A question about plans and who is selling them.

[Alan H]

OK, so in my "tell me about row cruising" thread down below, I've mentioned that I think that a boat drawn by the late Joe Dobler, called "Lissa" is about right what what I have in mind. The plans are old, now, and very inexpensive. Duckworks carries them.

https://www.duckworks.com/product-p/joe-lissa-id.htm

As I was poking around the internet for pictures of other "Lissas" that have been built I came across the "Otter 16" offered by bateau.com

http://boatplans.cc/bateau/otter-16/

except for a slight redesign of the seats, it's the exact same boat. Not only that, but in the photos section, the photos offered up are of.....Lissa. Note that the seats in the photo of the boat are not the same as the seats in the drawing. Note the name of the boat on the stern quarter.



Here's another photograph from the "Otter 16" photos page.

otter-16-rowing.jpg

But here's a picture from Duckworks used in the "Lissa" advertising.

lissa-3.jpg

It's the same couple, even wearing the same clothes, in the same boat.

On the bateau.com website, now http://boatplans.cc/

there's this text...

"One designer, Joe Dobler, used that same hull shape successfully and since we have the same program, same material and same size, it is no surprise that our boat looks very much like the Lissa, one of Dobler's designs.
Our scantlings are much more generous than in the Dobler design."


I smell a rat. They use pictures of Joe's boat to advertise their complete copy of Joe's boat, which they presumably build out of 1/4 inch ply instead of 1/8th inch and leave out the floorboards.

OK, so I'm a newbie at this. I don't know the etiquette or the laws or the rules. Joe Dobler has passed away and his son-in-law is offering some of Joes designs through Duckworks, but TO ME, this looks like a ripoff. The plans are only $20 a pop, its not like thousands of dollars is going to where it shouldn't but.....

what say, forumites? Am I off=base here? Is there something I'm missing?

[Flobart]

I choose my words carefully. Bateau have many "similar" designs to others in existence, and some with the original designers consent. The build method in some cases is more "modern" despite the lines appearing very similar. This has been bought up before on other forums. I cant comment on the Lissa design, but photo copyright may be an issue depending on the original photographer and if he is happy with others using his work. I once had to get a Polish man to remove content from his website as it involved personal photographs that i did not consent to use.