Wind gust dampening system for sailing vessel

A wind gust dampening system for a sailing vessel for absorbing the forces generated by a wind gust upon a sail is disclosed. The wind gust dampening system may be adjustable such that the system may be used on a variety of different size and types of sailing vessels to absorb forces from wind gusts to prevent sailing vessels from capsizing or from damage occurring to equipment, or both. The configuration of the wind gust dampening system provides for a plurality of adjustments enabling the system to be uniquely adapted to each sailing vessel for increased efficiency. The wind gust dampening system may include one or more shock cords for absorbing the forces generated by wind gusts and may extend between a deck of a vessel and a sail.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to sailing systems, and more particularly, to sail securement systems for securing sails to vessels.

BACKGROUND

Sails on sailing vessels are typically supported by a vertically extending mast and a horizontally extending boom, such as a main boom or a jib boom. The sail may also be supported by a back stay extending from the mast head to the stern of the sailing vessel. The main boom may be controlled with a main sheet attached to a deck of the sailing vessel. The main sheet may be taken up or let out while sailing to account for wind speed and heading of the vessel relative to the wind direction. The main sheet is typically releasably fastened to the deck of the sailing vessel and is typically a line having little stretch. While sailing, wind strikes the sail and imparts a force on the sail causing forward motion when the sailing vessel is pointed generally orthogonal to a direction in which the wind is blowing. The main sheet is adjusted based on the wind speed of the day. In gusty conditions, the wind gusts cause the sailing vessel to roll or heel. The keel of the vessel counteracts the wind gust but does not prevent the sailing vessel from heeling. In conditions with heavy wind gusts, the sailing vessel is subject to sever heeling and possibly capsizing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A wind gust dampening system for a sailing vessel for absorbing the forces generated by a wind gust upon a sail is disclosed. The wind gust dampening system may be adjustable such that the system may be used on a variety of different size and types of sailing vessels to absorb forces from wind gusts to prevent sailing vessels from capsizing or from damage occurring to equipment, or both. The configuration of the wind gust dampening system provides for a plurality of adjustments enabling the system to be uniquely adapted to each sailing vessel for increased efficiency. The wind gust dampening system may include one or more shock cords for absorbing the forces generated by wind gusts and may extend between a deck of a vessel and a sail.

The wind gust dampening system may be used with any sailing vessel that uses a line, which is known as a sheet, to control the sail. One end of the wind gust dampening system may be attached to the sheet by a deflection guide and a cam cleat. The other end of the wind gust dampening system may be attached to a fixed point on the sailing vessel through use of a line, such as, but not limited to, a rope, that is attached at the other end to aspects of the wind gust dampening system. The wind gust dampening system may include various sized shock cords attached to one of two bodies forming the wind dampening system. The shock cords can be easily engaged or disengaged, which enables the amount of tension to be changed. The wind gust dampening system thus provides an adjustable shock absorbing capability between the sheet and the sailboat itself.

The wind gust dampening system does not require any additional hardware to be installed on a vessel. The wind gust dampening system may be ready to use out of the box. Additionally, the wind gust dampening system may be attached to a sheet even while the sheet is under load.

The size of the wind gust dampening system may be varied depending on the diameter of the sheet and the surface area of the sail to which the wind gust dampening system is attached. The wind gust dampening system may be formed from materials, such as, but not limited to, plastic and metal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown inFIGS. 1-20, a wind gust dampening system10for a sailing vessel for absorbing the forces generated by a wind gust upon a sail12is disclosed. The wind gust dampening system10may be adjustable such that the system10may be used on a variety of different size and types of sailing vessels18to absorb forces from wind gusts to prevent sailing vessels18from capsizing or from damage occurring to equipment, or both. The configuration of the wind gust dampening system10provides for a plurality of adjustments enabling the system10to be uniquely adapted to each sailing vessel18for increased efficiency. The wind gust dampening system10may include one or more shock cords14for absorbing the forces generated by wind gusts and may extend between a deck16of a vessel18and a sail12.

As shown inFIGS. 1-3,5,7,9and13, the wind gust dampening system10may be formed from a first body20having a first end22and a second end24positioned on an opposite side of the first body20. The first end22of the first body20may be configured to be secured to a support structure26for a sail12. The support structure26may be, but is not limited to being, a boom. The wind gust dampening system10may include a second body28, as shown inFIGS. 1,2,4,9,10and14, having a first end30and a second end32positioned on an opposite side of the second body28, wherein the first end30of the second body28is configured to be secured to a vessel18, such as, but not limited to, a deck16of a vessel18. The wind gust dampening system10may include one or more shock cords14extending between the first and second bodies20,28.

As shown inFIGS. 1-3,5,7,9and13, the first body20may include a first line34extending from the first end22of the first body20. The first line34may be, but is not limited to being, a nylon rope having a diameter between about one quarter of an inch and about two inches. The first line34may be releasably coupled to the first end22of the first body20via a releasable clamp36on the first body20. The releasable clamp36may be, but is not limited to being, a cam cleat. The opposite end of the first line34may be attached to the support structure26for the sail12, to the sail, or both. The first line may be permanently or releasably attached thereto.

The first body20may also include one or more deflection guides38, as shown inFIG. 6, formed from a base40attached to the first body20and having an arm42extending from the base40and terminating proximate to the first body20, thereby forming a line containing chamber44and an opening46into the chamber44between the arm42and the first body20. The opening46may be positioned on an opposite side of the arm42from the base40. The arm42may have any appropriate shape, such as, but not limited to, an S shape. The line containing chamber44may be sized to house a line extending therethrough.

