GB2031809A - Sailing vessels - Google Patents

Abstract

A model or full size sailing trimaran C has a central forward float 11 and parallel port and starboard rear floats 13, 15. There is a gap between the back float 11 and the front floats 13, 15. The three floats 11, 13, 15 are connected by a bridge piece 17 which does not touch the water. The shape of the float 11 adapts it to enter incident waves rather than ride over them. The craft C has a reduced tendency to pitch in a rough sea. A sail is rigged on a luff pole 27 and a boom 23 which swings about a vertical axis. An arm 41 which supports a counter balance weight 45 is arranged to swing to the side of the craft opposite to that to which the boom lies. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sailing vessels The present invention is concerned with sailing vessels and is especially concerned with trimarans, both model and full size.

One of the various objects of the present invention is to provide a craft having a reduced tendency to pitch in a rough sea, especially when sailing close hauled.

The present invention provides a sailing craft in the form of a trimaran, the craft having a forward float and two rear floats, the arrangement being such that, when the craft has the wind astern, all three floats make parallel tracke with the track of the forward float lying centrally between the tracks of the rear floats, the water-engaging part of the forward float lying wholly forward of the water-engaging parts of the two rear floats, which two latter floats are disposed side-byside, and the central part of the craft rearward of the forward float lying clear of the water.

Preferably, in a craft as provided by the present invention, the forward float has a gently-tapering front end portion adapted to enter incident waves rather than ride over them.

Further, it is preferred that, in such a craft, the length of the water-engaging part of each float is not more than 0.475 of the overall length of the craft and not less than one quarter of such length. Conveniently the craft may be so constructed that the rear of the water-engaging part of the forward float lies at least a quarter of that float's length forward of the forward part of the water-engaging part of either rear float.

A sailing craft in the form of a trimaran is hereinafter described to illustrate the invention by way of example. This illustrative craft has a sail in the shape of a triangle, the foot of the sail being secured to a boom, which boom extends substantially horizontally. Further, the sail has a luff secured to a luff pole, which pole extends at an acute angle to the boom and lies thereabove, the boom and luff pole moving as one piece, and the acute angle between them being at the tack of the sail.In the illustrative craft the boom and luff pole are mounted to swing, as one piece, about an upstanding axis and an arm carrying a counterweight is provided, also arranged to swing about an upstanding axis, the arm being so coupled to the boom that when the boom swings to port the counterweight swings to starboard, and vice versa; this arrangement reduces any tendency for the craft to roll or for the windward one of the rear floats to lift out of the water.

A craft as provided by the present invention may be equipped with wheels on which it may run on land to act as a sand yacht, which wheels are shaped to act as anti-leeway boards, or it may be equipped with skates on which it may run on ice to act as an ice yacht.

The invention will bedome ore clear from the following description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of the aforementioned illustrative craft; it will be realised that this illustrative craft has been selected for description by way of example and not of limitation of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view of the illustrative craft in perspective, with parts broken away; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of certain parts shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the hull of the illustrative craft; and Figure 4 is a view of the hull of the craft from below.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1, this shows the illustrative craft C in perspective with parts broken away. The craft C is a trimaran having a forward float 11 and two rear floats 1 3,1 5,1 3 to port and 1 5 to starboard, lying side by side. The floats 11 , 1 3 and 1 5 are all generally similar in size and shape, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The floats 11,13 and 1 5 are each secured to a V-shaped bridge piece 17, see Fig. 4. The craft C has a sail S, see Fig.

1.

When the craft C has the wind astern the three floats 11 , 1 3 and 1 5 make parallel tracks, with the track of the float 11 lying centrally between the tracks of the floats 1 3,1 5. The water-engaging parts, 11A,13A,15A of the floats 11,13,15 are sub- stantially of the same length as each float; by "water-engaging part" is meant the part of the float which engages the water when when the craft is at rest in still water. As will be seen from Figs. 3 and 4, the float 11 has a gently-tapering front end portion 1 9 adapted to enter incident waves rather than ride over them. The front end portions of the floats 1 3,1 5 are similar to that of the float 11.

The central part 21 of the bridge piece 17, rearwards of the float 11, lies clear of the water, see Fig. 3.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the foot of the sail S is secured to a boom 23 which extends substantially horizontally, and the sail S has a luff 25 secured to a luff pole 27, the pole 27 extending at an acute angle to the boom 23 at the tack of the sail. As shown, the pole 27 and boom 23 are one integral piece of resilient metal so as to move as one piece. The metal is tensioned so as to tend to increase said acute angle so as to hold the sail S taut.

