Whats the differance in a Allison

[primerate2]

What is the differance in the bottom of an Alliso and the bottom of a V-King Stream?

[Kartracer]

The Allison is patented. Can't tell you, would have to kill you. :)

[Jeff_G]

Depends on which Allison you are talking about. The 2001 Drag? The 15' or the 16'? Which years? That's like asking the difference between the Chevy Impala and a Ford Focus.

[AirRide]

The Allison is patented. Can't tell you, would have to kill you. :)Really? Whats the life of a marine design patent?

[staylor]

..then its currently 20 years after the date of filing. And, since a patent is actually a public disclosure with 20 years of protection against infringement on US use, the patent itself must disclose exactly what the invention is. Many firms are choosing not to file as many patents today; preferring to protect their design if possible by keeping trade secrets. This is because foreign competitors can easily look up your patent on line, and if you haven't filed and paid the fees in their country they can freely infringe in their country, but not ship the infringing product to your country or one that you have filed in. Plus, when Clinton was the Pres, the fees for yearly continuation of each US Patent went from near zero to thousands of dollars per year per each patent. Remember, the only reason the Gov likes patents is so that technology is not lost when the inventor dies or his company folds. I have 32 patents, but stopped filing for them circa 1994 due to these issues, preferring to have my company go the trade secret route, rather than pay the exhorbitant fees.
Doug

[Mark75H]

I think some recent treaties have changed patent protection to just 17 years for most patents even though the patent office still says they are valid in the US for 20. Another case of the government screwing over the citizens.

Although they reduced the initial filing fee, those "continuation" fees are enormous. It is basically $8000 to file and continue if you can do all the paperwork yourself. Most people both don't have the time or ability to do the search stuff and technical writing necessary ... could be another $8,000 to $15,000 just in search and lawyer fees ... with no guarantee that the patent will be accepted.

If you have a real invention and $25k you should be good

[Mark Poole ModVP]

To the original question......well that depends on who you ask. Some people would answer "no difference, they are both pad V bottom boats" and that would be the end of their explaination. Well, to those who understand the why and hows of hull design there is a lot of difference in the two boats.

I design and build RC boats and people will look at my boat ask me "why did you do this?" I can try to explain it but what matters is that I thought it through and had my reasons. Sliding a planing hull across the water with control does not take a degree or rocket science for it to work. If you were to ask 'why does a Hydrostream ride differently or turn differently than a Allison', then you might get some answers on the hulls.

Patents......consider when the stern drive was invented everything about it was covered by utility patents because no one else had thought of that basic concept before. It was worth the fees (even by todays fees)because they made millions and millions selling stern drives. I thought about getting design patents on a couple ideas of mine but thought better of it considering the expense. That money is better spent on marketing, unless your idea is going to turn the world upside down.

[sho305]

In general the Allison I saw had a wider pad and other features on the bottom. I'm going to guess the Allison is lighter and has better aerodynamics as well, and it should since it is a significantly newer design. I've seen pad photos of both here on this site.

Wonder why you can get something copyrighted near forever in this country, but not a patent? I guess none of you guys are Walt Disney.:rolleyes: I like it when you look up a patent and everyone has an Asian name, and they are for things like a dual intake on an OB and other stupid stuff that has been done in other places.

[gfinch]

One could look up and read the patent.