KIT FOR INSTALLING HYDROFOILS ON A BOAT, IN PARTICULAR ON A WIND-PROPELLED BOAT, AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING SUCH A KIT ON SUCH A BOAT

The application relates to a kit for installing hydrofoils (22, 32, 45, 55) for a boat (1). The kit for installing hydrofoils (22, 32, 45, 55) includes: at least one support block (21, 31); and at least two hydrofoil arms (22, 32) each having a hydrofoil (24, 34). The or each support block (21, 31) includes: at least one adapter part shaped to cooperate with a structural element (15, 13) of the boat (1) and to be attached thereto, the adapter part providing a reference plane for the hydrofoil arm(s); and a plate on which at least one of the hydrofoil arms (22, 32) is intended to be mounted, the plate being capable of being mounted on the adapter part along the reference plane.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the field of submerged hydrofoils fitted on boats.

The invention thus relates more specifically to a kit for installing hydrofoils on a boat and a method for installing such a kit.

PRIOR ART

While boats equipped with hydrofoils, or hydrofoil boats, are becoming more widely available and increasing in number, it would nevertheless be advantageous to facilitate the recycling of existing boats by providing kits for installing hydrofoils to allow them to be converted.

“Hydrofoil” or “hydrofoils” should be understood, above and in the rest of this document, to be a profiled element for providing a lift force to the boat on which it is fitted, such elements also being known as “lifting wings” or “lifting surfaces” or “foils” and being fitted on hydrofoil boats.

Although such installation kits do exist, they generally have the disadvantage of being suitable for only one model of boat and it is necessary to adapt them extensively to be able to fit them on another type of boat.

It would therefore be advantageous to provide a “universal” installation kit that can easily be adapted according to the boat on which it is to be fitted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims to overcome the above disadvantage and thus aims to provide a kit for installing hydrofoils which can easily be adapted to the boat on which it is to be fitted.

To this end, the invention relates to a kit for installing hydrofoils for a boat, in particular a wind-powered boat, the boat comprising at least one structural element, the kit for installing hydrofoils comprising:

With such a kit for installing hydrofoils, only the adapter part has to be adapted to the boat. To be specific, since this part provides a reference plane along which the plate and therefore the hydrofoil arms may be installed, it is possible to provide one or more plates and hydrofoil arms adapted to the type of boat to enable it to be equipped. This means that it is possible to provide a universal support kit with only the adapter part(s) needing to be adapted to the boat to be equipped.

The boat comprises at least two hulls connected to one another by at least one connecting arm, said at least one connecting arm forming the structural element, the adapter part preferably having a longitudinal housing shaped to receive a portion of the connecting arm forming the support element.

Such installation of the elements of the kit on a connecting arm of a multihull boat is particularly suitable since it ensures stable orientation of the hydrofoil arms with respect to the hulls of the boat.

According to a possibility not included in the scope of the present invention, the boat may be monohull and comprise a deck and a hull, the structural element comprising at least the deck of the boat, the adapter part having a bearing surface complementary to a portion of the deck of the boat on which it is intended to bear, one out of the adapter part and the plate preferably comprising a strap passage to allow the passage of a strap surrounding the hull in order to attach the support block to the deck.

In this way, according to a possibility not included in the scope of the present invention, the adapter part makes it possible to provide a reference plane which is, owing to the complementary shape with respect to a portion of the deck, perfectly defined with respect to the hull.

Each hydrofoil arm may be mounted on the corresponding plate using at least a first and a second ball joint arranged on either side of said hydrofoil arm with at least one of the first and the second ball joints mounted movably in translation relative to the plate.

The first and second ball joints for each hydrofoil arm may both be movable in translation relative to the plate.

The kit for installing hydrofoils may comprise, for each hydrofoil arm, an adjustment system comprising two gears meshed together and rotating as one with the first and second ball joints, respectively.

The first and second ball joints may equip an end of the hydrofoil arm which has no hydrofoil, together defining an axis of pivoting of the hydrofoil arm with respect to the structural element, and wherein there is further provided an complementary support for the hydrofoil arm on the boat on which the hydrofoil arm is mounted by means of a removable sliding pivot connection such as that provided by a strap.

These ball joints associated with the various configurations listed above allow easy adjustment of the orientation of the hydrofoil arms and the hydrofoils they comprise.

The kit for installing hydrofoils may further comprise at least one rudder blade having an additional hydrofoil, preferably a T-shaped hydrofoil.