The boom 23 passes through a hollow fitment 29 to which it may be secured by a set screw 31. The fitment 29 is mounted to swing, with the boom 23 and the pole 27, about the upstanding axis of a pin 32 fast in the centre of the bridge piece 1 7.

A member 33 is fast upon the boom 23, the position of the member 33 along the boom 23 being adjustable after releasing a setscrew 35. Extending downwards from the member 33, and fixed thereto, is an operating pin 37.

Mounted to swing about the upstanding axis of a pin 39 fast in the bridge piece 1 7 directly to the rear of the pin 32 is an arm 41. The arm 41 extends forwards from the pin 39 and is formed with a longitudinal slot 43 in which the pin 37 is a close sliding fit.

The arm 41 extends rearwards from the pin 39 and carries a counterweight 45. The arrangement is such that when the boom 23 lies, centrally of the craft C, over the pins 32 and 39, the weight 45 also lies centrally of the craft, but when the boom 23, under the action of the wind on the sail S, swings to port the weight swings to starboard, and vice versa. This arrangement reduces any tendency for the craft C to roll or for the windward one of the floats 1 3,1 5 to lift out of the water in a blow of wind.

As will be seen from the drawings, the water-engaging part 11 A of the float 11 lies wholly forward of the water-engaging parts of the floats 13,15, and the central part 21 of the bridge piece which lies rearward of the float 11, is clear of the water. With this arrangement the craft C has a reduced tendency to pitch in a rough sea.

For a conveniently-sized model craft, for example, the floats 11,13,15 may all be 1 3 inches (33 cms) long and the rear of the water-engaging part 11 A of the float 11 lies 4 inches (10.2 cms) forward of the forward part of the water-engaging parts 1 3A, 1 5A of the floats 13,15; the parts 11A,13A,15Awill then have an overall width of approximately 1.3 inches (3.3 cms). Such a craft would be approximately 30 inches (76.2 cms) long overall.

For a full sized yacht an arched bridge structure may be provided, bridging the floats 1 3,1 5 towards the rear of the craft and having living accommodation and helm arrangements. Such a structure would be clear of the water.

Claims (16)

1. A sailing craft on the form of a trimaran, the craft having a forward float and two rear floats, the arrangement being such that, when the craft has the wind astern, all three floats make parallel tracks with the track of the forward float lying centrally between the tracks of the rear floats, the water-engaging part of the forward float lying wholly forward of the water-engaging parts of the two rear floats, which two latter floats are disposed side-by-side, and the central part of the craft rearward of the forward float lying clear of the water.

2. A craft according to claim 1 wherein the forward float has a gently-tapering front end portion adapted to enter incident waves rather than ride over them.

3. A craft according to either preceding claim wherein the length of the water-engaging part of each float is not more than 0.475 of the overall length of the craft and not less than one quarter of such length.

4. A craft according to any preceding claim wherein each float has a length/width ratio, for its water-engaging part, of at least five.

5. A craft according to claim 1 wherein the rear of the water-engaging part of the forward float lies at least a quarter of that float's length forward of the forward part of the water-engaging part of either rear float.

6. A craft according to any preceding claim wherein the centre of buoyancy of the forward float and the centre of buoyancy of one of the rear floats are spaced apart by a distance which is between + and i of the overall length of the craft.

7. A craft according to any preceding claim having a sail in the shape of a triangle, the front of the sail being secured to a boom, which boom extends substantially horizontally, and the sail having a luff secured to a luff pole, which pole extends at an acute angle to the boom and lies thereabove.

8. A craft according to claim 7, wherein the boom and the luff pole move as one piece, the acute angle between them being at the tack of the sail.

9. A craft according to claim 8, wherein the luff pole is made of resilient material tensioned to tend to increase said angle so as to hold the sail taut.

10. A craft according to one of claims 7,8 or 9 wherein the boom and luff pole are mounted to swing about an upstanding axis.

11. A craft according to claim 10 comprising an arm mounted to swing about an upstanding axis and carrying a counterweight, the arm being so coupled to the boom that when the boom swings to port the counterweight swings to starboard, and vice versa.

1 2. A craft according to any preceding claim equipped with wheels on which it may run on land to act as a sand yacht, which wheels are shaped to act as anti-leeway boards.

1 3. A craft according to any preceding claim equipped with skates on which it may run on ice to act as an ice yacht.

14. A craft according to any preceding claim in the form of a model trimaran having an overall length not exceeding 200 cms.

1 5. A craft according to claim 14 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

16. A craft according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described.