There have been a lot of rumors floating around the Interwebs that the Australian manufacturer of Lasers, PSA, with the support of Bruce Kirby the designer of the Laser, is planning to distribute in various parts of the world a boat that looks like a Laser, swims like a Laser and quacks like a Laser, but that would not be called a Laser (on account of the fact that PSA does not own the rights to the Laser trademark in the territories where it wants to sell this boat.) See, for example, this post on the Laser forum.
The Laser Center at Cabarete even ran a competition to select the new name for the Laser-that-is-not-a-Laser.
I did submit a brilliant suggestion to that competition but I just discovered that it was probably wrong. Today while idly googling for information about Bruce Kirby trademark registrations (as one does) I came across this trademark application filed on behalf of Bruce Kirby, Inc. in November 2012 under the Goods and Services category of "Boats; sail boats" for the trademark KIRBY TORCH.
Hmmm. Now I wonder what boat Bruce would be planning to use that trademark for? It wouldn't be a bad name for a single-handed Olympic sailboat, would it?
Update 12 March 2013 7:20 PM. And by the way, the domain name kirbytorch.com was registered by Bruce Kirby's lawyer last month. See WHOIS.
Update 12 March 2013 9:30 PM. And kirbytorch.org has also been bought by the same lawyer.
13 comments:
Looks like he might have some history with the "Torch" name:
http://cbifda.blogspot.com/2012/02/picture-of-bruce-kirby-sailing-his-mk-1.html
Quite right torrid. Sounds like that was the name of the first boat that Bruce designed, an International 14. I guess he must have some sentimental attachment to the name.
By the way, in Russia exist Luch (translates as Ray). It's illegal soviet copy of Laser.
Good find!
A little while ago I had cause to google torches as I wanted to know where to find a trusty Dolphin. I stumbled upon the delightful candlepowerforums.com, a torch discussion forum with lengthy threads on lumens, throw, waterproofing, switch quality, and other features of your favourite equipment. Posters even had signatures that listed their torch arsenal. Fascinating! If you have a couple of hours spare I highly recommend a visit. It will certainly put to rest any notion that Laser sailors are obsessive.
Yeah. I posted a picture of a Luch a couple of years ago. Note the insignia on the sail. Not the same as a real Laser.
I wonder what the sail insignia for the Kirby Torch will be?
The sail insignia for the Kirby Torch is likely to be the design of a stylized torch in a trademark applied for by Bruce Kirby on January 14, 2013. http://trademarks.justia.com/858/22/n-a-85822681.html
Bruce Kirby, Inc. also owns a trademark that consists of "the placement of triangular shapes on the shallow recessed area of the deck and bow of a boat." The drawings and specimens for this mark show the triangular area of deck in front of the Laser cockpit and the triangular area on the bow.
LOL Abe.
On a slightly obsessive note of my own, not all my readers may know that "torch" in British English can also mean the same as what Americans call a "flashlight" i.e. a small light which is held in the hand and usually gets its power from batteries. It doesn't have to have a flame like the torch in my picture. Somehow I don't think the Kirby Torch sail insignia will be a flashlight.
Talk about comments going wild on that old post...
Maybe the Torch has been passed to a new generation of sailors - born in this century, tempered by squabbling, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace.
Looks like drunk commenting to me. Never a good idea. You always regret it in the morning.
Not nearly as much as drunk posting.
Very true. Been there. Done that. Lived to regret it.
And here I thought I was alone.
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