Lakeland Boating
Lakeland Boating is a privately held print and digital magazine serving Great Lakes recreational boaters and the regional marine industry since 1946, published by O'Meara-Brown Publications Inc. from Evanston, Illinois.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersEvanston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Lakeland Boating does
Lakeland Boating is a print and digital magazine that has covered the Great Lakes boating community continuously since 1946, published by O'Meara-Brown Publications Inc. and headquartered in Evanston, Illinois. The publication produces editorial content including in-depth boat tests, boat spotlights, destination features (Ports of Call), Great Loop cruising coverage, marine industry news, and regular columns across categories such as marine maintenance, fishing, and electronics. Its core products are the monthly Lakeland Boating Magazine (available in print and digital formats), the lakelandboating.com website platform, and a weekly e-newsletter; the publication also maintains an active presence on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and produces supplementary video content including boat test and spotlight videos.
The business model is a traditional niche media operation monetized through subscription sales (print and digital), newsstand distribution across the Great Lakes region, and advertising sold to marine industry participants such as boat manufacturers, marina operators, and marine service providers. The company operates with 1-10 employees and is privately held with no disclosed external funding. Its readership is split between Great Lakes recreational boaters (the primary audience seeking boat reviews, destination guides, and marina information) and marine industry professionals consuming industry news and advertising services. Coverage spans the U.S. and Canadian sides of the Great Lakes region including Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario and their connected waterways.
Operationally, Lakeland Boating functions as a focused regional content brand rather than a technology platform: there is no disclosed proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, app product, or API. Distribution relies on standard digital publishing infrastructure and conventional subscription fulfillment handled through PubService.com. The company's competitive positioning rests on its 80-year regional heritage, niche Great Lakes focus that limits direct competition from national boating titles, and a multi-channel audience touchpoint spanning print, web, email, and social.
Lakeland Boating firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lakeland Boating
- Legal name
- O'Meara-Brown Publications Inc.
- Website
- https://lakelandboating.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Lakeland Boating is a privately held print and digital magazine serving Great Lakes recreational boaters and the regional marine industry since 1946, published by O'Meara-Brown Publications Inc. from Evanston, Illinois.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Lakeland Boating is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Evanston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lakeland Boating business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Lakeland Boating product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lakeland Boating is a print and digital magazine that covers recreational boating across the Great Lakes region, publishing monthly issues and continuous online content. The publication features in-depth boat tests, boat spotlights, Ports of Call destination guides, Great Loop cruising content, feature articles, industry news, columns, classifieds, and video coverage. It is published by O'Meara-Brown Publications Inc. and distributed via subscriptions, newsstand retail, and a digital website platform complemented by a weekly e-newsletter.
Product overview
Lakeland Boating is a print and digital magazine published by O'Meara-Brown Publications Inc. serving the Great Lakes boating community. The publication offers subscription-based access to editorial content including boat tests, boat spotlights, feature articles, ports of call travel guides, industry news, columns, videos, and classifieds. The magazine is complemented by a website platform providing online content access and a weekly e-newsletter service. The product portfolio consists of the core Lakeland Boating Magazine (print and digital), the LakelandBoating.com website platform, and the E-Newsletter subscription service.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lakeland Boating Magazine Print and digital boating magazine covering the Great Lakes region, featuring boat tests, boat spotlights, feature articles, ports of call travel guides, industry news, columns, and classifieds for recreational boating enthusiasts.
- Lakeland Boating Website Online platform offering free and subscription-based access to editorial content including boat tests, features, ports of call, news, videos, columns, and classifieds for the Great Lakes boating community.
- Lakeland Boating E-Newsletter Weekly email newsletter providing subscribers with updates on local and regional Great Lakes news, helpful tips and advice, and notifications when the digital magazine is published.
Companies that use Lakeland Boating
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Lakeland Boating technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Lakeland Boating partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Lakeland Boating competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sail Magazine: Recreational sailing publication with reviews, techniques, and charter content. Comparable recreational boating editorial format but sail-only and broader geography versus Lakeland Boating's regional power/cruising mix.
- Yachting Magazine: Established mainstream recreational boating title covering powerboats, yachts, and destinations nationwide. Comparable in product category but broader geographic scope and larger scale than Lakeland Boating's regional focus.
Direct peers
- Soundings Trade Only: Trade and consumer boating publication serving recreational boating industry professionals and enthusiasts. Direct peer in covering both consumer boat content and marine industry B2B news that advertisers buy.
- Cruising World: Sailing and cruising publication with destination guides, boat reviews, and seamanship content. Comparable editorial mix though sail-oriented; competes for the same Great Lakes cruiser subscriber and advertiser pool.
- Power & Motoryacht: Powerboat-focused magazine with boat tests, destinations, and owner cruising content. Comparable editorial mix to Lakeland Boating's boat test and Great Lakes cruising features, with overlapping advertiser base.
- PassageMaker Magazine: Magazine devoted to trawler and long-distance cruising, including extensive Great Loop coverage. Highly comparable niche focus on cruising itineraries, port guides, and lifestyle — overlapping Great Loop audience with Lakeland Boating.
- Boating Magazine: Long-running recreational boating magazine covering boat reviews, destinations, and marine lifestyle. Most direct peer in editorial format, advertising model, and target audience, though Lakeland Boating is narrower (Great Lakes only).
Emerging players
- Boats.com: Digital-first boat marketplace and editorial platform with reviews, listings, and buying guides. Comparable as a destination for boating content and research, but adds transactional brokerage that Lakeland Boating does not pursue.
Others
- WorkBoat Magazine: Commercial marine industry trade publication covering working vessels, ports, and maritime business. Adjacent rather than direct — covers marine industry B2B content similar to Lakeland Boating's industry news but serves commercial, not recreational, readers.
- YachtWorld: Leading online yacht and boat listing marketplace. Adjacent to Lakeland Boating's audience but operates as a transactional platform rather than editorial publication; competes for marine industry ad dollars.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lakeland Boating social profiles
Digital presenceLakeland Boating financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lakeland Boating leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Lakeland Boating funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lakeland Boating M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lakeland Boating
What does Lakeland Boating do?
Lakeland Boating is a print and digital magazine that covers recreational boating across the Great Lakes region, publishing monthly issues and continuous online content. The publication features in-depth boat tests, boat spotlights, Ports of Call destination guides, Great Loop cruising content, feature articles, industry news, columns, classifieds, and video coverage. It is published by O'Meara-Brown Publications Inc. and distributed via subscriptions, newsstand retail, and a digital website platform complemented by a weekly e-newsletter.
Is Lakeland Boating a public or private company?
Lakeland Boating is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Lakeland Boating founded?
Lakeland Boating was founded in 1946. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Lakeland Boating based?
Lakeland Boating is headquartered in Evanston, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Lakeland Boating's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sail Magazine and Yachting Magazine. Direct peers are Soundings Trade Only, Cruising World, Power & Motoryacht, PassageMaker Magazine and Boating Magazine. Boats.com is listed as an emerging player. Others are WorkBoat Magazine and YachtWorld.
Does Lakeland Boating have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lakeland Boating.