Abstract:
There is disclosed a method of sailing based on manipulation of a sail in the air whil permitting free rotation of the sail about a single point, and manipulation of a keel in the water while permitting free rotation of the keel about a single point; and coordinating the sail manipulation and the keel manipulation by connecting the points or making them a single point. The disclosed system of sailing has means for manipulating a sail in the air while permitting free rotation of the sail about a single point; and means for manipulating a keel in the water while permitting free rotation of the keel about a single point and means for connecting the sail manipulating means with the keel manipulating means.

Description:
NOTICE REGARDING COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL  
       [0001]     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a sailing method and system.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In the prior art, the concept of eliminating heeling moment of a sailing vessel (as illustrated in  FIG. 1   a ) by aligning the vector of the lift force created by a sail with the vector of the lateral resistance force of the keel (as illustrated in  FIG. 1   b ) has been explored. [See http://www.geocities.com/aerohydro/home.htm.] This technology is currently being pursued in the Sail Rocket endeavour  
         [0000]     [http://www.whbs.demon.co.uk/sr2/] to establish a sailing speed record.  
         [0004]     There has also been much recent interest in the concept of ‘flying’ sails, as seen in kite boarding, kite kayaking and kite sailing.  
         [0005]     The concept of ‘flying’ a keel in water is less well known, but had some uses during World War II as a means of sweeping for mines. Mine sweepers towed a paravane at the end of a long cable to sweep for mines. Hapa keels work in a similar manner.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     According to this invention, there is provided a method of sailing comprising the following steps: (a) manipulating a sail in the air while permitting free rotation of said sail about a single point; (b) manipulating a keel in the water while permitting free rotation of said keel about a single point; (c) coordinating said sail manipulating and said keel manipulating by connecting said points or making said points the same single point.  
         [0007]     According to this invention, there is also provided a system of sailing, comprising: (a) means for manipulating a sail in the air while permitting free rotation of said sail about a single point; (b) means for manipulating a keel in the water while permitting free rotation of said keel about a single point; (c) means for connecting said sail manipulating means and said keel manipulating means.  
         [0008]     The invention herein combines the concept of alignment of force vectors with the concept of flying a sail and the concept of flying a keel.  
         [0009]     A sail can be bridled and ‘flown’ from a single pivot point. The sail will achieve stability for various adjustments to the bridling. Similarly, a keel can be bridled and ‘flown’ from a single pivot point. The keel will achieve stability for various adjustments to the bridling. Connecting these two pivot points results in a revolutionary sailboat design. Capsising moment is eliminated by setting the vertical inclination of the sail and keel so that their force vectors align. This sailing vessel is self-stabilizing for changes in the direction or velocity of the flow of wind or water, balancing rotational forces automatically, and will hold a steady course for given wind and water flows, and can be steered by trimming the setting of the keel or sail or both without needing a rudder, and has the potential to change tacks. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1   a  shows conventional sailboat designs which have forces out of alignment.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1b  shows prior art concept of aligning the force of lift from the sail with the force of lateral resistance of the keel.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1c  shows the current invention aligning forces through pivot points connected to each other.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1d  shows the pivoting sail module in greater detail.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1e  shows the pivoting keel module in greater detail.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2   a  shows a sail assembly square to the wind.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2   b  shows a sail assembly ragging (or in ‘irons’) parallel with the wind.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2   c  shows a sail assembly at an intermediate point of stability.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3   a  shows a keel square to the flow of the water.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3Z   b  shows a keel ‘ragging’ (or in ‘irons’) parallel with the flow of water.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3   c  shows a keel at an intermediate point of stability.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  shows how a sail assembly can be tacked with both of the lower control lines attached to the clew and one running around the mast. (This also illustrates the concept of a tacking keel.)  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  shows a conventional, telescoping rigid arm cooperating with conventional rotational elements operating in the vertical and horizontal planes, allowing control of sail or keel in the horizontal and vertical planes. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0024]     The preferred embodiment is made up of a pivoting sail module connected to a pivoting keel module in a manner that allows for alignment of the force vectors through a pivot point or pivot points as illustrated in  FIG. 1c .  
         [0025]     1. Pivoting Sail Module  
         [0026]     Consider any standard sail and spars assembly  90  as conceptually represented by A-B-C in  FIG. 1   d  where a spar is a mast, boom or any other pole, A is the head of triangular sail  50 , B is the tack and C is the clew, and where A-B is the location of the mast and leading edge or luff of sail  50 , A-C is the leech or trailing edge of sail  50  and B-C is the location of the boom and foot of sail  50 .  
         [0027]     Sail assembly  90  is conventionally mounted on conventional floats  40  at B and C that have sufficient buoyancy to prevent sail assembly  90  from sinking.  
         [0028]     The imaginary line J-K is drawn through the geometric centre of sail  50  perpendicular to the plane in which sail  50  is located. (The line J-K is intended to approximate the force vector operating through the centre of effort of the sail when the sail is square to the wind.) Point P s  is located on the imaginary line J-K about one-and-one-half mast lengths from sail  50 .  
