Many things have happened on August 6 over the years, from the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 to the launching of the first atomic bomb in 1945. So we feel a little silly bringing it up.
But at midnight tonight, Mad Mariner will celebrate its one-year birthday as a daily publication. It was on Aug 6 of 2007 that we announced our intention to publish a new story every single day. We had 34 readers that day.
The story on the falling boat photos caused Mad Mariner's first spike in traffic. Since then, "viral" content has been common.One week later, Mad Mariner published a story on some shocking photos of a boat falling from its sling. The story went "viral," streaking across the Internet and drawing more than 40,000 readers to the site in a single day. We have been growing ever since.
In its first year, Mad Mariner attracted almost 900,000 unique visitors from 196 different countries around the world, and they viewed roughly 3.8 million pages.
During that time, we have published more than 1,000 stories and attracted much attention within the industry, including advertising from large companies such as Edson Marine and Luhrs Group and partnerships with organizations like BoatU.S. Earlier this year, Thom Dammrich, the president of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, chose Mad Mariner as the venue to publish his Executive Summary blog.
The reason for all this is simple: it's you. Readers are the wind that drives Mad Mariner. You are the reason the site exists, and we are grateful beyond words for your time, involvement and support.
To celebrate Mad Mariner's birthday, we have assembled a list of 12 stories (see below) that serve as a kind of Greatest Hits
MORE THAN 1,000 STORIES
Indeed, we have tried to earn your business all along, offering independent and unbiased information in ways that set us apart from traditional marine publications.
For starters, we made good on our promise to publish at least one new story every day. In fact, we far exceeded it. Mad Mariner published more than 1,000 stories in its first year, including staff-written feature articles and boating tips, nautical news and weather stories from the Associated Press, and commentary from 10 different bloggers. That's not counting more than 150 video podcasts published through our partnership with TheBoaters TV.
There were also some special attractions. For example, the Mad Mariner Poll debuted this week, in which we commissioned a professional polling firm to query 400 boat owners on a broad range of topics. Its findings yielded a bevy of unique information, from the true impact of fuel prices to how boaters use safety equipment. Our three-part series on women in boating will launch later this week, highlighting more results from the poll.
We also published a library of sailboat and powerboat reviews that offer candid information – pros and cons – about each vessel. Most were written by Jack Hornor, who reviews boats for BoatU.S. Magazine. These reviews do not cover the latest million-dollar machines. Rather, our library is heavy with the classic boats that populate the used market – the boats people actually buy.
Mad Mariner has also taken a special interest in technology. Our Hard Facts on Software series reviewed every major piece of navigation software on the market and the authors are writing a book
Then there is The Docking Game, a unique web-based video game that became far more popular than we ever thought it could. More than 150,000 people have played the game since its launch, proving that a serious publication can also have a lighter side.
GREATEST HITS
But the real key to Mad Mariner is the articles offered each day, magazine-length stories that we hope give you new insights into the sport and your boat.
In an effort to generate our Greatest Hits list, the editors at Mad Mariner got together and chose 12 stories that we feel are the best examples of our work during the site's first year. Of course, this is a subjective exercise and many good stories got cut from the list. But this is meant to be a representative sample, with stories on boats, equipment, weather, seamanship, projects and many other topics readers care about. It is by no means definitive.
Here is what we came up with:
How long is the Nordic Tugs 32? Sounds like a trick question – and it is. For years, labeling boats with a number has been a marketing exercise that often does not correspond to the boat's actual length. Learn how the game is played (here's a hint: the tug is not 32 feet).
How Does Your Bilge Pump Rate?
If you think a 360-gallon-per-hour bilge pump can actually move 360 gallons in an hour, guess again. Real world performance often differs substantially from claims on the package. Learn what your bilge pump can actually do.
First Look: Hunter's New Edge 27
At first look, Hunter's Edge 27 appears to be a stout, sloop-rigged trailer sailer – until you realize the boat is towing a skier. The Edge is a motorsailer capable of taking a 75 hp engine and, at less than $40,000, it is priced as an entry-level boat. Read Mad Mariner's exclusive coverage of this unique boat.
Not everything on the water s flying a beautiful asymmetrical spinnaker or has a pair on glorious growling inboards at the stern. Today's pontoon boats are fast, luxurious and represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry. Learn why.
Boat Clubs Growing More Popular
A love of boating does not always mean a love of boats. Many owners would rather be on the water than painting hulls, maintaining engines and chasing rust and rot. And boat clubs let them do just that.
What to Expect Inside the Life Raft
Steven Callahan, author of the haunting book "Adrift," explains what life is like inside the life raft after an abandon ship. This is required reading for anyone buying a raft or making a passage.
When the catamaran Kaz II was discovered adrift off the Great Barrier Reef last year, the engine was running, the sails were up and the table was set for dinner, food and all. But the crew was nowhere to be found. Every year brings new 'ghost ship' stories to marinas worldwide. Here are some of the best.
The North Pacific Gyre, a swirl of currents seen only by merchant mariners and blue-water cruisers, is home to the world's largest repository of plastic trash, weighing in at more than 3.5 million tons. It covers an area twice the size of the United States and extends up to 300 feet below the surface. Read about the gyre's 'plastic island.'
When Lenny wanted to stress test hand-held electronics, he tossed them in the fish box with a bleeding stripper and ran them over with his trailer. Then he got serious: he brought in six children under 7 to induce further punishment. Learn what held up.
Reading Satellite Weather Imagery
They are colorful – and confusing. Learn how to read and interpret satellite weather images from a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.
Mad Mariner readers love pictures of pretty boats, and the site serves them up weekly with the Sunday Slideshow, a feature dedicated to nothing but photos. While boats by Hunter, Swan, Grand Banks and Hordhavn have all been featured, it appears that readers will appreciate just about any kind of boat. A collection of boats from Legoland was viewed more than 18,000 times.
Nothing draws more readers than dramatic photos of a boat in peril – and few photos are more dramatic than the images of a Coast Guard ship rolling in a 25-foot wave on the California coast. Mad Mariner was the first magazine to publish the photos, and they were viewed more than 100,000 times on the site, before making their way into countless other publications. If you haven't seen them, they are worth your time.
