PRIME PUBLISHER
8/27/2007 4:45:51 PM by Sandy Lindsey
Kevin Hernandez created a new concept in marine publishing that showcased not only yacht reviews and industry news, but the passions and pastimes of the people who reveled in the experience of yachting and everything that comes along with it.
Who better to start the new generation of yachting magazines like International Yachtsman than an actual yachtsman? Nobody. “I owned a yacht, the 106-foot Calex, and I owned a publishing company, Perfect Vision Media Group, so International Yachtsman was the next natural step,” says the magazine’s founder, Kevin Hernandez. “I wanted to create a magazine that went beyond the nuts-and-bolts and hardware of yachting. I wanted to cover the softer side: travel, lifestyle and design instead of engines and water makers, etc. We wanted to create a magazine for true yachtsmen.”
The result is a publication that travels the world’s exotic ports and shipyards and goes aboard the most impressive luxury vessels to bring all aspects of yachting to the reader. In addition to the expected yacht news and reviews, the magazine focuses heavily on cruising destinations, maritime news, profiles and other items of interest to the discerning yacht owner. But perhaps what really sets it apart from the competition is the world-class events the magazine hosts and produces each year that yield high-profile elites, impressive sponsorships and untouchable guest lists. Frequently, calls and emails start pouring in for RSVPs weeks before the magazine officially announces the event to the industry and its readership — proof that Hernandez was on target when he decided to integrate a full-experience slant to the title and its corresponding initiatives.
Hernandez defines his greatest success as occurring when the magazine approached its first anniversary. “It was clear we were a success,” he says. “A lot of people in the yachting business didn’t think we’d make it, but after that first year we had all the major advertisers taking notice.”
As a result, the industry-wide buzz was deafening. “Part of the thrill was how the other yachting magazines began to copy us within those first 12 months,” he continues. “The result was complete changes in some magazines that had been around a long time. It is said that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and these publications definitely mirrored us.”
If there was one disappointment in the scheme of things, Hernandez defines it as “the fact that I didn’t keep International Yachtsman. I love boats, boat shows, and everything to do with them. When I sold Perfect Vision Media Group, I sold the whole business in order to move on to another project. Sometimes I really wish I’d kept Yachtsman.”
Last year saw the subsequent sale of Hernandez’s yacht Calex, although his love of yachting is still intact. “I still enjoy yachting but now I charter,” he explains. “When I had a yacht I used it all the time. Some of my other hobbies got pushed aside. While I did go skiing, it was once a year, now it’s several times a year. And I’ve got time to go to Europe and other destinations. This is a time to catch up on other pastimes.”
Hernandez is also keeping his fingers in the creative pie. He is currently partnering with designer Louis Verdad in his successful clothing company. The talented Verdad, who is from Mexico, now resides in Los Angeles, where the company is based. These days the industrious Hernandez travels between Los Angeles, Atlanta and Miami.