Official 2013 AOTY thread.....

I'll get excited if Johnson took an OK hull and added a giant oblong 'scupper' right in the middle! How much longer till that patent expires?

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I think that patent was granted in 2009... so I think you'll have to wait until 2029.

http://www.patentbuddy.com/Patent/7637791

I'll get excited if Johnson took an OK hull and added a giant oblong 'scupper' right in the middle! How much longer till that patent expires?

I think that patent was granted in 2009... so I think you'll have to wait until 2029.
http://www.patentbuddy.com/Patent/7637791

That patent (and 20070032144) looks to be just for the drive. Can there be a patent infringement to just put a hole in the hull that accepts another companies product? I'd assume not, however that company would be openly conceding that another company's tech has an advantage.

If you think about it though, Hobie does pretty well working with and re-branding other gear:
Ram, Lowrance, Yakattack, Wheeleez, Harken, Stohlquist...

Both Native Watercraft and Ocean Kayak have drive in a big hole designs out there on the market already.

Ocean Kayak Torgue has a Minnkota motor unit.
Native Mariner has a leg powered propeller drive

Both Native Watercraft and Ocean Kayak have drive in a big hole designs out there on the market already.

Ocean Kayak Torgue has a Minnkota motor unit.
Native Mariner has a leg powered propeller drive

Would be awesome if OK came out with a pedal drive of some sort.  I was unimpressed with the Native Propel kayak I demo'd.  Though that mostly had to do with the marginally effective, and highly non-linear rudder response.  The Hobies seemed to also require less effort for a given speed (and that was with standard, not turbo fins) - though I will admit that it was a short demo of each, and I did not have a GPS to give an accurate speed.

Why are my pictures not posting?

It seems I can post them to threads, but not on the AOTY page.  What's up?

Can you email me your photos at [email protected]?   I'm pretty sure the forum modifies them a little when you attach them.

I'll try and figure out what's wrong.

Brian