Such a rudder blade equipped with a hydrofoil makes it possible to add lift to the kit according to the invention and therefore makes it possible to provide a particularly optimized conversion of the boat to a hydrofoil boat.

The kit for installing hydrofoils may further comprise a mounting system for mounting the at least one rudder blade on the boat, the mounting system comprising:

With such a mounting system, there is less risk of damage to the rudder blade compared to rudder blades mounted with a mounting system according to the prior art.

The invention further relates to a method for equipping a boat with a kit for installing hydrofoils according to the invention, the boat comprising at least one structural element, the equipping method comprising the following steps:

Such a method makes it possible to install a kit according to the invention and to obtain the associated advantages.

Identical, similar or equivalent parts in the various figures bear the same numerical references so as to make it easier to switch from one figure to another.

The various parts depicted in the figures are not necessarily shown on the same scale, in order to make the figures easier to read.

The various possibilities (variants and embodiments) must be understood as not being mutually exclusive and may be combined with one another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1A and 1B depict a boat 1, in this case a catamaran, equipped with a kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 according to the invention so that it forms a hydrofoil boat.

It will of course be noted that although, in the context of the present embodiment, the kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 is fitted on a catamaran-type boat 1, it may be adapted for other types of boats, such as a trimaran, as will be shown in the embodiments below.

Note that according to a possibility which is not included in the scope of the present invention and which is described below in this document, it is possible to adapt the kit for installing hydrofoils for monohull boats.

The boat 1 comprises a structural element 15, in this case one of the connecting arms 15, 16, on which a portion of the kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 is installed.

A kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 according to the present embodiment comprises, as shown in FIG. 2:

Note that, according to an advantageous and optional possibility of the invention, shown in FIG. 2, the kit for installing hydrofoils may further comprise a control system 17 capable of communicating with a motorized configuration modification system, not shown, and controlling said system to adapt the arrangement of the hydrofoil arms 22, 32. It will nevertheless be noted that, in a usual configuration of the invention, the arrangement of the hydrofoil arms 22, 32 is adjusted manually by a member of the crew of the boat 1.

The support block 21, 31 comprises, as shown in FIG. 3:

As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, two adapter parts 212A, 212B are provided, consisting of two half-shells sandwiching the structural element, in other words the connecting arm 15. The first adapter part 212A, the “top” part, has an L shape, while the second adapter part 212B, the “bottom” part, has a U shape in order to best accommodate the lower part of the connecting arm 15. Such a structure allows the adapter parts 212A, 212B, according to the shape of the portion of the connecting arm 15 which they house, to provide a reference plane, with respect to the waterline of the boat, for the plate 211 and therefore the hydrofoil arm 22 which is mounted on the plate 211. As shown in FIG. 3, the U shape of the second adapter part 212B forms a housing such that it is placed stably on the connecting arm 15, as is the first adapter part 212A. Note that the surface of the first adapter part 212A facing away from the deck of the boat defines the reference plane.

Each of the first and second adapter parts is preferably made of a rigid material such as a thermoplastic, a composite, or wood.

It will of course be noted that, although in the present embodiment said surface of the first adapter part 212A physically constitutes the reference plane, it may be that this plane does not take any physical form, since by providing a bearing surface, not necessarily flat, the adapter part(s) 212A, 212B make it possible to ensure the orientation of the plate 211, and therefore of the hydrofoil arm 22, with respect to the waterline of the boat 1.

According to one possibility of the invention shown in FIG. 3, the first adapter part 212A may have a recess in order to allow the placement of an adjustment system 213 for adjusting the orientation of the hydrofoil arm 22 on the plate, said adjustment system 213 comprising a gear assembly in order to allow a height adjustment of the ball joint(s) 215, 216, shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

In accordance with FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the plate 211 has a shape complementary to the adapter parts 212A, 212B. Thus, the plate 211 has a U shape with the two branches of the U defining a housing shaped to receive the adapter parts 212A, 212B. The plate 211 is attached to the adapter parts 212A, 212B by elastic interlocking and by translation along the axis of the connecting arm of the boat. The plate 211 thus ensures that the adapter parts 212A, 212B are firmly attached to the connecting arm 15. It will of course be noted that such elastic interlocking is only one example of mounting of the plate 211 on the adapter parts; any other mounting, such as screwing, riveting or welding, may be envisaged. It should nevertheless be noted that within the framework of the invention, removable mounting is to be preferred.

Each plate is preferably made of a rigid material such as thermoplastic, composite, wood, or metal, and in particular stainless steel.

