[AMG]

Originally Posted by Arniev

If the Australian yard did their design as a mere "study", then so be it.
But if they intend to -actually build- the vessel, they might as well use "BLING".
Not only for the "intellectual rights" issue, but also because it's a MATTER OF GOOD TASTE!

This is quoted from their Press Release;

"Using its specialist composite techniques and having started construction already, Sensation Australia will, for its first vessel, produce the world’s largest resin infused luxury composite motor yacht. At 71 meters long (234 feet), with elegant and balanced lines and a top speed of 18 knots, this composite vessel, the largest of its kind ever to be built, will be capable of motoring her 12 guests from Sydney to Los Angeles non-stop and will be the show piece of the Australasian superyacht industry."

If this is what is going on already, it will soon be pretty bad publicity for the Australasian superyacht industry I guess...

[Arniev]

So much for intellectual property rights!

I can just hear "their" lawyer's arguments:

The owner who commissioned the Australian yacht saw your design, with Bling's details sticking in his mind "subconsciously". So when the owner discussed the design with the yard's naval architect, he "interpreted" some of Bling's design as "his own idea", which was then incorporated into the actual design.

Sounds like one of those courtroom dramas you see on tv.

[orion]

Its a copy, no doubt! Nice try but
the original is still outstanding

[Kevin]

It’s a blatant copy, that is pretty obvious!!! The only difference between these two drawings is the length, because the height of the deckhouses must be taller on Sensation’s copy. Bling is 350-400 feet long, whereas the Sensation copy is 234 feet in length.

I remember Carl mentioning that the all the guys from Sensation follow YachtForums. Do you think they would gamble on building the world’s largest resin infused mold (BIG $$$) on a design that has never received any consumer feedback?

Here is the quote from Sensation’s press release on their 71-meter copy… http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/se...tion-news.html

Using its specialist composite techniques and having started construction already, Sensation Australia will, for its first vessel, produce the world’s largest resin infused luxury composite motor yacht. At 71 meters long (234 feet), with elegant and balanced lines and a top speed of 18 knots, this composite vessel, the largest of its kind ever to be built, will be capable of motoring her 12 guests from Sydney to Los Angeles non-stop and will be the show piece of the Australasian superyacht industry.

It is well known that BLING is everyone’s favorite design on YachtForums.

This whole scenario shouldn’t be a surprise. Sensation was in bankruptcy last year and they couldn’t even finish Maratani-X. It had to be finished by the owner at Broward’s yard.

This is a disgrace! Lars, I suggest you hire an attorney and go after these thieves. And to anyone considering buying a yacht from Sensation, BE WARNED! This is a company that engages in unscrupulous business practices.

Carl, you should remove Sensation’s forum from YF and never give them any exposure again. Or better yet, let’s keep a copy of this thread in Sensation’s forum.

Shame on you Sensation!!! You could have at least made some attempt to hide the fact that you're copying someone else's work.

[AMG]

Wow, 10-1 in my favor so far, thanks all!

I guess this will never reach a court. Should this shipyard proceed, many of the worlds leading suppliers engaged in the Bling project will probably put them on the black list.

But first I will contact Sensation and ask how it could happen at all...!?

/Lars

[foundrycourt]

Make it 11 - 1. Complete copy. Is Bling going into production? From the sound of your reply to Kevin, sounds like work has already started, if so someone has real taste

[AMG]

Since over a year, there is a client who has put together a comprehensive study on how he wants the 400' Double Bling to be built. All suppliers are contacted and if he decides to go ahead, you will not believe the specifications(!). So for the time being, I know a little more than I can tell, but not enough to say if and when construction can start...

[foundrycourt]

Originally Posted by AMG

Since over a year, there is a client who has put together a comprehensive study on how he wants the 400' Double Bling to be built. All suppliers are contacted and if he decides to go ahead, you will not believe the specifications(!). So for the time being, I know a little more than I can tell, but not enough to say if and when construction can start...

Thats great, Lets hope in several years we get to see her cruising the world. Your designs are so far ahead of everyone elses, that even in 10 years she will still be considered cutting edge. I can see why people are trying to 'borrow' your designs, even though it's inexcusable. Can't imagine you client, or yourself being too happy about it though, I know I wouldn't be.

