Yacht Design Data Protection

[John Taylor]

During a conversation I had with a colleague, about advertising my yacht design on our new Tri-Services Radio Sailing Website. The subject of including measurment details of my yacht, caused a great debate between us both. My colleague's opinion was that if people wanted to purchase my yacht in the future, they would like to know also some measurement details. Example: Mast position, depth of hull, beam etc.
In his opinion, people would use such details to compare and decide the eventual yacht to buy. Builders take interest in the measurement details, so they could create a wooden version of the designers boat, because they are more interested in building and sailing for fun. (Ok to a point)

Unfortunately, I disagreed and wasnt keen to make the measurement details of my design so freely available. In my opinion, potential buyers would decide on purchasing my yacht if they thought it performs well when racing, or they admire the image of the yacht threw photos etc.

Freely advertising comprehensive measurement details of a design,(what ever the class), will cause some designers to duplicate your figures and clone another design for their own gains. From my understanding, if someone wants to design a yacht, they would not be allowed access to measurment certificates of existing boats. Which is exactly why I dont think I should make my IOM measurements, so freely available on the new Tri-Services webpage.

I would be interested to hear other peoples veiws. Would you freely advertise your boat's measurment details?

J.T

[Hiljoball]

I see that you have posted a question here that closely resembles the one you posted on the UK Model Yaching board relative to a 6M class project.

If I were considering buying a 6M, I would want some basic data, such as LOA, LWL, beam and displacement. I would want to know if the boat was slanted to light/medium or heavy airs. That basic outline would hep me decide.

The 6M rule is so complex that I don't think I could reverse engineer your design from that basic data. So I don't see any reason not to provide some very basic data about your design.

Now to IOM... a very difference kettle of fish. Already I know the LOA, draft, displacement, sail plan and can guess/estimate the distribution of volume, hull depth, beam and mast placement from photographs. The rule is simple so anyone could reverse engineer a hull in the style of your design without too much difficulty.

There are many IOM boats out there from many designers and builders with a wide range of shapes that sail well together. If someone creates a breakthrough design, some will rush to buy and others will build in that style. "Immitation is the sincerest form of flattery" It is unavoidable in such a simple rule.

[John Taylor]

Yes your right, I have duplicated this advert from my own on the UK forum. As it says on there about, (what ever the class). So as this is an IOM only forum, I thought it was important enough to repeat the debate here. Its actually good to see that people read what I've posted.

I suppose you could look upon copying a yacht design as flattery. The TS2 has taken many different forms by other designers, yet still mainly keeping with the same theme. Experience tells me there is nothing better than the original concept though.

I still believe copying a yacht design is unsporting, and also it shows the person to have no originality.

Thanks for your responce, I hope to shake your hand oneday.

JT

[RoyL]

Copying a design or splashing a hull without authorization from the creator is stealing. Period.