Each hydrofoil arm 22, 32 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, an attachment arm 23, 33 by means of which the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is mounted on the plate 211, and a hydrofoil 24, 34 as such which, being attached to one end of the attachment arm 23, 33, is intended to be at least partially submerged. The hydrofoil 24, 34 is profiled in such a way as to provide a lift force when the boat 1 moves. Of course, although in the present embodiment the support arm 23, 33 and the hydrofoil 24, 34 are distinct from one another, it may be envisaged providing a hydrofoil arm 22, 32 in one piece, the support arm 23, 33 and the hydrofoil 24, 34 then being integral with one another.

Each hydrofoil arm 22, 32 may be mounted on the corresponding plate 211 using at least two ball joints 215, 216, 217. In this first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, each hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is mounted on the corresponding plate 211 using first and second ball joints 215, 216 located on either side of the hydrofoil arm in order to define a first pivot connection and another ball joint 217 which is arranged at an end of the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 which has no hydrofoil 24, 34, with a lateral offset to define a second pivot connection with the second ball joint 216. The first ball joint 215 is mounted movably in translation relative to the plate 211 in order to allow adjustment of the “height” of the first ball joint 215. In this way, an adjustment of its height, using the adjustment system 213, allows the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 to pivot about the second pivot connection and thus to adjust the orientation of the hydrofoils with respect to the connecting arm 15 and therefore to the boat 1. Note that, according to one possibility of the invention, the third ball joint 217 may be removable in such a way as to allow the hydrofoil arm to pivot about an axis defined by the first and second ball joints 215, 216 when it is detached from the third ball joint 217.

As also shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a complementary support 214 may be provided, for example arranged on a deck of the boat 1, in order to provide a supplementary attachment point for the hydrofoil arm 22, 32. According to this possibility, the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 may be attached to this complementary support 214 using a sliding pivot connection as provided, for example and as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, using a strap 214A attaching the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 to said complementary support 214.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 according to the present embodiment also comprises two rudder blades 44, 54 each equipped with a T-shaped hydrofoil 45, 55. In order to allow the boat 1 to be maneuvered, each of the rudder blades is extended by a bar 42, 52 which is respective to it.

According to one possibility of the invention shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, each rudder blade 44, 54 is mounted on a respective hull 11, 12 of the boat 1, and more precisely on the transom of said hulls 11, 12, by means of a mounting system 43. The mounting system 43 comprises an intermediate part 431 attached to the transom, and a first and a second mounting element 432, 433 by means of which the rudder blade 44, 54 is mounted on the hull 11, 12 of the boat 1, the first and the second mounting elements 432, 433 are mounted rotatably relative to the intermediate part 431, and therefore to the hull of the boat, about a rudder axis which they share. The second mounting element 433 is arranged along the rudder axis below the first mounting element 432 when the boat 1 is afloat.

Note that, according to the principle similar to the adapter parts 212A, 212B, the intermediate part 431 is adapted according to the shape of the transom to be equipped. Thus, in the kit, to allow the installation of each rudder blade, only the intermediate part 431 has to be adapted to the boat 1 to be equipped, and the other elements concerning the rudder blade, including in particular the first and second mounting elements 432, 433, may be standardized.

The first mounting element 432 has a pivot axis 432A along which the rudder blade 44 is mounted rotatably, the pivot axis 432A being transverse to the rudder axis and, preferably and more precisely, substantially perpendicular to the rudder axis. More specifically, the first element 432 has, on a first portion, a through hole through which the rudder axis (rudder stock or pintle, depending on the rudder blade configuration, as discussed below) passes and, on a second portion, two other holes through which the pivot axis 432A passes. The pivot axis 432A is transverse to the rudder axis.

The second mounting element 433 is assembled to one out of the rudder blade 44 and the hull 11 (through the intermediate part 431), in this case the rudder blade 44, by elastic interlocking. Of course, according to a variant that has not been shown, the mounting element 433 may be assembled to the intermediate part 431, therefore the hull, by elastic snap-fastening, this elastic snap-fastening then also making it possible to provide rotatable mounting about the rudder axis. To allow such elastic mounting, the second mounting element 433 has, on a first portion, a through hole through which the rudder axis passes and, on a second portion, two arms each having a cantilevered tab, the arms together defining a receiving space for a rudder blade attachment member 44 preferably having a tapered face.

Note that while the first and second mounting elements 432, 433 are provided in the form of two independent parts, it may also be envisaged, without departing from the scope of the invention, for the first and second mounting elements 432, 433 to be provided in the form of a single part. Similarly, while the first and second elements 432, 433 are mounted, in the present embodiment, pivoting about the rudder axis forming the rudder stock, it is also possible for the first and second elements 432, 433 to be mounted on the intermediate part 431, or even the hull, by means of a respective pintle, the first and second elements then each forming a gudgeon.

