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Boat Forum / Building / February 2008Molds, Plugs, Glass - anyone want to build new Johnson 18s?
I own a Johnson 18 (http://www.johnson18.org/). Johnson Boat works built this Rodger Martin design starting in 1995. In 1999 Johnson Boat works sold the molds to Catalina, who has been sitting on them ever since - and not building any boats. Current owners are hoping to grow the class but cannot without new boats being pushed into the market. This is just a quick note to see if any one knows anyone who would be interested in building new Johnson 18s, if the class organization can pry the molds away from Catalina. Also, since I have virtually no knowledge on the topic, how hard would it be to create a new pair of mold using a current hull as a plug? Thanks, Brian >since I have virtually no >knowledge on the topic, how hard would it be to create a new pair of >mold using a current hull as a plug? Not that difficult for someone experienced in mold making but what would be your legal liability, and would the resulting hull still be considered a Johnson 18 ? > On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 07:31:03 -0800 (PST), Five Cubed Skipper > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > would be your legal liability, and would the resulting hull still be > considered a Johnson 18 ? None really, a hull can not be patented or protected once it is out on the market. It is called "splashing" the hull, and is done all the time. I once read an article written by the president of a large bubbleboat maker, don't remember which one right now. Anyway, he recanted a story where they would acutally have a pool among the top brass to guess how many splashes of :"last years model" would be on the showroom floor at the spring shows;) He noted an astronomical number that the company spends each year on hull R+D, half of which he claimed was to figure out how to put stuff into hulls to make them harder to splash... Said it added a lot to the cost of a new hull... >> On Fri, 8 Feb 2008 07:31:03 -0800 (PST), Five Cubed Skipper >> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > claimed was to figure out how to put stuff into hulls to make them > harder to splash... Said it added a lot to the cost of a new hull... Actually, in the US, you can copyright a hull form. Splashing a hull form IS illegal. When you make a mold for a polyester boat, you have to take account resin shrinkage as it cures. You make the mold oversize so the resulting boat is the size you want. Evan Gatehouse Catalina is certainly an efficient manufacturer, so I'd think that they could produce the boat at as low a cost as anyone. If they're not producing the boat, I'd guess that either they have another product which it would compete with or they don't think they can sell enough boats to make a profit. If the former is true, you're probably out of luck. If the latter, then they'd probably have their minds changed by an order for, say, twenty boats. Start selling. hey >I own a Johnson 18 (http://www.johnson18.org/). Johnson Boat works > built this Rodger Martin design starting in 1995. In 1999 Johnson Boat [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Brian |
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