canting keels...

I have several US Letters patents and I wouldn't say they are easy to get.
The gravity canting keel has more to the patent than just the "idea"- or it wouldn't be patentable.
There is plenty wrong with the US Patent system if you're an individual: high cost, "maintanence fees"(extortion), the inability to practically protect your invention outside the US for less than $30,000 and the high cost of a patent defense.
It irks me that to get the patent you have to pay $4000 or more but you only get protection in the US even though the prior art included the rest of the world. So when your patent issues it becomes public and can be used by the rest of the world for free-unless they want to import into the US.
Since the patent office dropped the requirement for a working model it is possible to patent something that won't work---which is unfortunate. However, you need to be able to demonstrate that your invention does work in order to defend it and only the very rich idiots among us would proceed with a patent that doesn't work. Some attorneys won't even take a case that hasn't been demonstrated to work.
What level of experience with the US Patent system have you had that leads you to believe "all those patents for nothing"?Just curious...

2 canting keel casualties in this years Sydney to Hobart, the first due to electrical failure (Targe) the second, the almost complete loss of Skandia Wild Thing (she is currently capsized in Bass Strait, slowly taking on water and has yet to be salvaged. The single hydraulic ram for her canting keel failed, locking it over to starboard.

Links to articles here:
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com//news.asp?key=1746
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com//news.asp?key=1748
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com//news.asp?key=1756
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com//news.asp?key=1763
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com//news.asp?key=1761
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0...-32463,00.html

It's a shame that Skandia and the old Wild Oats had such trouble. But over ten times as many fixed keel boats had serious trouble including Konica Minolta(fixed keel) and Ragamuffin-mast failure.
And it simply cannot be ignored that a canting keel equipped boat won the race-Nicorette.

[SeaDrive]

Originally Posted by Lorsail

It's a shame that Skandia and the old Wild Oats had such trouble. But over ten times as many fixed keel boats had serious trouble including Konica Minolta(fixed keel) and Ragamuffin-mast failure.
And it simply cannot be ignored that a canting keel equipped boat won the race-Nicorette.

Yacht racing is not supposed to be Demolition Derby. All the boats are supposed to get to the finish, and the rougher the expected conditions, the less excuse for not being ready.

Sea Drive , the Sydney Hobart is a tough race but my point was simply to point out that many boats had trouble and that the trouble was not limiteed to boats with canting keels.
Many writers on different forums have attempted to say that Skandias problems discredit canting keels as a technology-that is simply not true.

[SailDesign]

Originally Posted by Doug

Many writers on different forums have attempted to say that Skandias problems discredit canting keels as a technology-that is simply not true.

One of my canting-keel 40-footer designs has now been solo around the world twice, with both boats coming to the States from the Black Sea solo on their delivery trips. Apart from minor problems, the canting keels have behaved very well.
Of course, they were not computer controlled, or electrically-powered.
Steve

[mighetto]

Originally Posted by yachtie2k4

i can give you their website, but its being "repaired" which has been goin on for ages, www.wildthingyachting.com.au

Spill Yachtie2k4. What do you know about Skandia and Sydney Hobart? There is nothing about the disaster on the web site.

[D'ARTOIS]

Demolition Race or not, it is one of the toughest races in the world, a race that distinguishes the boys from the girls, so to speak.....
Probably a race very suitable for certain sailors with adjustable ballast keels?
Or, do they insist on a minimum length?

[mojounwin]

Does anyone out there know of canting keels being used on cruising boats yet?
No doubt they are on the way.
They would have alot of advantages not so much for the weight saving but would make sailing much more comfortable. I know I'd rather live on a flat boat then walking around on a 20 degree angle..

Mojo

CBTFco has done a number of cruising boats and there is a canting keel cruising boat described in the latest Sail magazine....