Sailboat rigging

Claim 2

In a sailing boat having a hull and a sail supported on the hull by a mast and a boom, the boom having opposite ends and being coupled to the mast adjacent one of the opposite ends such that the mast and the boom lie in a common plane; means precluding movement of the boom relative to the mast in directions transverse to the common plane; and means mounting the mast upon the hull for free rotation about an axis located between the mast and the center of effort of the sail, said axis being generally parAllel to and spaced laterally from the mast in the direction extending from the mast toward the other of the opposite ends of the boom.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 wherein the axis of rotation is in the common plane.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 wherein the axis of rotation is closer to the center of effort than to the mast.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 including means permitting pivotal movement of the boom relative to the mast within the common plane.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1 including: a gaff; means for affixing the gaff to the mast at a location spaced from the boom; and means for precluding movement of the gaff relative to the mast in directions transverse to the plane of the gaff and the mast at said location such that transverse movement of the gaff relative to the boom results in torsion of the mast between the boom and the gaff.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 5 wherein the plane of the gaff and the mast is said common plane.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 1 wherein: the mast is vertical; the boom is generally horizontal; the common plane is a vertical plane; the means mounting the mast upon the hull includes a horizontal beam having opposite ends, one of said ends being affixed to the mast, and means journaling the other of said ends upon the hull for rotation of the beam about a vertical axis adjacent the center of the sailboat and between the mast and the center of effort of the sail; and means coupling the boom to the mast such that the boom extends through the vertical axis.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 7 wherein said coupling means includes a pivot which permits pivotal movement of the boom relative to the mast in the vertical plane while precluding pivotal movement of the boom relative to the mast in horizontal planes.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 8 wherein said pivot includes a pivot pin extending perpendicular to said vertical plane.

Claim 11

The invention of claim 7 including: a gaff; and a pivot coupling the gaff to the mast at a location above the boom such that the gaff and the boom lie in the same vertical plane, said pivot permitting pivotal movement of the gaff relative to the mast in the vertical plane while precluding pivotal movement of the gaff relative to the mast at said location in horizontal planes such that horizontal movement of the gaff relative to the boom results in torsion of the mast between the boom and the gaff; said mast, by virtue of said torsion, permitting horizontal movement of the gaff relative to the boom while resiliently biasing the gaff into said vertical plane.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 10 including means for selectively uncoupling the pivot which couples the gaff to the mast at said location above the boom.

Claim 13

In a sailing boat having a hull and a sail supported on the hull by a mast and a boom, the boom being coupled to the mast such that the mast and the boom lie in a common plane: means precluding movement of the boom relative to the mast in directions transverse to the common plane; means mounting the mast upon the hull for rotation about an axis extending in the same direction as the mast; a gaff; means for affixing the gaff to the mast at a location spaced from the boom; and means for precluding movement of the gaff relative to the mast in directions transverse to the plane of the gaff and the mast at said location such that transverse movement of the gaff relative to the boom results in torsion of the mast between the boom and the gaff.

Claim 14

In a sailing boat having a hull and a sail supported on the hull by a mast and a boom, the boom being coupled to the mast such that the mast and the boom lie in a common plane: means precluding movement of the boom relative to the mast in directions transverse to the common plane; means mounting the mast upon the hull for rotation about an axis extending in the same direction as the mast; a gaff; means for affixing the gaff to the mast at a location spaced from the boom; and means for precluding movement of the gaff relative to the mast in directions transverse to the plane of the gaff and the mast at said location such that transverse movement of the gaff relative to the boom results in torsion of the mast between the boom and the gaff.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 12 wherein the plane of the gaff and the mast is said common plane.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 12 including: a first pivot coupling the boom to the mast; said first pivot permitting pivotal movement of the boom relative to the mast in the vertical plane while precluding pivotal movement of the boom relative to the mast in horizontal planes; and a second pivot coupling the gaff to the mast at a location above the boom such that the gafF and the boom lie in the same vertical plane, said second pivot permitting pivotal movement of the gaff relative to the mast and the vertical plane while precluding pivotal movement of the gaff relative to the mast at said location in horizontal planes, such that horizontal movement of the gaff relative to the boom results in torsion of the mast between the boom and the gaff; said mast, by virtue of said torsion, permitting limited horizontal movement of the gaff relative to the boom while resiliently biasing the gaff into said vertical plane.

Claim 17

The invention of claim 14 including means for selectively uncoupling the second pivot.