After three years under Maritime Publishing, The Log has been donated to the California Yacht Brokers Association, beginning a new chapter centered on long-term stewardship, editorial independence and continued service to California’s boating and fishing communities.
The Log is beginning a new chapter, but the mission behind the newspaper remains firmly in place.
After three years under Maritime Publishing, the 55-year-old publication has been donated to the California Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA), placing the newspaper under the stewardship of a nonprofit trade association with longstanding ties to California’s recreational boating community.
For outgoing owner Dave Abrams, the decision was less about finding a buyer and more about finding an organization he believed could protect the newspaper’s identity and future.
“When I first took over The Log, I saw my role as just the next steward of this iconic publication,” Abrams said. “My job was to stabilize it and put it in a condition that would allow it to carry on as the great community resource that it is.”
Abrams said that responsibility included keeping the newspaper relevant to the Southern California boating and fishing communities it has served for generations.
“I wanted to make the content relevant and engaging for the boating and fishing community in Southern California that we served,” Abrams said. “A publication that I would want to read and would be proud of sharing with my friends. I believe we, as a team, have accomplished those goals.”
When Abrams determined he could no longer give the newspaper and its staff the attention he believed they deserved, finding the right successor became a priority.
“When I realized I just didn’t have the time to commit to The Log and provide its staff the amount of attention they deserved, I wanted to ensure that whomever became the next steward of the publication would have more than just a monetary interest in keeping this special publication what it is today,” Abrams said. “That led me to CYBA.”
Abrams said CYBA’s connection to California’s boating community made the association a natural home for the publication.
“As the largest community of boat/yacht brokers in the U.S., CYBA has a vested interest in promoting boating and fishing activities in California, as well as ensuring that the community of owners or prospective owners stay informed and engaged,” Abrams said. “While there were other potential suitors for The Log, I couldn’t think of a better option than CYBA.”
His priorities, he said, were straightforward.
“My goals in the transition were simple: take care of the great team that’s currently producing the publication, while ensuring that The Log maintains that feel of a local community paper,” Abrams said.
Ultimately, Abrams said he hopes the donation gives the newspaper the stability to continue well beyond the current generation of readers.
“My hope,” he said, “is that by entrusting The Log to CYBA, it will continue serving the California maritime community for generations to come.”
That idea of stewardship will carry into CYBA’s oversight of the publication. Founded more than 50 years ago, the association was established to promote professionalism and ethical standards within California’s yacht brokerage industry and protect consumers involved in buying and selling vessels.
While CYBA will own the newspaper, its role as a trade association will remain separate from the newsroom. Maintaining editorial independence is a central part of the transition, allowing the publication to continue reporting objectively on harbor issues, regulations, fisheries, government actions, marine businesses and other subjects affecting California boaters and anglers.
Mark P. White, executive director of CYBA, sees the acquisition as an opportunity to bring together two longtime California maritime institutions.
“From the perspective of the California Yacht Brokers Association, bringing The Log under our umbrella represents an extraordinary opportunity to align California’s premier boating publication with the leading professional organization for West Coast brokers,” White said.
CYBA also sees an educational role for the newspaper as boaters navigate changing regulations, legislation and the responsibilities associated with vessel ownership.
“We envision The Log serving as a vital channel to educate readers on ethical boat buying, regulatory changes, and legislative updates impacting California waterways,” White said.
That coverage will continue to reach beyond yacht brokerage. Boating safety, environmental stewardship, fisheries, harbor developments and the issues affecting recreational boaters will remain part of the publication’s editorial scope.
“We’re excited to leverage The Log‘s reach to promote safe boating initiatives, clean marina practices, and coastal stewardship in partnership with state agencies,” White said.
CYBA also plans to invest in the newspaper’s future by strengthening its digital presence while preserving the print edition readers continue to find at marinas, docks, marine businesses and other waterfront locations.
“We’re focusing heavily on expanding The Log‘s digital footprint, enhancing our online platform, mobile access, and real-time news coverage for West Coast boaters,” White said.
The publication’s geographic reach is expected to grow as well. Southern California will remain at the heart of the newspaper, from San Diego and Dana Point to Newport Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, the Channel Islands and Catalina Island, while additional coverage will extend farther north.
“We plan to widen our editorial lens to cover emerging harbor news, local fishery updates, coastal lifestyle content, and West Coast boat shows from San Diego to Northern California,” White said.
For readers, that expansion should mean more coverage, not a different newspaper.
The Log will remain in print and online, and its newsroom will continue covering the news, regulations, fisheries, waterfront developments, boating education, marine businesses, destinations, events and people that matter to boaters and anglers. CYBA’s ownership provides a new foundation for that work without changing who determines what appears on the newspaper’s editorial pages.
As editor, I am excited about the opportunities that foundation creates. New relationships and a broader statewide presence will give our team more places to look for stories, more people to talk to and more issues to explore. But those opportunities do not replace the community that has supported this newspaper for more than five decades.
The staff is deeply grateful to Abrams and Maritime Publishing for the resources, relationships and support provided during the past three years. We are equally grateful to CYBA for taking on the responsibility of becoming the newspaper’s next steward and for recognizing that preserving The Log also means preserving the independence of its newsroom.
For our readers, the most important message is simple: We are still here, and we are still your newspaper.
Come aboard for the next chapter.
The Log may be heading north, but we’re not leaving Southern California behind.