         [0029]     Sail assembly  90  is attached to point P s  with three sheets  60 ,  70  and  80  running respectively from A to P s , B to P s  and C to P s . The said sail assembly  90  together with its said sheets  60 ,  70  and  80  is referred to hereinafter as a sail module  100 . The sheets can be made of rope or wire or other non-rigid material. So long as these sheets are of fixed length and remain under tension, point P s  will remain in a fixed location with respect to sail  50 . Then, by adjusting the length of these sheets, point P s  can be relocated to any position in the hemisphere located on that side of sail  50 . From a different frame of reference, an operator located at point P s  could ‘fly’ sail assembly  90  like a kite in a wind, by adjusting the length of the sheets  60 ,  70  and  80 , allowing sail module  100  to freely pivot around the point P s . The sail assembly  90  will ‘fly’ in the hemisphere located downwind of P s . When P s  is at or near the surface of the water, the floats  40  will restrict the sail assembly  90  to the half of the downwind hemisphere that is at or above the surface of the water. The mass of the sail assembly  90  will, in light winds, keep the sail assembly  90  from lifting above the surface of the water. Consequently, adjusting sheet  60  in or out (or simultaneous adjusting sheets  70  and  80  in or out in tandem) will adjust the vertical inclination of the sail assembly  90  and will affect vertical lift, while adjustments to sheet  70  or  80  individually or in opposing directions will cause the sail assembly  90  to rotate around a vertical axis running from the foot of the sail through the head of the sail. This in turn will cause the entire sail module  100  to rotate in an arc on the surface of the water with P s  at the centre of the circle containing that arc.  
         [0030]     To learn to ‘fly’ sail assembly  90 , the operator could sit at the end of a dock, facing the water, and hold the pivot point P s  in his hands. In the initial set-up with the wind at his back, blowing from the shore, if the imaginary line J-K perpendicular to sail  50  passes through P s , then sail  50  will lie directly downwind from P s  and will be square to the wind (as shown in  FIG. 2   a ).  
         [0031]     Trimming sheet  60  (or sheets  70  and  80  in tandem) in or out will adjust the vertical inclination of the sail assembly  90  and will affect vertical lift. These adjustments can be used to accomplish the Bernard Smith objective of eliminating heeling moment as illustrated in  FIG. 1   b.  In stronger winds, this adjustment will also determine whether the sail assembly  90  becomes airborne.  
         [0032]     If the operator sheets out sheet  80  as far as it will go under tension, sail assembly  90  will come to “rest” (being a position of relative stability) directly downwind, but parallel to the wind (as in  FIG. 2   b ) and the sail  50  will be luffing or ragging rather than square to the wind and full (as it was in  FIG. 2   a ). (A tripod of floats or counterweights below the water may be added to prevent the sail from falling over at this point.)  
         [0033]     Intermediate adjustments of the length of the sheet  80  will allow sail assembly  90  to assume the position shown in  FIG. 2   c,  with the entire sail module  100  pivoting around point P as the sheet  80  is adjusted in or out.  
         [0034]     A similar effect can be achieved by adjusting sheet  70  in or out.  
         [0035]     At each point of adjustment of sheet  70  or  80 , the pivoting sail module  100  rotates some distance along an arc centred on P s , and may oscillate back and forth somewhat, but is self-stabilizing and eventually comes to “rest” with the sail assembly  90  at a specific angle relative to the direction of the wind.  
         [0036]     For some settings of the sheets, more than one stable equilibrium may exist. When multiple equilibria exist, simple experimentation will show a person skilled in the art how to manipulate the sheets to move the sail from one equilibrium to another.  
         [0037]     The reader knowledgeable in the art will realize that a symmetrical sail could rotate through most of the downwind semi-circle with appropriate adjustments, but that an asymmetrical sail would need to be flipped over (or ‘ack’) in order to cover the other half of this semi-circle.  
         [0038]     2. Pivoting Keel Module  
         [0039]     With reference to  FIG. 1   e,  a standard centreboard or keel  150  is conceptually represented by D-E-F. D-E is the leading edge of keel  150  and D-F is the trailing edge of keel  150  and E-F is the top of keel  150 . Keel  150  is of standard proportions relative to the size of sail  50  and has negative buoyancy (i.e. is heavier than water and would sink but for the floats described in the next paragraph).  
         [0040]     Keel  150  is conventionally attached to conventional floats  140  at E and F having sufficient buoyancy to prevent the top of keel  150  from sinking below the surface of the water.  
         [0041]     The imaginary line L-M is drawn through the geometric centre of keel  150  perpendicular to the plane in which keel  150  is located and the point P k  is located on the imaginary line L-M about one-and-one-half keel lengths from keel  150 .  
