> How close must a boat be to a set of measurements on a blueprint to be
> considered a copyright infringement or to be considered building a second
> boat without paying the necessary fee? Hi John, I think the design has to be changed. (I don't know at what level they must be changed, though)

> I'm considering building a second stitch and glue kayak, but want to alter
> the plans somewhat. I plan to add 12" to the length, reduce the beam
> 3", increase the depth 1", move the cockpit back 1", change
> the cockpit coaming shape, and add a little more fullness in the bow. Is
> this far enough removed from the original plans to be considered my own?
> John

This is really a gray area Legally, probably yes. Ethically, probably no. It's still probably identifiable as the original design. However, you aren't likely to encounter any problems if you're not selling the design.

Shawn