Sleek Craft Patent MOD VP

[Dabull1919]

In other words, you must show proof that you were the sole designer: You do this by providing drawings, architectural invoices, and photographs of the plug as it is being made (and must be a stand-alone plug that is 100% your design - one that is not formed by using a part of an existing product).

So i guess Allison drag hulls cannot be coppyrighted sence they were around for many years before 1998. Interesting!

DB

[Barry Strawn]

Allison uses patents to protect their property. Darris has both cosmetic design patents like the one for the Sleekcraft in this post and traditional utility patents like anyone might get for any other invention.

I believe the new copyright process replaced the old cosmetic design patent process. But the existing patents still have force and I expect Allison will continue to obtain new utility patents on new designs.

The Allison Drag hull is covered by patent #5983823 issued Nov 16, 1999.

The copyright law is more for builders that either do not have new ideas or do not have the time, money or interest to obtain and defend a real patent.

BS

[TomAprilsSwitzers]

Tom:

Since I posted that I did some digging...I know the Playboy.... The boat I speak of that was kind of like a Sidewinder copy, was a 17' Switzer. Rounded nose like a Super Sport. The transom had wrap back wings like the later editon Super Sports...But, the side ran up like the Sidewinder, and connected at about the same height to the windsheild similar to the Sidewinder. Dont know this model name, but, the time frame was 1970/71. Our neighbor bought one new from Carl Stirn's Marine with a 125 Johnson.

About 1977, some genius running with no lights 4th of July night after the fireworks T boned him and we ended up working hard to get him to shore before his boat sank. The boat was a total loss...Anyway, that is the boat, any idea what model it may have been? There were not too many made at all. If you see Bobby, he may remember the boat, it was Aqua Marine metal flake.

Hey i just remembered,there are pictures of a Switzer like that on the yahoo sites with a V4 on it. It has replacement seats in it. Has an original SS bottom with that football indented pad and looked like a 1977 Hydrostream vector where the winshield would hook all the way back to those wings.
Sorry this answer took so long. Tom Arambasich

[TomAprilsSwitzers]

I was always under the impression that Sidewinder boats were the first ever to successfully gain a patent for their hard lined design and wrap around windsheild that was integrated to the deck. Soon after that year, which was 1968 or 9, many companies saw the success that design had and made similar versions. Switzercraft for example took the Super Sport foot print, integrated a wrap around windshield and called it the "Playboy". Sidewinder later filed suite against some manufacturer and everyone's designs changed soon after. Sleek Craft appears to have done it for the bottom design, have there been any claims by them against those who copied them???

Skoonz, could you send me an email at tlord9115@comcast.net I have some pics i would like to send you...Tom

[TomAprilsSwitzers]

Skoonz, the Switzer Playboy was a mix of the Switzer Holiday hull and the Shooting Star deck. I had an original 1965 that a friend of mine pulled a mold off of and built me a new one a couple of years back. Right now there is another one about to come to life.
The Switzer's also built a boat called the SK-175, which was suppose to replace the Super Sport, but never became as popular as the SS. The Playboy was actually looked like a first generation tunnel V with air entrapment areas along both sides of the V Hull. She handles not bad in rough chop.
I could get you more info from Bob Switzer if you wish.. Tom

[Skoontz]

Skoonz, the Switzer Playboy was a mix of the Switzer Holiday hull and the Shooting Star deck. I had an original 1965 that a friend of mine pulled a mold off of and built me a new one a couple of years back. Right now there is another one about to come to life.
The Switzer's also built a boat called the SK-175, which was suppose to replace the Super Sport, but never became as popular as the SS. The Playboy was actually looked like a first generation tunnel V with air entrapment areas along both sides of the V Hull. She handles not bad in rough chop.
I could get you more info from Bob Switzer if you wish.. Tom

Tom:

The SK-175 was a dog. Basically, they added some length, like 8"??? To handle the heavier V-6 motors. FYI, there was not one SK that I came across with any V-6 that I could not stay even with with a 99 Cu.In 140 and my Super Sport. I got rid of a 155XS Merc because I could not be seen with that black crap on my transom......I had a Hendrich reworked Merc off shore 26" elephant ear prop, we hit 69, but the one that really worked was a 28" Chopper. We saw 72 and was called a liar until the Island Lake Police radared me goign under Burtons Bridge. You could reach down between your legs and grab a beer bottle, swallow, then put it back at full throttle with no hands on the wheel if you needed...I know dumb stunt, but just to show how stable the SS was. The SK-175 with a V-6 was squirelier than a 3 peck billy goat.

[ePerformanceMarine]

My Sleek is pritty kick *** to drive, also very forgiving. I have raced quite a few diffrent boats and car & off road trucks but I had the most fun at Pudingstone in 15 years of racing. Now before that it was all fun road racing vintage F1 Lolas with Boss 302s and knell down runabouts not to forget the High school drags.