In December 2024, it was my privilege to compete in the Rolex Sydney Hobart race aboard Awen, an IMOCA Open 60 designed by Owen Clarke Design. Compared to the cruiser/racers that I have usually raced on in the past, Awen is a thoroughbred high-performance ocean racing yacht. Launched in 2003, she does not have the turbo-boosting hydrofoils of the post-2013 IMOCA’s. However, Awen still comfortably sails at 14 to 20 knots.
The experience of racing on Awen brought home to me the rapid technological advances in sailing in recent years. Human-kind has been harnessing the wind since antiquity. However, in the last few decades, we have witnessed an explosion of new inventions. These have been in so many areas of yachting including yacht design, sail technology, navigation, communications, weather-forecasting, performance clothing, personal and crew safety gear, mooring equipment, and deck gear amongst others.
Patent protection has always played an important part in the advancement of marine technology. Trade Mark protection has also played a vital role in protecting commercial reputation. A testament to the place of Patent protection was the case of the original Bruce Anchor design. Another case was when Australia II won the America’s Cup in 1983 with its new “winged keel” design. More recently Patents have also come into play in the hydrofoils, foil control mechanisms and canting systems of the 2021 America’s Cup AC75s.
Sailing has been an art practised since time in memoriam, and Charles H Duell (Commissioner of the US Patent Office in 1899) may have predicted the eventual closure of the Patent Office suggesting that “Everything that can be invented has been invented”.
However, as in many other areas of human endeavour, it is clear that in sailing (and more generally in marine technology), innovation is by no means slowing down. Rather, the speed of creation and adoption of new ideas is actually gaining momentum. Operating in that environment, it is important for innovative individuals and companies to protect their ideas so as to gain benefit from their ingenuity.
If you wish to discuss with us obtaining Intellectual Property for your inventions, then please contact us at: mail@MorelandIP.com or see www.MorelandIP.com
