[Paddlewise] Boat Design

Elias Ross wrote:

But if boat designs were protected by law, I think there is a chance 
there would community developing around producing "community designs." 
Whether or not they would be developed commercially or just by hobbists 
is a good question.  (And I am not here to advocate boat designers do 
such a thing if there were such a law, or condemn or push those who 
don't.)  The reason that people do not give back as you describe, is 
there is no such obligation under law.  And there is no "enabling 
technology" in place that allows for information to be shared and 
updated easily.  (This mailing list is a good example!)

There are "communities" of boatbuilders that do work in pretty much this way.  They are the "development" classes of sailboats, where the limitations are very broad (typically, max. length, beam, sail area) but within this, pretty much anything goes.  The Sydney Harbour 18's are one example of this.  They tend to be communities of hobbyists, although certainly the best designers can make a business out of it by applying the concepts they have developed to new one-designs, as Julian Bethwaite has.

Rob. 
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