What Great Lakes Scuttlebutt does

Great Lakes Scuttlebutt is a regional boating media company operating as a division of Kyle Media, Inc., founded in 1992 by Jerry Kyle and currently under the ownership of his son Erik Kyle. Headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, the company publishes a bimonthly print and digital magazine covering boat models, fishing reports, sailing, destinations, environmental impact, and regional news for recreational boaters across the five Great Lakes—Erie, Michigan, Huron, Superior, and Ontario—in both the United States and Canada. The company has progressively expanded from its original Lake Erie base to full Great Lakes regional coverage.

The core product is the Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine, published six times per year in print and digital formats, supplemented by the free weekly Scuttlebitts e-newsletter, an online news portal organized by topic (New Boat Models, Great Lakes News, DIYs, Fishing, Destinations, Sailing, Environmental Impact), a video gallery featuring boat show interviews and product spotlights, classifieds, fishing reports, and a boat show/event directory. Distribution combines free print copies placed at more than 1,800 marinas, yacht clubs, boat shows, and marine stores with paid home-delivery subscriptions and free digital access. The company maintains presence at over 35 boat shows annually across the Great Lakes region and beyond.

Revenue is generated through two primary streams: paid print subscriptions for home delivery and advertising—both company advertising and classified advertising—from marine businesses, boat dealers, marina operators, boat builders, and marine service providers. The digital magazine, e-newsletter, and online content are free to consumers, supported by advertising rather than subscription paywalls. The business is privately held under family ownership with 11-50 employees and no disclosed external funding or institutional investment.

Name

Great Lakes Scuttlebutt

Legal name

Great Lakes Scuttlebutt

Website

https://greatlakesscuttlebutt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Great Lakes Scuttlebutt is a family-owned regional boating media company that publishes a bimonthly print and digital magazine covering Great Lakes boating, fishing, and boat shows, monetized through print subscriptions and marine advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boating Magazine

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports & Recreation Magazines (MPAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• Boating magazine
• Marine publishing
• Recreational boating media
• Great lakes boating
• Fishing reports

Headquarters

HQ city

Toledo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Print Magazine Subscriptions: Paid home delivery subscriptions for physical magazine copies delivered to readers' doors six times per year
2. Advertising: Revenue from company advertising and classified advertising placed by businesses in the marine/boating industry

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Great Lakes Scuttlebutt publishes a regional boating magazine six times per year covering Great Lakes boating news, boat models, destinations, fishing reports, sailing, and environmental impact. The magazine is distributed free at over 1,800 marine locations and 35+ boat shows, while revenue is generated through paid home-delivery print subscriptions and advertising sold to marine businesses.

Product overview

Great Lakes Scuttlebutt is a media company offering a suite of boating-focused content products centered around its core magazine publication (six issues annually in print and digital formats) and supported by complementary digital platforms including the Scuttlebitts weekly e-newsletter, an extensive video gallery with boat show interviews and product spotlights, regional news coverage, fishing reports, classifieds, and boat show/destination directories. The products collectively serve the Great Lakes boating community across multiple channels (print, digital, video, email, and events) reaching over 1,800 marine locations and 35+ boat shows annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Great Lakes Scuttlebutt Magazine Flagship regional boating publication covering Great Lakes boating news, new boat models, fishing, sailing, destinations, and environmental impact. Published six times per year in print and digital formats; print available via paid home delivery subscription and free at over 1,800 marine locations, while the digital edition is free via email sign-up.
• Scuttlebitts Newsletter Free weekly e-newsletter delivering the latest Great Lakes boating news and updates directly to subscribers' inboxes.
• Classified Advertising

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• LemtaminorOthersSponsorship and supporter relationship - listed as one of the companies and organizations that support Great Lakes Scuttlebutt
• Michigan Boating Industries Association (MBIA)minorOthersSponsorship and supporter relationship - listed as one of the companies and organizations that support Great Lakes Scuttlebutt
• Discover BoatingminorOthersSponsorship and supporter relationship - listed as one of the companies and organizations that support Great Lakes Scuttlebutt
• NMMA (National Marine Manufacturers Association)minorOthersSponsorship and supporter relationship - listed as one of the companies and organizations that support Great Lakes Scuttlebutt
• At The Boat ShowminorOthersSponsorship and supporter relationship - listed as one of the companies and organizations that support Great Lakes Scuttlebutt
• Kyle MediacoreOthersParent company - Great Lakes Scuttlebutt is a division of Kyle Media, Inc., continuing the Kyle family tradition since 1992
• Marine Ad NetworkminorOthersSponsorship and supporter relationship - listed as one of the companies and organizations that support Great Lakes Scuttlebutt

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Boating Magazine: National recreational boating magazine covering boat reviews, destinations, and fishing. Directly comparable as a print + digital boating publication monetized through subscriptions and marine advertising, though it serves a broader national audience versus Scuttlebutt's regional Great Lakes focus.
• Yachting Magazine: Long-established boating lifestyle magazine covering powerboating, sailing, and destinations. Comparable in operating model (recurring print issues, advertising-supported, digital editions) and target audience of recreational boaters, though skewing higher-end.
• BoatUS Magazine: Membership magazine from Boat Owners Association of The United States, covering recreational boating safety, maintenance, and destinations. Comparable as a boating publication with print and digital distribution serving enthusiast boaters and supported by marine advertising/partnerships.
• Northern Breezes Sailing Magazine: Regional sailing and boating publication covering the Great Lakes and broader freshwater cruising. Highly comparable in regional Great Lakes focus, print/digital model, and recreational boater audience.
• Lakeland Boating Magazine: Midwest-focused recreational boating publication covering the Great Lakes and inland waters. The closest direct regional competitor, with a similar print + digital model targeting Great Lakes boaters and marine advertisers.
• Power & Motoryacht: Recreational boating publication focused on powerboats and motor yachts, with print issues and digital presence. Comparable as a boating enthusiast magazine monetized through subscriptions and marine advertising, though serving a larger-vessel audience.

Others

• Discover Boating: NMMA-operated consumer boating awareness initiative that is a listed supporter of Scuttlebutt. Comparable as a marine-industry channel reaching recreational boaters and attracting marine advertising, though it functions as a promotional/awareness resource rather than a competing magazine.

Emerging players

• Boats.com: Digital-first boat listing and review platform serving boat buyers and the marine advertising market. Comparable as a digital channel reaching boat buyers with marine advertising, but primarily a listings/search destination versus Scuttlebutt's editorial content.
• BoatTEST.com: Digital boat review and video platform whose content is already distributed via Scuttlebutt's video gallery. Comparable in serving boat buyers with video content and capturing marine advertising spend, but operates as a digital-native review destination rather than a regional magazine.

Broad incumbents

• Soundings Trade Only: Long-standing trade publication covering the marine industry, including recreational boating. Comparable in operating model and audience overlap with marine advertisers and dealers, but skews B2B/industry trade versus Scuttlebutt's consumer angle.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/glscuttlebutt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/great-lakes-scuttlebutt-magazine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Lakes Scuttlebutt