Patent ID: 7644672
Filing Date: 2010-01-12
Classification: B63B,B63H

Abstract:
1. A monohull sailing vessel comprising: (a) a hull with a longitudinal dimension, a bow, a stern, a port side, and a starboard side; (b) at least one mast for supporting at least one sail, the mast coupled to the hull; (c) a lifting hydrofoil having a stowed position in which the lifting hydrofoil is disposed inward of the hull and a deployed position in which the lifting hydrofoil is adapted to extend outward of a leeward side of the hull and in the water supporting the vessel; (d) wherein the lifting hydrofoil has an aspect ratio that is greater than about 2:1; (e) wherein the lifting hydrofoil when in the deployed position is oriented at a predetermined angle of attack to a fore and aft plane of the vessel, the predetermined angle of attack being between about 2 and 6 degrees; (f) wherein the lifting hydrofoil when in the deployed position is oriented at a mean angle of between about 5 and 20 degrees to a horizontal plane when the vessel is in a non-heeled state so that the lifting hydrofoil is substantially parallel with a water plane when the vessel is heeled to a normal optimum sailing heel angle; (g) wherein the lifting hydrofoil when in the deployed position has a projected area adapted provide a righting moment tending to counteract a heeling moment applied by the sail of the vessel and a lifting force for partially but not fully lifting the vessel out of the water; (h) wherein the lifting hydrofoil has an exposed span that is greater than about 7% of a height of the tallest mast of the vessel, the height measured from the water plane; and (i) an actuation assembly for moving the lifting hydrofoil between the stowed position and the deployed position.