According to a possibility that has not been shown, the first element 432 may be removably mounted on the hull, by making the first element 432 free to pivot about the pivot axis 432A and to disengage from the rudder axis, or rudder stock. In this way, when the user wishes to remove the rudder blade in order to put it away, they may disengage the first element and release the second element from its elastic interlocking attachment so as to separate the rudder blade 44, 54 from the hull 11, 12.

As shown in FIG. 5A, the rudder blade 44 comprises:

The frame 442 has a first and a second extension, extending toward the hull 11, 12, with which the frame is respectively mounted on the first and second mounting elements 432, 433. The first extension is pivotably mounted about the pivot axis 432A. The second extension forms the attachment member and preferably has, as shown in FIG. 5B and in the direction of the hull 11:

With the rudder blade 44 thus mounted on the hull of the boat, when the rudder blade encounters an obstacle, such as the bottom or a rock or an unidentified floating object, the forces applied to the rudder blade 44 as a result will cause the second extension to disengage from the second mounting element 433 and the rudder blade 44 to pivot about the pivot axis 432A in a direction opposite to the movement of the boat 1, thus making it possible to limit the risk of damage to the rudder blade 44.

In the context of the present embodiment, the rudder blade body 441 has a hydrofoil 45, in this case T-shaped. Of course, while such a hydrofoil 45 is linked to the use of a mounting system within the context of a kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55, such a rudder blade mounting system 43 may easily be used for mounting a simple rudder blade without a hydrofoil or not using a frame 442 since such a mounting system offers both a protective function and ease of handling of the rudder blade, regardless of its configuration.

In order to allow adjustment of the inclination of the hydrofoils 45, 55 with which the rudder blades 44, 54 are equipped, within the framework of the invention, it is possible to provide a hydrofoil incidence adjustment system, not shown. Such an incidence adjustment system may be accessible on the bar 32, 42 associated with said rudder blade 44 or even directly accessible on the rudder blade 44, the adjustment then being made either on land or by raising the rudder blade 44.

As shown in FIG. 5C, according to one possibility of the invention which is particularly advantageous in the context of such a mounting system, the rudder blade 44 may comprise a depth portion 443 arranged on an end of the rudder blade 44 intended to be opposite the hull and at the front of the rudder blade, in a direction of movement of the boat 1. The depth portion 443 comprises an element made of a deformable material, such as an elastomer which may be, for example, natural or synthetic rubber. Such a depth portion 443 comprising a deformable material, such as an elastomer, makes it possible to absorb some of the forces exerted on the rudder blade 44 when the latter encounters an obstacle.

According to a variant of the invention that has not been shown, the rudder blade body 441 may have two orientations of installation in the frame 442, one with the hydrofoil 45 arranged at the bottom of the rudder blade 44, that is to say below the waterline of the boat, and the other with the hydrofoil arranged at the top of the rudder blade 44, that is to say above the waterline. In this way, with such a rudder blade body 441, the rudder blade 44 may be used both in a hydrofoil boat configuration, i.e. with the hydrofoil 45 arranged at the bottom of the rudder blade 44, and in a conventional configuration, i.e. with the hydrofoil 45 arranged at the top of the rudder blade 44.

According to such a variant, a method for changing the orientation of the rudder blade may be provided comprising the following steps:

Note that within the framework of the invention, a kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 according to this first embodiment may be installed according to an installation method comprising the following steps:

FIGS. 6A and 6B show the assembly of a hydrofoil arm 22 according to a second embodiment. A kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 according to this second embodiment differs from a kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 44, 55 according to the first embodiment in that the hydrofoil arm 22 is mounted on the plate 211 using the first and second ball joints 215, 216 which are both movable in translation relative to the plate 211, the plate not having a third ball joint 217, and in that the hydrofoil arm 22 is attached to the complementary support 214 using a sliding pivot connection provided by a strap 214A attaching the hydrofoil arm 22 to said complementary support 214.

In this second embodiment and for each hydrofoil arm 22, 32, the first and second ball joints 215, 216, equipping the end of said hydrofoil arm 22, 32 which has no hydrofoil, together define an axis of pivoting of the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 with respect to the structural element 15.

