BK

Barney ~

No one can tell the difference from a photo of Mirage River Racer 18'3" and a Liberator River Racer 18'3". On your website you even use the same model names Mirage uses. The graphics are even copied!

Not even the original designers can tell there are any "differences". A two dollar bondo line here and there maybe?

Even on the water, they appear identical. I know exactly who's Mirage boat was used for the River Racer copy. We've been told the story several times.

The Mirage River Racer is one of the best selling boats in the under 20' market, and because of this success, it is being splashed by several companies to make easy money with no design outlay.

Mind telling us what is different about these designs?

PS The Mirage boat design is NOT in public domain.
It is *NOT* legal to splash it. I have no idea where you got that idea.

T2x

Hey Barney:

Perhaps we will have a "Splashfest" next year, in your honor. That will be a chance for all the "pop" artists to admit who they are, and explain in an open forum how and why they consider it all right to rip off original designs. (I've tried this one on one with a guy who ripped me off and he got bewideringly tongue tied, but maybe your guys will have better luck)

Perhaps we can invite the builders and designers they plagiarized so that these splashers can explain to them in front of an audience, how the original concepts have been "advanced" by the process. We can also invite lawyers who will be more than willing to establish if any public "admissions" could be treated as de facto proof of basis for theft of intellectual property.

Finally you can come as the ultimate arbiter of "quality" and explain , carefully to the rest of us numbskulls what a truly well crafted boat is. I know when I want to learn about how much "big water" an offshore boat can take , my first thought of a testing ground........ is Havasu , Arizona.

I suggest that maybe April 1st, 2003 would be an appropriate target date (April Fools day). I wonder if we could hold it at the P.T. Barnum museum. Wasn't it he that said "There's a sucker born every minute"?

I appreciate your fervor in this, but maybe it's time to step back and recognize you're the one backing the lame horse in this race.

By the way, I'm not only old, I'm obsolete too.

T2x

Havasu Barney

Before I ever negotiated anything with Liberator, I open dialog with and Brad to discuss that very issue.

You cut off that dialog, you could have resolved it but chose not to.

I can't speak for what I'm not sure about, I do not know the details about that deal.

I was not involved with that deal.

An ex-employee from Mirage went to work with Liberator, from his mouth, he had complete permission.

That does not make it true but I have heard so many versions I will reserve judgement.

You've been to MY site?

I put those pics up just for you!
I'm sure you knew that though!

Havasu Barney

Perhaps we could call it DICKfest, then it could be an event where you actually excell!




You have much to learn grasshopper.



Perhaps there could be an outside chance that you have proven this beyond any reasonable doubt on the minute you were born.

Perhaps some of your ideas may be also.

T2x

Let's keep this at an adult level......in honor of my advanced age.

Answer the point...do you really think that the builders would come out and admit their role as plagiarizers? Of course not.
You seem very agitated by this and overly defensive. Would it be so hard for you to have loyalty to legitimate builders? The practice of "popping" has cost a lot of people the loss of time and effort..... as well as the creation of a lot of junk. This is not "modern" and goes back to illicit copies of artwork dating back centuries.

You have come on this board with an obvious agenda to belittle BK. You have no clue who any of the members on this panel are. I am a simple clerk in the northeast, and have no real experience, but some other people on here have great backgrounds. Call me what you like........ but, the facts remain the facts.

T2x

BK

Give me a break! Why on earth would you "dialog" (two emails) to me, to discuss YOUR doing business with Liberator?? We aren't affiliated with that company at all. Why would we care what you do? It sounded like you were trying to get Brad to come design a boat for you or something.

Actually, I never had a clue what you were trying to say, your emails were full of garbled sentences of total vaugeness. I just thought you were drunk so I quit reading them.

Are you seriously saying that a $9 per hour ex-company employee tells Liberator that he can feel free to "use the Mirage design because it's public domain" ?? Is that what happened there? And Liberator took his word for it and started building copies? Liberator never called Mirage to check it out, and just accepted that man's word as fact. That's absolutely laughable.


PS T2X -- didn't you notice the special message to this thread from Havasu Barney that informed the readers that "BK was a woman" therefore my opinion does not hold water? There is something about me being a woman and knowing about boats that has him really torqued off.

T2x

Hereafter I shall refer to myself as "T2x....The simple clerk"..... it seems almost Dickens like.

T2x...... The "Bob Cratchett" of OSO

T2x

BK....you're a woman??????? My God! All these years I thought that "Boat Kitten" was a name used by a guy who had a thing for small catamarans. Well I'll be.......are there other women on here? Does that mean I have to get dressed before I post?.... Can you see me???????? Oh Lordy! I've got to call my shrink!

Fortunately, I am secure enough in my masculinity to get through this.........., but Wow! I can see where a more insecure person...........might....oh forget it.....it's just too horrible to describe.

T2x....The simple, humble, old, obsolete, clerk.

BK

I currently know of 7 companies building pure, original designs right now. Two plugs we've actually been directly involved with, and one other we are consulting with. People are not afraid to expose unique ideas anymore - because they'll be protected.

This new Anti-Splash law is creating a flurry of originality everywhere. Very exciting time in the boating world.

However, companies who rely on other people do develop designs they can then splash are probably feeling very defensive right about now. New designs are being registered with the Feds every day. If they can't figure out how to build a real plug using honest designs, they certainly don't have much of a future.

Havasu Barney

Does that make you a torque wench?

Perhaps that's just my drinking again....

Is it also the fact that you are a woman that makes you an expert in regard to GARBLING?

Perhaps all your little back room dealings are catching up with you and Brad. Liberator had permission, otherwise why would they still be able to build boats?

If it were not for the poor quality boat Mirage produces with thier chopper gun, Liberator would have not built that boat.

Once again Clerkster, you choose to make a wrongful interpetation and just run with it but that's your right a a cleck.