and although now blatantly using your cockpit apron approach, don't you dare use it in any other [now patented] orientation!
http://www.pygmyboats.com/boats/pinguino-150-Pro-kayak-kit.html

Yea, I noticed this a few months ago. Mr. Lockwood claims to have patented the paddle cutout as seen on his Pinguino 150.

At that time, I did a patent search to see what was up, but could find nothing. I did another search today. I have failed to find any patent for this feature.

Frankly his idea doesn't seem that much different than the Shearwater:

The Pinguino cutout just ends earlier.

But if he feels the explicit cutout in the paddle catch area is new, he wasn't paying attention to surfskis:

The Epic V12 came out in about 2009 with the explicit cutout above. Epic isn't the only one doing it.

Then there is the surfski idea I posted on Facebook in 2013
https://www.facebook.com/GuillemotKayaks/photos/a.10150312011608474.388789.67230663473/10151864141168474/?type=1&theater

And there is also our own John Messinger's Great Auk with a cutout:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=739611882738470&set=pb.100000689966046.-2207520000.1509479982.&type=3&theater

It is really hard to develop a innovative, novel idea in boats. Many of the best ideas have been tried already.