Registering Traditional Design

[covyon]

I am interested in preserving a traditionally built rowing boat of a particular shape and size, and wish to register the design, so preventing unsupervised copies being built.

This craft is of historic importance, and at the present time is produced using traditional clinker built methods, with all craft having to go through a rigorous material and measuring phase, to ensure that they are all of the same standard and design - this is necessary as they are used for racing, so it is essential that all modern craft keep to the same specification.

The design has been in use for 200 years, and the Association with whom I'm involved are anxious that the basic traditional standard,design and materials are used during construction, without the use of firbre glass.

Can anyone advise?

[tom28571]

This is normally done by having a Class Association to which interested members can belong. All boats within the class are required to meet specific measurement tolerances, scantlings. materials, etc., etc.

What is done by individual builders outside the class cannot be restricted. There are design copyrights but unless your design is unique in some way, you can't avail yourself of those. Splashing a proprietary design (taking a mold off an existing boat) is both legally and morally wrong though.

Why are you interested in trying to restrict such builders anyway? I know of no method by which a boat design can be "registered" or what such a term might mean, at least on this side of the pond.

[gonzo]

A 200 year old design is public knowledge and can't be protected.

[SailDesign]

A 200 year old design is public knowledge and can't be protected.

If your association is the one U think it is, then one of the Founding Fathers , Lance Lee, would be distressed to hear talk of "preventing unsupervised copies" and such. Not his style at all, especially since the original gig from which all others have bee copied is still on display in Bantry Bay, and the original design belonged to the French Navy. Since most Navies have records dating back yto the Ark, I would imagine they could prove prior usage of the deisgn if it came to court.
Just build 'em, and let each be inspected before the races. Anyone cheating will have travelled there only to find they can't race. It's a powerful lesson.

Steve

[SailDesign]

Ummmm..... "the one I think it is......."

Sorry.