Patent ID: 6932018
Filing Date: 2005-08-23
Classification: B63B

Abstract:
1. A single, manually-adjustable hydrofoil and spar truss assembly for stabilizing a sail assisted canoe, kayak, or sailboat of less than 25 feet in overall length, comprising: a. a handle comprising two pieces of tubing, one of which telescopes into the other permitting the length of said handle to be adjusted, b. a tubular shaft of between five and 10 feet in length connected to said handle at approximately a right angle thereto, c. a hydrofoil approximating the shape of the letter “L” consisting of a vertical portion connected to said tubular shaft at approximately a right angle thereto and a submerged blade portion oriented so as to i) make an angle of approximately 90 degrees with said vertical portion of the hydrofoil, ii) be approximately parallel to both the surface of the water and the tubular shaft when in operation, and iii) make an angle of approximately 90 degrees with said handle when in operation and when viewed from above, and d. a means of positioning said tubular shaft between a main hull of the canoe, kayak, or small sailboat and a small outrigger hull, such that the tubular shaft remains at approximately a 90 degree angle to the longitudinal axes of both hulls, comprising i) a curved, athwartships-oriented, outrigger spar connecting said hulls, ii) two or more struts fixed to the spar at their upper ends and having machine screws or a sleeve at their lower ends by means of which the tubular shaft is permitted to rotate around its longitudinal axis, and is prevented from moving longitudinally in relation to the spar, such that the entire assembly of the handle, the hydrofoil, the tubular shaft, the spar, the struts and the machine screws/sleeve has but a single moving part that permits continuous manual adjustment of the angle of attack of the hydrofoil, and that forms a truss that is strong and light and is resistant to vertical flexion or distortion.