In one embodiment, the deflection guide38may be positioned adjacent to the first end22. The cam cleat36may also be positioned between the deflection guide38at the first end22and the orifice50at the second end24. The first body20may also include one or more retainers52having one or more load bearing surfaces54configured to retain the shock cord14extending from a first side56of the elongated body62, a second retainer58extending from a second side60of the elongated body62in a direction generally opposite to a direction in which the first end22extends from the elongated body62.

In another embodiment, as shown inFIG. 9, the first body20may include a plurality of orifices50at the second end24to which a plurality of shock cords14are releasably attached. The first body20may be generally rectangular or have another appropriate configuration.

As shown inFIGS. 1,2,4,9,10and14, the second body28may have any configuration for coupling the shock cords14to a second line64that is attachable to a deck16of a vessel18. The second body28may be formed from any configuration enabling the shock cords14to be coupled to the second line64that is attachable to a deck16of a vessel18. In one embodiment, the second body28may be formed from an elongated body74wherein the first end30includes an orifice68, a first retainer70extending from a first side72of the elongated body74, a second retainer76extending from a second side78of the elongated body74in a direction generally opposite to a direction in which the first end30extends from the elongated body74, and an orifice68in the elongated body74at the second end32. A second line64may extend from the first end30of the second body28.

In another embodiment, as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10, the second body28may be generally triangular. The first end30of the second body28may be configured to be secured to a deck16of a vessel18, and a side opposite to the first end30may include a plurality of orifices82.

The wind gust dampening system10may have one or more shock cords14for absorbing the forces generated by wind gusts. In one embodiment, one or more shock cords14may be releasably coupled to the first or second bodies20,28, or both. In another embodiment, one or more shock cords14may be permanently attached to the first or second bodies20,28, or both. In particular, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 5, a shock cord14may be attached via a permanent loop to an orifice50in the first body20, and the shock cord14may be attached via a permanent loop to an orifice82in the second body28. Additional shock cords14may be is releasably attached to the first and second bodies20,28. The shock cords14may be sized, diameter and length, based upon the anticipated loads. The number of shock cords14used may be based upon the anticipated loads.

The first body20may include one or more retainers52having one or more load bearing surfaces54configured to retain the shock cord14. The retainer52may be, but is not limited to being, a hook84. The hook84may or may not include a loop retaining protrusion86to prevent the shock cord14from inadvertently being removed from the retainer52.

The shock cord14may be releasably attached to the second body28. In one embodiment, as shown inFIGS. 11 and 12, the shock cord14may be releasably attached with one or more loops88,90. The second body28may include one or more retainers52having one or more load bearing surfaces54configured to retain one or more shock cords14. In at least one embodiment, the retainer52on the second body28may be, but is not limited to being, a hook84. The hook84may include a loop retaining protrusion86. The retainer52in the second body28may be formed from a plurality of orifices68at an end to which a plurality of shock cords14are releasably attached. The system10may include use of a plurality of shock cords14. The shock cords14may have the same size and length or may have different sizes or lengths, or both.

In another embodiment as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, the second body28may include one or more retainers52configured to hold one or more shock cords14such that first and second ends88,90of the shock cords14are coupled to the first body20and midsections92of the shock cords14extend through the retainer52in the second body28. Thus, the shock cords14may be looped through the retainers52, thereby reducing the effective length of the shock cords14by about one half. The retainers52may be formed from at least one orifice82in the second body28, a hook or other appropriate device. In yet another embodiment, as shown inFIGS. 13 and 14, first and second bodies20,28, include retainers52without a loop retaining protrusion86.

In an alternative embodiment, as shown inFIGS. 16-20, the first body20may include a retainer52formed from a single hook120. The hook120may have any appropriate configuration shaped to retain one or more shock cords14. As shown inFIG. 16, aspects of the first body20forming the hook120may be hollow and may include one or more exterior channels122to reduce weight and increase strength. The second body28may include a retainer52formed from a single hook120. As shown inFIGS. 17 and 18, aspects of the first body20forming the hook120may be hollow and may include one or more exterior channels122to reduce weight and increase strength. In addition, one or more connecters124, such as but not limited to, nuts and bolts, may be used to couple the releasable clamp36to the first body20. The nuts126may be contained within a recess128in the first body20. The second body28, as shown inFIGS. 19 and 20, may include aspects forming a retainer52, which may be, but is not limited to being, one or more hooks120that may be hollow and may include one or more exterior channels122to reduce weight and increase strength.

During use, the wind gust dampening system10may be attached before a sheet is placed under load or while a sheet is under load. A line extending from the second body28may secured to the vessel18such as by being attached to a cleat. If a sheet is not available, a line may be attached to the sail12or to the support structure26that is supporting the sail12. The line may be inserted through the opening46into the line containing chamber44of the deflection guide38and inserted into the releasably clamp36, which may be a cam cleat. The line may be adjusted as needed. For instance, when waves increase and wind conditions become strong and gusty, the wind gust dampening system10creates a controllable elastic shock-absorber between the vessel18and the sails12. The wind gust dampening system10may be adjustable by adjusting the number and diameter of the shock cords14, and by hauling in or easing off the sheet that is attached by the releasable clamp36.