Soundings

Boating & Marine Lifestyle Mediasoundingsonline.com

Soundings is a privately held, 60-year-old American recreational boating publication owned by Firecrown Media, delivering print and digital magazine content, advertising, virtual events and merchandise to boating enthusiasts, anglers and boat owners across the U.S. and select international markets.

Company typePrivate
Founded1964
HeadquartersBoone, United States
Headcount51–100
GTM typeB2C
OfferingDigital Commerce or Content

What Soundings does

Soundings is a privately held American recreational boating and maritime lifestyle publication founded in 1963 (or 1964 per corporate filings) and currently owned by Firecrown Media, a maritime-focused media company. The publication delivers editorial content covering boating news, boat reviews (powerboats, sailboats, new, used, and classic), cruising destinations, maintenance and DIY, fishing, seamanship, safety, maritime art, and history, targeting recreational boaters, anglers, and boat owners across the United States and select international markets including the Caribbean.

The core product is the Soundings Online Magazine, delivered through print subscriptions, a website, a dedicated iOS mobile app, and the Zinio digital library platform. The product surface has been extended with email newsletters, a virtual boat show, waterfront real estate listings, and a branded merchandise storefront at shop.firecrownmarine.com. Subscription billing is automated through the Dragonforms third-party platform with auto-renewal on an annual cadence. Marketing and audience development run through Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, email newsletters, and the website's content marketing, with sales and account management handled by a dedicated in-house team including a European and international sales manager.

The business operates on three revenue streams: recurring print and digital magazine subscriptions, advertising and sponsored content placements across the platform, and direct e-commerce merchandise sales. The publication functions as an editorial media brand within the Firecrown Media portfolio rather than a technology or SaaS platform, and does not currently disclose AI, proprietary data, or platform-level technology differentiators.

Soundings firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Soundings
Legal name: Soundings
Website: https://soundingsonline.com
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1964
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 51–100 employees
Short description: Soundings is a privately held, 60-year-old American recreational boating publication owned by Firecrown Media, delivering print and digital magazine content, advertising, virtual events and merchandise to boating enthusiasts, anglers and boat owners across the U.S. and select international markets.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Where Soundings is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Boone
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Soundings business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Digital Commerce or Content
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital magazine subscriptions providing recurring revenue through annual and monthly subscription terms
Advertising & Sponsorships: Sponsored content and advertising placements throughout the digital platform and magazine
Merchandise Shop: Online merchandise sales through shop.firecrownmarine.com

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Annual	Print and Digital Subscription

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Soundings product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Soundings is a recreational boating and maritime lifestyle publication delivered across print magazine, website, iOS app, Zinio digital library, and email newsletters. Editorial content covers boats (classic, power, sail, used), cruising destinations, gear, maintenance, fishing, seamanship, safety, and maritime culture, with secondary revenue from marine advertising, sponsorships, virtual boat shows, waterfront real estate listings, and branded merchandise. The publication is operated as Soundings Online under Firecrown Media's maritime media portfolio.

Product overview

Soundings is a traditional boating and maritime lifestyle publication operated by Firecrown Media. The core offering is the Soundings Online Magazine, a content platform covering boating news, boat reviews, destinations, maritime art, fishing, and seamanship. The product portfolio includes digital subscriptions via Zinio web and iOS app, email newsletters, a virtual boat show, waterfront real estate listings, and a merchandise shop. The publication does not offer a technology platform or SaaS product—it functions as an editorial media brand with subscription-based revenue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Soundings Print and Digital Magazine Subscription Recurring subscription offering access to Soundings magazine in print and digital formats (website, iOS app, Zinio Web Library) covering boating news, boat reviews, destinations, gear, maintenance, fishing, and seamanship. Targets individual recreational boaters and gift subscribers on auto-renewing annual terms.
Soundings Email Newsletters Email newsletter subscriptions delivering boating news, stories, and updates directly to inboxes. Free to subscribe, with management handled via Dragonforms platform, targeting engaged recreational boating enthusiasts as a separate engagement channel.
Soundings Branded Merchandise Shop E-commerce merchandise storefront selling Soundings-branded apparel and products, operated through Firecrown's shop.firecrownmarine.com platform, targeting brand-loyal readers and gift purchasers.
Waterfront Real Estate Listings Online listings directory of waterfront properties for boaters, accessible via the Real Estate section of Soundings Online, serving boaters seeking property and lifestyle alignment with their boating activities.
Virtual Boat Show Digital boat show platform hosted within the Soundings Online experience, featuring boats and marine products in an online showcase format, serving boaters seeking new vessel information and exhibitors seeking exposure.
Marine Sponsored Content and Advertising Sponsored editorial content and advertising placements across the Soundings print magazine, website, email newsletters, and virtual boat show, sold to marine advertisers (boatbuilders, dealers, marine equipment and gear brands, service providers) via a direct sales team.

