| Two weeks ago in an update on the Bladerider one design foiling Moth we reported that the company were attempting to patent a couple of their design ideas (see the article here). This is causing a considerable stir within the Moth community with arguments on-going over the moral right to patent within a development class, a debate with possible consequences not just within the Moths.
Essentially much of the debate revolves around two central themes: the rights of Bladerider International to protect their intellectual property and the Moths being a development class where designs are regularly copied and adapted. “It is an emotive issue simply because the class has contributed so much to sailing over the years due to its collaborative and inventive nature,” explains 2006 Moth World Champion, Simon Payne. “Ideas are copied and developed and then copied again and made right. That has always been the case” ...more |
