Intellectual Property Law

Yacht Maker Sues Competitor Over ALEUTIAN Trademark

By Michael Atkins

On April 2, Seattle-based Grand Banks Yachts Pte. Ltd. filed a trademark infringement suit in the Western District against Tacoma-based Aleutian Yachts, LLC. At issue is the parties’ use of ALEUTIAN in connection with their competing yacht building businesses. The complaint alleges that Aleutian’s use of its ALEUTIAN mark is “likely to lead consumers to mistakenly conclude that the yachts marketed and sold by defendants were exclusively or jointly built by, licensed or certified by, or otherwise sponsored or approved by Grand Banks, or that [Aleutian’s] products or websites are somehow affiliated, connected, or associated with Grand Banks.” Grand Banks also alleges that Aleutian wrongly registered the aleutianyachts.com domain name.

Aleutian has not yet filed its answer.

The case cite is Grand Banks Yachts Pte. Ltd. v. Aleutian Yachts, LLC, No. 08-513 (W.D. Wash.).

Full post as published by Seattle Trademark Lawyer on April 08, 2008 (boomark / email).