Companies that use Soundings

Customer profile

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Soundings technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Soundings partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered parent company and digital distribution partner.

Firecrown Mediaparent companyOthersSoundings is published by Firecrown Media, a maritime media company. Firecrown also publishes related titles and operates the Soundings digital platform and merchandise shop
Ziniodigital distribution partnerTechnology or IntegrationDigital issue access through Zinio Web Library allowing subscribers to access magazines instantly in browser or via iOS app

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Soundings competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

SAIL Magazine: Sailing-focused recreational boating magazine with print, digital, and iOS app distribution serving owners and cruisers. Comparable to Soundings via subscription model, advertising-led revenue, and digital editions accessible through platform partners.
BoatUS Magazine: Boat Owners Association of the U.S. member publication covering recreational boating, safety, and policy issues. Directly competes for the same recreational boat owner audience and share-of-voice on safety, maintenance, and seamanship topics.
BOAT International: Global luxury yachting media brand with print and digital editions covering motor yachts, superyachts, and charters. Comparable to Soundings as a maritime lifestyle publication with subscription and advertising revenue, though positioned at the luxury segment.
Sport Fishing Magazine: Recreational fishing publication covering techniques, tackle, boats, and destinations. Directly comparable to Soundings' fishing content and angler reader segment, with similar subscription, advertising, and digital distribution model.
Power & Motoryacht: Long-running powerboat enthusiast magazine covering new boats, electronics, and destinations with both print and digital distribution. Operates in the same recreational boating vertical as Soundings and competes for overlapping advertiser and reader audiences.
Cruising World: Subscription-driven sailing and cruising publication with print, digital, and event businesses (e.g., Boat of the Year). Comparable to Soundings in editorial depth, premium subscription model, and advertiser-supported coverage of boats, gear, and destinations.
Yachting Magazine: Established U.S. recreational boating publication covering yachts, cruising, and seamanship. Directly comparable to Soundings in audience (recreational boaters), content mix, and subscription/print+digital revenue model, though with a heavier sail/cruising tilt.
Practical Sailor: Independent technical review publication covering sailing gear, electronics, and maintenance for serious enthusiasts. Comparable to Soundings' Boat Shop / gear review sections in serving boaters making equipment and maintenance decisions.
Boating Magazine: Bonnier-owned powerboat-focused recreational boating magazine with digital and print editions serving boat buyers and owners. Closely mirrors Soundings' mission to inform and entertain recreational boaters across powerboats, electronics, and destinations.

Broad incumbents

MarineMax: Largest U.S. recreational boat retailer with national footprint and active digital marketing/content arm targeting the same high-value boating consumer that Soundings reaches. Comparable as an incumbent in the recreational boating commercial ecosystem but via retail rather than publishing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Soundings financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Soundings leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Soundings funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

Soundings M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Soundings

What does Soundings do?

Is Soundings a public or private company?

Soundings is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.

When was Soundings founded?

Soundings was founded in 1964. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is Soundings based?

Soundings is headquartered in Boone, United States, in the North America region.

How does Soundings make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Magazine Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are advertising & Sponsorships and merchandise Shop.

Who are Soundings's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are SAIL Magazine, BoatUS Magazine, BOAT International, Sport Fishing Magazine, Power & Motoryacht, Cruising World, Yachting Magazine, Practical Sailor and Boating Magazine. MarineMax is listed as a broad incumbent.

Does Soundings have an API?

No public API is recorded for Soundings.