Intellectual Property in Yachting: Nauta Design’s ‘The Island’
\n \tThis week we heard exciting news from the design masterminds behind the world\u2019s largest superyacht, Azzam, and her elegant exterior. Nauta Design has now fully patented its innovative \u2018island\u2019 for expanding superyacht aft decks and beach clubs.
\n The aim\u00a0behind \u2018The Island\u2019 is to extend the yacht\u2019s swim platform or beach club, designed to enhance contact with the water through the form of fold-out bulwark terraces. Nauta Design has been\u00a0toying with this\u00a0oft-discussed relationship between a yacht’s interior and exterior since\u00a02006 on\u00a0the 80m Project Light, with a strong focus on the relationship between a superyacht and its surroundings.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe chose to go down a path that favored open spaces and highlight the connection, rather than the disconnection, between interior and exterior \u2013something you\u2019re much more aware of on a sailboat,\u201d says Nauta Design co-founder Mario Pedol. \u201cThis was an innovation compared to what the market was offering back then.\u201d
\nThis intelligent approach has guided Nauta Design\u2019s subsequent projects, culminating in their latest patented concept of \u2018The Island\u2019. This expandable aft deck\/beach club is totally dedicated to guest use and the extension of entertainment space into the environment.\u00a0
\n\u201cThe Island concept began with 75-metre Dune that was developed for a specific client who didn’t want the pool on the main deck aft and instead asked for a seamless connection between the main deck and sea level,\u201d says Pedol. \u201cHence our idea of opening the area up on the sides to increase the surface area, improving circulation and providing spectacular contact with the sea. After all, the best reason to invest in a superyacht is to be able to enjoy what is all around you in the most direct way possible.\u201d
\nThe idea behind \u2018The Island\u2019 was to create an uninterrupted walkway that encapsulates three sides of the hull in the stern. Designers created a connection between the folding side terraces and the bulwarks extending the stern platform, allowing guests to walk freely from one side of the yacht to the other either from inside the beach club or the open aft deck.\u00a0
\n\u2018The Island\u2019 was registered as intellectual property in 2017 and has now been approved by three regional authorities. The design concept provides for an interesting case study of intellectual property in today\u2019s competitive and connected industry.\u00a0
\n\u2018The Island\u2019 was approved by Italian authorities as a \u2018utility patent\u2019, and Turkish and EU authorities as a \u2018design patent\u2019; the former protecting the functional features of an article while the latter protects the aesthetic characteristics. Although specific criteria for forwarding a patent vary between jurisdictions, the invention must generally be new, industrially applicable and exhibit a discernible \u2018inventive step\u2019. Once a patent has been granted, it grants statutory right onto the designers to prevent others from commercially exploiting the patented item without prior agreement.\u00a0
\n\u201cApplying for patents is a long, expensive and sometimes tedious process, but in this case we thought it was worth it,\u201d says Pedol. \u201cMarket recognition of the right to protection outweighs any immediate commercial benefits a patent may provide.\u201d
\nThe Island is now a signature design feature on various Nauta Design projects from 54 to 96 metres in length; the images above show how Nauta\u2019s patented innovation can extend the available beach club or aft deck space by up to 95%. The levels of customisability, aesthetics and functional use granted by ‘The Island’ make the feature a no-brainer for any Owner wishing to extend their onboard space and maximise connection to the sea.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t Air 96m <\/p>\n
\t Dune 75m <\/p>\n
\t Moonflower 70m <\/p>\n
\t Slipstream 78m <\/p>\n
\t Wave 85m <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Intellectual Property in Yachting: Nauta Design’s ‘The Island’ This week we heard exciting news from the design masterminds behind the world\u2019s largest superyacht, Azzam, and her elegant exterior. Nauta Design has now fully patented its innovative \u2018island\u2019 for expanding superyacht … <\/p>\n