Thus, when each hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is freed from the strap 214A which provides the sliding pivot connection to the complementary support 214, said hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is able to tilt with respect to the structural element, in this case the connecting arm 15, and thus be raised out of the water. Such tilting makes it possible to limit the stress caused by handling of the boat 1 when it is brought back on land for storage or in the event of bad weather not compatible with a hydrofoil boat configuration.

FIGS. 7 to 8B depict a monohull boat 1 equipped with a kit for installing hydrofoils according to an embodiment not included in the scope of the invention. A kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 according to this third embodiment differs from a kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 according to the second embodiment in that a single adapter part 212 and a single plate 211 are provided forming a single support block on which the two hydrofoil arms 22, 32 are mounted, in that the deck 13 of the boat 1 forms the structural element, in that the hydrofoils 34 of the hydrofoil arms 22, 32 are T-shaped hydrofoils and in that the attachment of the adapter part to the deck 13 is obtained by means of a strap 218 passing through the adapter part 212 and going around the hull 11.

Note that this strap 218, as shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment not included in the scope of the invention and in which the kit for installing hydrofoils is fitted on a monohull boat 1, may bear on the keel 14 in such a way as to improve the attachment of the adapter part on the deck 13. The adapter part 212 and the plate 211 extend over the entire width of the deck 13.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show the mounting of each of the hydrofoil arms 22, 32 on the single plate 211. As can thus be seen in this third embodiment, in a manner similar to the second embodiment, each hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is mounted on the plate 211 using a first and a second ball joint 215, 216 arranged at an end of the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 which has no hydrofoil, together defining a pivot axis, which is in this case provided by means of a pivot 216A connecting the first and the second ball joints 215, 216. Of course, such a pivot 216A, as is the case for the second embodiment, is not necessary and the first and second ball joints 215, 216 are capable of ensuring such mounting without the pivot being necessary.

In a manner identical to the second embodiment, the first and second ball joints 215, 216 are both movable in translation relative to the plate 211. To this end, the adjustment system 213 comprises two gears, not referenced, meshed together and rotating as one with the first and second ball joints 215, 216, respectively. As shown in FIG. 8B, one of the gears is provided with a pulley intended to be coupled with a winch, not shown, by the use of a belt, not shown. As a variant, the pulley may be operated manually by a simple rope kept under tension acting as a belt. In this way, manipulation of the winch makes it possible to rotate the two gears in a counter-rotating movement, which in turn causes a movement of the first and second ball joints 215, 216 relative to the plate 211 which is opposite them both, and therefore pivoting of the hydrofoil arm 22, 32.

Each hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is also mounted on the plate 211 by means of the complementary support 214 for the hydrofoil arm on which the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is mounted by means of a removable sliding pivot connection such as that provided by the strap 214A. Such a sliding pivot connection does not hinder the pivoting of the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 upon adjustment of the height of the first and second ball joints 215, 216 relative to the plate 211 by means of the adjustment system 213. Note that in this third embodiment, in order to allow stable placement with respect to the plate, the complementary support has a base having a surface complementary to the upper surface of the plate 211.

FIG. 9 shows the mounting of a hydrofoil arm according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. A kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 according to this fourth embodiment differs from a kit for installing hydrofoils 22, 32, 45, 55 according to the first embodiment in that each hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is mounted on the plate 211 by means of a single ball joint 215 and in that a complementary support 214 for the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is also provided on the boat 1, on which the hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is mounted by means of a sliding pivot connection, preferably removable, such as that provided by a strap 214A.

In this way, each hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is able to pivot, to allow adjustment of the inclination of the hydrofoil 24, while being made integral with the connecting arm 15 by the ball joint 215. In the present embodiment, preferably, an inclination adjustment system, not shown, may be provided, such as a system for controlling the pivoting of the attachment arm 23. Such a pivot control system may comprise a gear arranged at the pivot connection which meshes with a complementary toothed portion of the attachment arm 23. In this way, by associating this gear with a control for rotation thereof, for example a lever or a crank, it is possible to pivot the attachment arm 23 and change the orientation of the corresponding hydrofoil 24. According to a variant, such an inclination adjustment system may be associated with the ball joint 215.

As shown, and in a manner similar to what has been described in connection with FIGS. 6A, 6B, 8A and 8B, the pivot connection may be provided by a strap 214A. This strap 214A may be associated with a complementary support 214, as is the case in the context of FIGS. 6A, 6B, 8A and 8B. This complementary support 214 may be separate from the plate 211 and mounted on the connecting arm 15. As a variant, the complementary support 214 may be rigidly secured to the plate 211. According to this variant, each hydrofoil arm 22, 32 is only mounted on the connecting arm 15 by the plate 211.