How common are seacraft hulls copied?

[THEHEADMULLET]

Are boat builders ripping off the hull designs of older seacrafts and then altering the above the water part of the seacraft to hide the theft, or are they just using old hulls to make a molds, and nothing is illegal?

[gofastsandman]

Originally Posted by THEHEADMULLET

Are boat builders ripping off the hull designs of older seacrafts and then altering the above the water part of the seacraft to hide the theft, or are they just using old hulls to make a molds, and nothing is illegal?

It is not that cut and dry.

I think Carl`s 21 is pure magic for where we are.

Cheers,
GFS and friends.

[Bigshrimpin]

Originally Posted by THEHEADMULLET

Are boat builders ripping off the hull designs of older seacrafts and then altering the above the water part of the seacraft to hide the theft, or are they just using old hulls to make a molds, and nothing is illegal?

patent protection expired 30+ years ago . . . there are plenty successful boat builders that used the seacraft hull. Why reinvent the wheel?

[flyingfrizzle]

Even a new boat with a paten can be copied if you change 15% of the design then you can call it your own. Is that ethical? Maybe not. In the boating industry the formula 233 has been copied 100s of times and lots of boats came from modified 233 hulls. The earlier contender, whitewater, bluewater, ect, ect, came from a simple splash and change of the 233. The seacraft hulls have been copied may times over the years so has many other boats. A lot of the boats still built today arrived from some kind of copy from another hull. I think it depends on how you go about doing it that makes the difference. If you copy a hull to mass produce a boat for sure dollar it is not too ethical even if you make it your own and change a lot of design. To save a hull design that is about gone from age and to give it a second chance to stay in existence is a different story. Done from love or done for profit, makes a difference.

Example: locally near me a guy splashed a mold from a 17' boston whaler. He changed a little over 15% and even used their decal design just changing their name to his own. (he use his last name) It was a obvious copy and he advertised it for sale for reproduction to make profit off their design and got sued by them. He went to court and there was nothing Whaler could do. He changed enough to make it his own so it is still being produced today.

Is that moral? You decide,

Doing this to keep a great boat from going into extinction is different story. At least it is to me. especially when you get a blessing from those who created it.

[erebus]

We had a 2001 Key largo 180 come into the yard a few weeks ago, and I was looking at it one day from across the lot, and dammit if I didnt realize that it was an exact Seacraft 18SF hull.
The liner, console and fit and finish are totally different but the hull from the rub rail down is all seacraft.
I was so surprised.

Heres one on yachtworld.
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2007.../United-States

and a quick blurb on THT with pics.
http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-...-seacraft.html

Guess they made a 23 too.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by erebus

We had a 2001 Key largo 180 come into the yard a few weeks ago, and I was looking at it one day from across the lot, and dammit if I didnt realize that it was an exact Seacraft 18SF hull.
The liner, console and fit and finish are totally different but the hull from the rub rail down is all seacraft.
I was so surprised.

Heres one on yachtworld.
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2007.../United-States

and a quick blurb on THT with pics.
http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-...-seacraft.html



Guess they made a 23 too.

they did and its like a ferrari with a yugo body!

[gofastsandman]

Originally Posted by flyingfrizzle

Even a new boat with a paten can be copied if you change 15% of the design then you can call it your own. Is that ethical? Maybe not. In the boating industry the formula 233 has been copied 100s of times and lots of boats came from modified 233 hulls. The earlier contender, whitewater, bluewater, ect, ect, came from a simple splash and change of the 233. The seacraft hulls have been copied may times over the years so has many other boats. A lot of the boats still built today arrived from some kind of copy from another hull. I think it depends on how you go about doing it that makes the difference. If you copy a hull to mass produce a boat for sure dollar it is not too ethical even if you make it your own and change a lot of design. To save a hull design that is about gone from age and to give it a second chance to stay in existence is a different story. Done from love or done for profit, makes a difference.

Example: locally near me a guy splashed a mold from a 17' boston whaler. He changed a little over 15% and even used their decal design just changing their name to his own. (he use his last name) It was a obvious copy and he advertised it for sale for reproduction to make profit off their design and got sued by them. He went to court and there was nothing Whaler could do. He changed enough to make it his own so it is still being produced today.

Is that moral? You decide,

Doing this to keep a great boat from going into extinction is different story. At least it is to me. especially when you get a blessing from those who created it.

We have a beautiful family here. Thanks to Trayder.

Can`t blame a guy for wanting a Conch. Carl is all about what if.

A flying wing cat hull? His lovely wife Jeanne still thinks she is the better cat driver.
The old paper backs that up.

[THEHEADMULLET]

This site works well, and I got my answers! Thanks!