals, and those of PassageMaker's have diverged. My role as Technical Editor changed as well, and as such I believed it was best that I resign from this position.
This decision was entirely mine, and it was inspired by a previous professional course change. Seven years ago I resigned from my position as manager of a boat yard, and created a service for which there was no precedent. That move involved significant financial and professional risk, as I was creating a new service for the marine industry, its customers and clients, one they could have rejected. I had no guaranteed contracts the day I opened for business. I haven't looked back, it's been among the most professionally satisfying changes I've made in my twenty-six year marine industry career.
It is the enormous success of that business that has inspired me to take this next professional step, and it has afforded me the financial stability to do so. The more I see the benefits I've been able to bring to the marine industry, and to my clients, by my ability to work independent of any marine vendor or manufacturer, the more convinced I am of the value I could bring to my readers if I enjoyed the same editorial independence.
For those of you who have not been consulting clients of Steve D'Antonio Marine Consulting, I'd like to give you a quick overview of the success of that new business model, and encourage you to visit out website for more information, and testimonials regarding the value of this service. The success of this model quickly exceeded my highest expectations. In the past seven years, I've provided independent consultation to hundreds of clients commissioning the construction of vessels, as well as for those purchasing new and used boats in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia, ranging from thirty-six feet to over one hundred feet. I've also provided consulting services to boat builders, marine equipment manufacturers and boat yards. The satisfaction level I've achieved in providing these services has been very rewarding.
Given the success of that business model, what will I do with my new-found editorial freedom, and freedom from writing strictly within the confines of publishers who are heavily reliant on the support of their advertisers? And, how will you continue to have easy access to me, to my writing and to my workshops?
The answer to the first question is that my writing can now be edgier, and more confrontational, where the barriers to greater seaworthiness, reliability and safety that now exist are concerned, and I'll be able to name names, sharing with readers details regarding great, and not so great, products.
The answer to the second starts with my personal commitment to have not only an independent voice, but to have a strong and active voice within the industry, and with boat buyers, owners and those still looking for the right boat. I will continue to write, to speak at boat shows, rendezvous, and industry conferences and to attend and host workshops for the industry and its customers.
You can access many of the articles I've written on my website, and more will be posted in the coming months.
I will expand the content and frequency of my Marine Systems Excellence Blog, as well as technical posts on the SDMC Facebook page, where I'll be able to cover a wider range of subjects, some of which I've been unable to touch upon in traditional publications. For those of you who have not subscribed, I invite you to join us.
In the coming months the SDMC education and production team will also be working on how-to pod-casts, seminars and small session training opportunities.
I will of course continue to write for marine publications that respect my opinions and passion. I remain the Technical Editor of Professional Boat Builder Magazine, as well as a columnist for Cruising World.
In early 2015, my book "Your Boat's Systems, Inside and Out" will be published by McGraw Hill.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Steve D'Antonio
Steve D'Antonio Marine Consulting, Inc.
PO Box 111
Wake, Virginia 23176-0111
His letter is a very odd one - and I wonder if it was the type of thing that should have been written and then thrown out. But it's likely of interest to trawler owners and I'm offering it for your, um, enjoyment...
...Jeff
--------------------------------------------------
Dear SDMC Clients, Colleagues and Friends:
I'm sharing this note to let you know I've submitted my resignation to PassageMaker, a magazine for which I have written for the past fourteen years. Because my relationship with many of you has centered on PMM and/or Trawler Fest, I want to share with you my plans, and let you know how you can continue to access my editorial work.
As you know, I am passionate about seaworthiness, reliability and safety, and have devoted my professional life to working with the marine industry, boat buyers, and owners to insure that vessel systems meet the highest standards.
As PMM's Technical Editor for the past twelve years, I took seriously my accountability to review all technical information published in the magazine, to insure it met the highest standards, while holding my personal writing to the same standards. That has often led to honest and valuable debate with readers, other authors, editors and publishers, from which I, as well as PMM's readers, have benefited. Within the past year, however, my vision for readers, as well as my goals and ideals, and those of PassageMaker's have diverged. My role as Technical Editor changed as well, and as such I believed it was best that I resign from this position.
This decision was entirely mine, and it was inspired by a previous professional course change. Seven years ago I resigned from my position as manager of a boat yard, and created a service for which there was no precedent. That move involved significant financial and professional risk, as I was creating a new service for the marine industry, its customers and clients, one they could have rejected. I had no guaranteed contracts the day I opened for business. I haven't looked back, it's been among the most professionally satisfying changes I've made in my twenty-six year marine industry career.
It is the enormous success of that business that has inspired me to take this next professional step, and it has afforded me the financial stability to do so. The more I see the benefits I've been able to bring to the marine industry, and to my clients, by my ability to work independent of any marine vendor or manufacturer, the more convinced I am of the value I could bring to my readers if I enjoyed the same editorial independence.
For those of you who have not been consulting clients of Steve D'Antonio Marine Consulting, I'd like to give you a quick overview of the success of that new business model, and encourage you to visit out website for more information, and testimonials regarding the value of this service. The success of this model quickly exceeded my highest expectations. In the past seven years, I've provided independent consultation to hundreds of clients commissioning the construction of vessels, as well as for those purchasing new and used boats in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia, ranging from thirty-six feet to over one hundred feet. I've also provided consulting services to boat builders, marine equipment manufacturers and boat yards. The satisfaction level I've achieved in providing these services has been very rewarding.
Given the success of that business model, what will I do with my new-found editorial freedom, and freedom from writing strictly within the confines of publishers who are heavily reliant on the support of their advertisers? And, how will you continue to have easy access to me, to my writing and to my workshops?
The answer to the first question is that my writing can now be edgier, and more confrontational, where the barriers to greater seaworthiness, reliability and safety that now exist are concerned, and I'll be able to name names, sharing with readers details regarding great, and not so great, products.
The answer to the second starts with my personal commitment to have not only an independent voice, but to have a strong and active voice within the industry, and with boat buyers, owners and those still looking for the right boat. I will continue to write, to speak at boat shows, rendezvous, and industry conferences and to attend and host workshops for the industry and its customers.
You can access many of the articles I've written on my website, and more will be posted in the coming months.
I will expand the content and frequency of my Marine Systems Excellence Blog, as well as technical posts on the SDMC Facebook page, where I'll be able to cover a wider range of subjects, some of which I've been unable to touch upon in traditional publications. For those of you who have not subscribed, I invite you to join us.
In the coming months the SDMC education and production team will also be working on how-to pod-casts, seminars and small session training opportunities.
I will of course continue to write for marine publications that respect my opinions and passion. I remain the Technical Editor of Professional Boat Builder Magazine, as well as a columnist for Cruising World.
In early 2015, my book "Your Boat's Systems, Inside and Out" will be published by McGraw Hill.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Steve D'Antonio
Steve D'Antonio Marine Consulting, Inc.
PO Box 111
Wake, Virginia 23176-0111