[wdrzal]

As soon as you draw or compose something ,it's intellectual property, yours,But you have to prove it. most people will put in in a envelope and mail it cetified to yourself and never open it. just put it away. The certification proves that it was composed before the postmark date.

Would you patent or copyright "sliced bread" ? there is a difference



But your in the business you don't need advice from us internet lawyers

Lars in your case because it was a project and the publicity it got it sounds like yours exsisted first,and you can easily prove it. Unless they have there drawing copryrighted at a earlier date and they can prove it, by the sounds of it yours was the original design.

This I do know , every country is not a signator to a internatioal copyright protection, the _______ convention offers,can't remember the name..... so some countries don't offer any protection at all.

Also in the USA you must register your propertery(copyright it) ,otherwise you can not recover monetary damages.

Now the hard part, is it worth retaining an attorney?

Since its not a "carbon copy" you need to decide is it worth all the legal bills to "risk" trying to prove your design was stolen thus recovering "credit" and "compensation" for your design.

Did you do all the engineering on that design? or was it just a rendering,not that just doing a rendering is quite a bit of work thus worth compensation.....is your design being considered by a client ?

Now for the question, what is that on the rear deck if not a sat com. ????

ps.I like Bling better, I hope credit is given To whom it's deserved.

[AMG]

Yes, there are countries that have less good laws against copying and counterfait, but as soon as these products reach the more civilized world, they are seized and usually destructed.

I can´t remember to have heard of any company making copies and selling under their own name either. This use to be a shady business.

But let´s say they are planning to go ahead and build this yacht, in a world where design is one of the most important ingredients? Do they really think they will make a success, that the yacht and the shipyard will get positive press? Since they, or the buyer, must be aware of the origin of the design, how should they explain the situation?

If their rendering wasn´t so well executed, I should still take it as a joke...

And to answer your question, this is a Sat-TV antenna but could be any Satellite antenna. The idea is to be able to see the antenna movements and at night illuminated, maybe with a colored laser beam pointing at the satellite, as a fun piece instead of just another giant mushroom...

[brunick]

I was looking at the yachts again and I saw some things that make me sick! I hate this shipyard. Even the glass from the fly bridge is on the same position as on "bling", including the sharp edges and everything.

I would ask the shipyard if you can get the money their naval architect would get

Copy!

[Tad]

Obviously a copy.

Theft of intellectual property is very common, rarely is there any recourse because of the international nature of the crime. Morally it stinks, but actually (legally) it's a different boat, not an exact copy.

How does this happen? The owner goes to the yard and asks for "something exactly like this but smaller" the guy doing the work doesn’t have enough perk to change anything. And thus, a copy is born.

As one who has had this happen, (by very prominent design firms) I feel bad about it, but see little you can do except scream, which you are doing. Keep it up.

Tad

[AMG]

Thanks Tad,

I know that going to court is a waste of time and money when dealing with guys like this. And this is not as when Hinckley for a while was going after some of the Picnic-boat copies, where the final decision anyway is by the customer. In a way, I think they have all gained by raising the interest for this Lobsterboat style.

The Double Bling however, is a unique design to a 2-300 million yacht and making copies of such special yachts is rather silly. The Superyacht world is a small world and if they should build this yacht as they claim, it will do them much more harm than me.

It is just that I wouldn´t like to see this distorted copy at all when my original design is under negotiation to be built...

[outmywindow]

Obviously I don't know to much about the finer points of Design or copywriter (no need to confirm).
But out of curiosity, you have a Yacht like Nicole Marie http://www.nicolemariecharters.com/ which is built by PR Marine, which looks very similar to a Millennium product. What am I missing?.

[AMG]

Originally Posted by outmywindow

Obviously I don't know to much about the finer points of Design or copywriter (no need to confirm).
But out of curiosity, you have a Yacht like Nicole Marie http://www.nicolemariecharters.com/ which is built by PR Marine, which looks very similar to a Millennium product. What am I missing?.

I think you are missing that most of those similar designs are made by the same designer...

http://www.mulderdesign.nl/paginas/begin.htm