Sailing system

Claim 2

A sail assembly for use with a hull (9), said assembly comprising: - a mast base (25,169); - a mast (7), said mast having a tip (5) at the end thereof away from said base (25); - means (115,143) for mounting said mast (7) on said base (25) at a tilt angle with respect to the vertical axis; and - a sail structure connected to the tip (5) of the mast (7) and including a sail frame (1) and a sail (3) fixed to said frame (1) at predetermined points of attachment (63) thereon: characterized in that, - the mast (7) is mounted on the base (25) in such a manner as to be rotatable about the vertical axis: - a universal joint (33) is used for mounting the sail frame (1) on the mast tip (5); - the sail frame (1) is so mounted that the mast tip is at, or close to, the center of gravity of said sail; - manually operable steering means (67,143) are provided on said mast (7) adjacent said base (25); and - rope means (69) including ropes (93) are provided for operatively joining said steering means (67) to the sail frame (1) at points of connection (71) on said sail frame adjacent said points of attachment (63), for moving said frame and sail in unison about said universal joint (33) when said steering means (67) are operated.

Claim 3

A sail assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: - said points of connection (71) of said ropes (93) on said sail frame (1) are at corners of a geometrical figure; - said steering means (67) comprises: a manually operable closed steering frame (73) essentially geometrically similar to said geometrical figure, said steering frame (73) having junction points located similarly to the location of said points of connection (71), a first sleeve (75) mounted on said mast (7) for free rotation only about the mast axis, and located in the plane of said steering frame (73) when said steering frame (73) is at rest and flexible means (79) joining said first sleeve and said steering frame at said junction points; and - said rope means (69) comprise a pulley (91) on said steering frame (73) at each of said junction points; a second sleeve (87) mounted on said mast (7) for free rotation only about the mast axis, and located intermediate said first sleeve (75) and said universal joint (33), and rope lengths (93), each joining one of said points of connection and said second sleeve (87) after winding around one of said steering frame pulleys (91).

Claim 4

A sail assembly as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: - said base (25) has the shape of a seat for seating a sailor and is adapted for freely lying, in use, at the bottom of the hull (9) whereby said mast rotation may be controlled by movement of said seat, and - said mast mounting means (115) comprises: - a hinge member (115) defining a hinge plate (117) and a housing (119) projecting from one end of said plate (117); - means (121) releasably securing the end of said mast (7) away from said tip (5) into said housing, - means (125) mounting the other end of said hinge plate (117) on said base (25) for pivotal movement thereof about a horizontal axis; and - a manually operable mechanism (29) between said base (25) and said hinge plate (117) capable of pivoting and adjusting said mast at a predetermined tilt angle.

Claim 5

A sail assembly as claimed in claim 2 for use with a hull having a tapered bore (139), characterized in that said base has a rod-like leg (133) removably fitting into said bore (139) for rotation about said vertical axis.

Claim 6

A sail assembly as claimed in anyone of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the geometrical figures defined by the sail frame (1) and steering frame (73) are similar rectangles and in that said steering frame (73) comprises four straight bars (97) in that said, four right angular elbows (99), and means for joining said straight bars (97) and said elbows (99) to allow relative rotation therebetween about the longitudinal axis of said straight bars (97) whereby to allow twisting of said steering frame (73) out of a flat plane.

Claim 7

A sail assembly as claimed in anyone of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that each of said rope lengths (93) has a portion comprised in a pulley-tackle (95) between one of said junction points and said second sleeve (87).

Claim 8

A sail assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: - said points of connection (71) of said ropes (93) on said sail frame (1) are at corners of a first geometrical figures; - said steering means (143) comprise: a mast plate (143), having rope guding holes (147) therethrough disposed at corners of a second geometrical figure similar to said first geometrical figure; means solidly mounting the end of the mast (7), away from said frame universal joint (33) on one face of said mast plate (143) for said mast (7) to extend perpendicularly therefrom, said mast (7) having an axial extension (145) projecting from the other face of said mast plate (143); an elongated steering handle (151); and a further universal joint (153) interconnecting one end of said steering handle (151) and said mast axial extension (145); and - said rope means (69) comprise a sleeve (155) mounted on said handle (151) at a predetermined distance from said further universal joint (153), said sleeve (155) having rope guiding elements (157) therearound; rope length compensating means including discs (159) between said sleeve (155) and mast plate (143) and cords (161) fixed at one end to said discs (159) and fixed at the other end to said mast plate (143), adjacent said universal joint (153), and rope lengths (93), each joining one of said points of connection (71) of said sail frame (1) and one of said discs (159) after having passed through one of said rope guding holes (147) of said mast plate (143) and having wound around one of said rope guiding elements of said sleeve (155).

Claim 9

A sail assembly as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that each of said rope lengths (93) has a portion comprised in a pulley-tackle (165) between said mast plate (143) and one of said guiding elements (157) of said sleeve (155).

Claim 10

A sail assembly as claimed in anyone of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the geometrical figures of said sail frame (1) and mast plate (143) are similar rectangles and in that said mast base (169) comprises a stationary post (169) and a manually operable plateau (171) mounted at the top of said post (169) for rotation about a vertical axis, whereby rotation of said plateau (171) controls the lateral angle of said mast (7) through said mast mounting means (143).

Claim 11

A sail assembly as claimed in anyone of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that said mast mounting means (143) comprise: - a hinge member (173) having one end mounted on said rotary plateau (171) for rotation therewith and for rotation about a horizontal axis across said plateau; and - manually operable mechanisms (175), on either side of said hinge member (173) and connected to said hinge member (173) and to said plateau (171), for pivoting said hinge member (173) about said horizontal axis; - wherein said hinge member (173) has a flat portion and said mast plate (143) is mounted on said flat portion for rotation about an axis normal to said hinge member flat portion.