Passagemaker Magazine

What Passagemaker Magazine does

Passagemaker Magazine is a privately held, bimonthly print and digital publication serving the power cruising and trawler yacht community, founded in the mid-1990s and now operating under Firecrown Media. The publication delivers boat reviews, destination guides, technical articles on boat handling and maintenance, and lifestyle content aimed at hobbyist and professional owners of trawlers, expedition yachts, and motor yachts used for long-distance cruising and liveaboard life. Its core audience is power cruising enthusiasts, with secondary readership among marine industry professionals and Great Loop cruisers.

The product portfolio spans a print magazine delivered by mail subscription, a digital edition accessible through the Zinio web library, a native iOS reading app, email newsletters delivered via DragonForms, and an e-commerce shop for branded merchandise. The publication also operates Trawlerfest, a recurring series of boat shows and educational seminars that function as both a community engagement channel and a revenue stream. Distribution covers the U.S., Canada, the Bahamas, the U.K., and Malta, with editorial and sales staff distributed across Pacific Northwest, South Florida, and New England coastal regions.

Revenue is generated through four streams: recurring print and digital subscriptions with automatic renewal, advertising and sponsored content from marine industry buyers, Trawlerfest event fees and sponsorships, and merchandise sales. The company operates with 1-10 employees from a mailing address in Lincolnshire, Illinois, and shares infrastructure, customer service, and e-commerce platforms with parent Firecrown Media and sister publication Soundings Online.

Name

Passagemaker Magazine

Legal name

Passagemaker Magazine

Website

https://passagemaker.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Passagemaker Magazine is a bimonthly print and digital publication serving power cruising and trawler yacht owners with boat reviews, technical articles, destination guides, and community events under parent Firecrown Media.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Publishing

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive & Transportation Magazines (MPAJAEAI)

Keywords

• Power cruising magazine
• Trawler boat reviews
• Marine publishing
• Cruising lifestyle content
• Powerboat editorial

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincolnshire

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital magazine subscriptions sold directly to consumers. Subscribers receive regular issues with boat reviews, cruising destinations, technical articles, and lifestyle content for power cruiser enthusiasts.
2. Advertising: The magazine features sponsored content and likely accepts advertising from marine industry companies including boat builders, equipment manufacturers, and marine services.
3. Trawlerfest Events: Educational boat show events featuring seminars, boat demonstrations, and networking opportunities for the power cruising community.
4. Shop/Merchandise: Online shop selling Passagemaker merchandise and branded items through Firecrown Marine e-commerce platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Passagemaker Magazine is a bimonthly print and digital publication serving as the leading authority on power cruising and trawler yachts. It delivers boat reviews, destination coverage, technical articles, and lifestyle editorial across print, digital (Zinio), and mobile (iOS app) channels, complemented by the Trawlerfest educational boat show series and a branded merchandise shop.

Product overview

Passagemaker Magazine is a bimonthly print and digital publication serving as the premier authority on power cruising and trawler yachts. The company offers a multi-platform portfolio consisting of the print magazine (featuring boat reviews, destinations, technical articles, and lifestyle content), a digital edition accessible via Zinio Web Library and iOS app, email newsletters, Trawlerfest boat show events, and an e-commerce shop. The publication covers trawler yachts, expedition vessels, cruising destinations, navigation techniques, maintenance, and the maritime lifestyle community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trawlerfest: An event series hosted by Passagemaker Magazine featuring boat shows, educational seminars, and networking opportunities for trawler and power cruising enthusiasts.

Products and services

• Passagemaker Magazine (Print) A bimonthly print magazine covering power cruising, trawler yachts, passagemaking, and maritime lifestyle, featuring boat reviews, destinations, technical content, and cruising lifestyle articles. Distributed via mail subscription to individual consumers.
• Passagemaker Digital Edition (Zinio) Digital version of the magazine accessible through the Zinio Web Library, allowing subscribers to view issues instantly in their browser.
• Passagemaker iOS App Mobile application for iOS devices available on the App Store, providing on-the-go access to Passagemaker magazine issues and content for subscribers.
• Trawlerfest Events Annual boat shows and training events featuring educational seminars, vessel demonstrations, and networking opportunities for trawler and powerboat enthusiasts.
• Passagemaker Shop E-commerce store operated through Firecrown Marine offering merchandise, apparel, and products related to the Passagemaker brand and maritime lifestyle.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Firecrown MediacoreOthersFirecrown Media is the parent publishing company of Passagemaker Magazine. The company provides publishing infrastructure, customer service ([email protected]), subscription management, e-commerce platforms (shop.firecrownmarine.com), and media kit production. Passagemaker is part of the Firecrown Media marine publishing portfolio.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Power & Motoryacht: Long-running magazine focused on powerboat reviews, motor yachts, and luxury cruising — directly comparable to Passagemaker's boat review and power cruising editorial format.
• Yachting Magazine: Established recreational boating publication covering yacht reviews, destinations, and lifestyle content for affluent boating enthusiasts — directly comparable audience and editorial mix.
• Trawler World: Specialty publication dedicated to trawler and long-range cruising — the most direct niche peer, covering the same power cruiser and trawler enthusiast audience that Passemaker serves.
• Cruising World: Cruising-focused publication covering long-distance voyaging, destinations, and seamanship — overlaps with Passagemaker on cruising lifestyle and passage planning, though focused more on sail.
• Boating Magazine: Mainstream recreational boating magazine with boat reviews, technical how-to content, and lifestyle coverage for powerboat owners — overlapping audience with Passagemaker's power cruiser segment.
• Soundings Online: Sister publication under Firecrown Media covering powerboat and recreational boating news. Directly comparable as another marine enthusiast magazine within the same parent portfolio, sharing distribution and advertising infrastructure.

Regional players

• Southern Boating: Regional boating magazine focused on Southeast U.S. and Caribbean powerboating and yachting — comparable editorial format but with a geographic concentration rather than Passemaker's broader U.S./international footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Motor Boating & Sailing: Heritage recreational boating publication covering powerboats and sailboats with reviews, destinations, and how-to content — overlapping with Passemaker on powerboat reviews and marine lifestyle content.
• WorkBoat Magazine: Established marine industry trade publication covering commercial marine vessels and operators — adjacent to Passemaker's marine industry professional segment, though focused on commercial rather than recreational powerboating.

Emerging players

• WoodenBoat: Specialty enthusiast publication for traditional boat building and wooden boat restoration — a niche marine publication with a focused enthusiast audience similar to Passemaker's specialized power cruiser readership.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/passagemakermag
• Instagraminstagram.com/passagemakermag
• Xx.com/PassageMakerMag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Passagemaker Magazine