ARRANGEMENT IN SAILING BOAT RIGGING WITH A HINGE-LIKE MAST ATTACHMENT

Abstract: An invention in sailing boat rigging with a mast attached hingedly to the deck. The inventive concept is that the forestay (4) of the mast is attached to a boom (6) or the like, which is adapted to be swung up from the foredeck of a boat, a brake and winch means (10) connected to the boom being adapted for enabling controlled upward swinging of the boom during lowering of the mast (1) and swinging downwards of the boom during raising of the mast.

Description: ARRANGEMENT IN SAILING BOAT RIGGING WITH A HINGE-LIKE MAST ATTACHMENT The present invention relates to an arrangement in sailing boat rigging with a hinge-like attachment of the mast on the deck to enable lowering the mast. Various aids are used, among which is usually a mast crane, on erecting and removing masts in larger sailing boats. However, there is a great need of some simple equipment mounted on the boat which allows lowering and raising the mast at sea, and preferably during travel as well, as is the case when a low power line or a low fixed bridge or the like must be passed. The object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective solution to this problem. This has been achieved in accordance with the invention by the arrangement having been given the characterizing features disclosed in the following claims. With the aid of the inventive arrangement, the mast may be lowered with great security while it is laterally guided, primarily by an upwardly swinging boom, but also by optionally arranged shrouds at the beginning of the lowering procedure. It is said here for the sake of simplicity that the mast is lowered backwards with the aid of a boom placed on the foredeck, but it must be considered as being the same thing to lower the mast forwards with the aid of a boom placed on the aft deck, this interpretation of the claims shall thus be considered as included in the invention. Furthermore, a mast placed on deck is mentioned here, but it must be regarded as being the same thing with its location on a deck house or similar superstructure, and this interpretation shall also be considered as included in the invention. The invention will now be described in detail in the following and with reference to the accompanying drawings, on which Figure 1 is an embodiment of an arrangement in accordance with the invention. Figure ' 2 is an alternative embodiment of the fore boom, and Figure 3 is a cross section illustrating means for damping lateral swing. The figures illustrate a sailing boat with a mast 1 mounted on the deck such as to be hinged in a fitting 2. The mast is stayed by an aft stay 3 and a forestay 4, in which a jib 5 is suspended. A mainsail is not illustrated on the drawing. The forestay 4 is fixed to a boom 6, which has its rear end hingedly attached to the deck via a joint 7. The forward part of the boom 6 is locked against the deck with the aid of a locking means 8. In the vicinity of the latter a line 9 is attached to the boom, and taken via sheaves to a snubbing winch 10. Lowering of the mast takes place by the line 9 being laid around the winch 10, after which the lock 8 is released. The line 9 is paid out by braking with the winch 10, causing the mast to be lowered backwards at the same rate as the boom 6 is swung upwards. The joint 7 and possible shrouds guide the mast laterally to begin with, the mast being subsequently stabilized due to the high attachment point of the upwardly swinging boom, as will be seen by the dashed line 11 representing the path of the mast top during lowering. When the mast is subsequently to be raised, e.g. after passage under a low power line, the line 6 is taken home with the aid of the winch 10, causing the boom 6 to be swung back into its initial position, where it is locked by the locking means 8. Of course, it is not necessary for the boom 6 to thrust out beyond the bows and it can be V-shaped, with a leg pivotably attached in the vicinity of either edge of " the deck, as illustrated in Figure 2. If the mast is not lowered to its' bottom position, there is a risk of the mast swinging laterally in a sea due to the shrouds slackening. As illustrated in Figure 3, this swinging can be eliminated to a large extent in shrouded rigging by having the shrouds 12 kept taught with the aid of springs 13 or the like damping means, which have one end fastened substan¬ tially at right angles to the shroud and the other end fastened to the appropriate end of the spring fitted to the other shrouds, or fastened to the mast or deck, the last two alternatives being illustrated in the figure.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Arrangement in sailing boat rigging with a mast attached hingedly to the deck, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a boom (6) or the like mounted on the foredeck and in the fore-and-aft direction of the boat, the boom having a forward end portion to which a forestay (4) on the mast (1) is attached, a rear end portion hingedly mounted on the deck and a means (8) -for removably locking the boom to the deck, and including a brake and winch means (10) connected to the boom, such as to enable controlled upward swinging of the boom, after the locking means has been released, enabling the mast to lower backwards and vice versa. 2. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the boom (6) is substantially V-shaped with its legs pivotably mounted adjacent the respective railing edge. 3. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by an existing snubbing or fall winch (10) serving as winch. 4. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the force in the ' line (9) is reduced by its running over sheaves suitably arranged between boom (6) and deck. 5. Arrangement as claimed in one or several of the preceding claims, in riggings provided with- shrouds, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the shrouds (12) are provided with slack take-up means (13) .

Inventors: GRANSTROEM ANDERS, GRANSTROEM, ANDERS
Applicants: GRANSTROEM ANDERS, GRANSTROEM, ANDERS
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B63B15
IPC codes: B63B15