# Can I build the Titannic without asking permission? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 6, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895 "2004-10-06T18:56:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marine\_One](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marine_one/32/3461_2.png) [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/1 "2004-10-06T18:56:18Z")
History lesson: THE WHITE STAR LINE OPERATED BETWEEN 1845 AND 1936 AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 120 SHIPS,WHEN IN 1936 SHE WAS TAKEN OVER BY HER OLD RIVAL, CUNARD STEAMSHIP COMPANY, THE COMPANY WAS NOW KNOWN AS THE CUNARD-WHITE STAR STEAMSHIP CO.IN 1957 THE WHITE STAR PART OF THE NAME WAS DROPPED THE COMPANY RETURNING TO ITS FORMER NAME OF CUNARD. Let’s assume I’m a trillionare and want to build the Titannic. 1. ``` Do I have to ask Cunard for permission to use 'Titannic'? ``` 2. ``` Can I build it EXACTLY like the original and sail it around? I know it won't have all the safety stuff like modern ships. OK, I won't use coal. ``` 3. ``` Can I just build it and park it in Liverpool or New York for a tourist attraction? ``` ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/2 "2004-10-06T18:58:09Z")
Just as an aside, it’s Titanic with one “n.” ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/3 "2004-10-06T19:34:07Z")
Liberia is popular for ship registration because they don’t have the stringent regulations of othre countries. No doubt a well heeled trillionaire could find a country to flag his ship that would allow an exact duplicate of the original Titanic right down to the name. As for the name you may run into problems if it’s a registered trademark. Sailing to New York would be a different matter as the US cost gauard may refuse it for safety reasons. I’m sure the same would be true in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/4 "2004-10-06T19:38:58Z")
I thought someone _had_ built a replica _Titanic_ which was to be launched this year. Whatever happened with that? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/5 "2004-10-06T19:39:54Z")
I believe the blueprints for the original Titanic still exist, but I think they are the property of the Cunard Line, so replicating the Titanic would require their permission and cooperation. After the James Cameron movie was released, there was talk of building a replica of the Titanic. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/6 "2004-10-06T19:48:29Z")
I thought that sounded familiar. From the [Titanic-Titanic](http://www.titanic-titanic.com/replica%20titanic.shtml) website. In January, 1998, millionaire Sarel Gous, a South African businessman, founded a new company, RMS Titanic Shipping Holdings, whose sole aim, it was announced, was to construct a full-size replica of Titanic. Instantly, as with most Titanic-related things, the news had swept the world. Two months later, Gous announced that he had managed to acquire a full set of plans from Harland & Wolff in Belfast: what he neglected to say was that anyone can buy them, they’re one of the top sellers at H&W! Many people thought that the plans would be virtually useless anyway, in terms of safety and modern construction techniques, and again, Gous was left looking embarrassed. His next announcement was a little bit strange too: he told the world’s press that his Titanic replica would commence construction in July, a mere six months after creating the company, and only four months since acquiring the plans. Yet to this day, no ship has ever been designed, let alone built. Sarel Gous’ project did eventually do something exactly as per the original - it sank! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/7 "2004-10-06T19:55:00Z")
I suspect you’d fall foul of regulations if you were to build an _exact_ replica - you would at the very least need to modify the design and specification to meet modern safety standards - like having enough lifeboats, for example. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/8 "2004-10-06T22:04:33Z")
Eevn if you could build it, I doubt you’d find a crew. Or are sailors no longer supersticious? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/9 "2004-10-06T22:26:26Z")
As long as you agreed not to board more than 700 (or whatever) passengers and crew, the number of lifeboats would not be a problem. Sell only First Class tickets, for example. Updating to radar and other communications and navigation equipment would not really affect the design, materially, so you could make an exact duplicate of the hull and superstructure and include the new electronics without offending any but the most idiotic purists. I suspect that there would be a bit more trouble with such items as the watertight compartments and other _structural_ issues with the ship. (There _are_ a (very few) ancient freighters still sailing.) I’m not sure that the name would be an issue. It seems that I have seen more than one ship sharing a name. (This is possible because official communications include the ship’s port of registry, so that there are never _exact_ duplicates. I know of no law to prevent anyone from using a name. The famous liner _Normandy_ of the mid-20th century is echoed by an Irish ferry, today. (The liner was the _ **S** team__S_\*hip Normady\* while the ferry is the _ **M** otor **V** essel Normandy_, but the basic name is still Normandy. Great Lakes Towing names their standard sized tugs after states, so they have a couple that shared names with ancient battleships and recent nuclear submarines. The U S Navy had a carrier _USS America_ at the same time that the liner _SS America_ was still in use and the Brits had a liner and a battleship both named _Queen Elizabeth_ (_HMS_ and _SS_). If the navies can stand to share names, I suspect that names are not protected. Having enough wealth to purchase not only the opulent fixtures, but engines that no one has built in over 60 years might present rather more of a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/10 "2004-10-06T23:11:20Z")
> [@Fiver](#): > > I thought someone _had_ built a replica _Titanic_ which was to be launched this year. Whatever happened with that? Unfortunately, someone built a replica iceburg… ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/11 "2004-10-07T03:20:21Z")
There was either a _Popular Science_ or a _Popular Mechanics_ (I forget which) a couple of years ago that had an article on a couple of different schemes for replica _Titanic_s. And it went into the design features you’d likely have to modernize. (Like a Diesel powerplant to replace the coal boilers, etc.) You might find it an interesting read, if you can find it. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2004, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-build-the-titannic-without-asking-permission/267895/12 "2004-10-07T04:51:11Z")
Why limit yourself? Why not build the [HMS Tyrannic](http://www.jamesgoodmangallery.com/mccall/pages/exhibdisplay28.html)!