         [0042]     Using the term ‘sheet’ to describe a line made of rope or wire which can be used to adjust a keel in or out, Keel  150  is attached to point P k  with three sheets  160 ,  170  and  180  running respectively from D to P k , E to P k  and F to P k . Said keel  150  together with said sheets  160 ,  170  and  180  are referred to as a keel module  200 . So long as these sheets are of fixed length and remain under tension, point P k  will remain in a fixed location with respect to keel  150 . Then, by adjusting the length of these sheets, the point P k  could be relocated to any position in the hemisphere located on that side of keel  150 . From a different frame of reference, an operator located at point P k  could ‘fly’ keel  150  in moving water such as a flowing river (like flying a kite in the air by adjusting the length of the sheets), allowing keel  150  to freely pivot around the point P k .  
         [0043]     The keel module  200  will ‘fly’ in water in the hemisphere located downstream of P k . However, the mass of the keel  150  will keep the keel  150  from flying in air (as the keel is heavier than water and is not designed to fly in air). When P k  is at or near the surface of the water, this will restrict the keel module  200  to the half of the downstream hemisphere that is at or below the surface of the water. The buoyancy of the floats  140  will determine the propensity of the keel  150  to stay at the surface of the water or to ‘fly’ beneath the surface of the water. Adjusting sheet  160  in or out (or simultaneous adjusting sheets  170  and  180  in or out in tandem) will adjust the vertical inclination of the keel  150  and will affect its vertical lift, giving it a propensity to sink or to start lifting out of the water (which with sufficient velocity of the flow of water could result in the keel  150  ‘skipping’ along the surface of the water).  
         [0044]     Adjustments to sheet  70  or  80  individually or in opposing directions will cause the keel  150  to rotate around a vertical axis running from the bottom of the keel through the top of the keel. This in turn will cause the entire keel module  200  to rotate in an arc at or below the surface of the water with P k  at the centre of the circle containing that arc.  
         [0045]     To learn to ‘fly’ keel  150 , the operator could sit on a rock in the middle of a flowing river holding the pivot point P k  in his hands. In the initial set-up with the water running from the rock, if the imaginary line L-M perpendicular to keel  150  passes through P k , then keel  150  will lie directly downstream from P k  and will be square to the flow of water as in  FIG. 3   a.    
         [0046]     If the operator sheets out sheet  180  as far as it will go under tension, keel  150  will come to “rest” directly downwind, but parallel to the flow of water (as in  FIG. 3   b ) rather than square to the flow (as it was in  FIG. 3   a ).  
         [0047]     Intermediate adjustments of the length of sheet  180  will allow keel  150  to assume the position shown in  FIG. 3c , with keel module  200  pivoting around point P k  as the sheet is adjusted in or out.  
         [0048]     A similar effect can be achieved by adjusting sheet  170  in or out.  
         [0049]     At each point of adjustment of  170  or  180 , the pivoting keel module  200  rotates some distance along an arc centred on P k , and may oscillate back and forth somewhat, but is self-stabilizing and eventually comes to “rest” with the keel  150  at a specific angle relative to the direction of the flow of water.  
         [0050]     For some settings of the sheets, more than one stable equilibrium may exist. When multiple equilibria exist, simple experimentation will show a person skilled in the art how to manipulate the sheets to move the keel from one equilibrium to another.  
         [0051]     The reader knowledgeable in the art will realize that a symmetrical keel could rotate through most of the downwind semi-circle with appropriate adjustments, but that an asymmetrical keel would need to be flipped over (or ‘ack’) in order to cover the other half of this semi-circle.  
         [0052]     3. Pivoting Sailing Vessel  
         [0053]     A sailing vessel is created by connecting pivoting sail module  100  to pivoting keel module  200  by connecting their respective pivot points P s  and P k .  
         [0054]     The connection may be effected through any means that allow the sail module  100  and the keel module  200  to freely rotate around the respective connection points P s  and P k . The connection may be effected by a standard universal joint (not shown for simplicity of illustration), in which case P s  and P k  are at the same location, or by a longitudinal separator (not shown for simplicity of illustration) where P s  and P k  are attached to the separator in a way that allows free pivoting at opposed ends thereof thereat, of sail module  100  and keel module  200  respectively. The longitudinal separator may be a rigid bar or be the function performed by an operator who holds the ropes of sail module  100  and keel module  200  respectively in his opposed hands or any other rigid or non-rigid means of connecting P s  and P k .  
         [0055]     A sailing vessel as contemplated herein includes any device that can navigate water using wind as the means of propulsion. Thus the sail module  100  when connected to the keel module is a sailing vessel. A hull in the conventional sense (that carries human or inanimate cargo) is unnecessary, but, if desired, a hull can easily be incorporated at the floats  40  on the sail assembly or at the floats  140  on the keel, or a conventional hull could be towed from P s  or P k  or from the connector connecting P s  to P k.  or from the sail or from the keel.  
         [0056]     Assuming sufficient wind relative to any movement of the water, the wind acting on sail  50  will cause sail module  100  to move relative to the water. As P s  begins to move relative to the water, it will pull keel module  200  through the water, creating an ‘apparent’ flow of water past keel  150 . With appropriate lengths of the various ropes (which can be determined by trial and error), sail module  100  and keel module  200  each will rotate until each settles at a stable angle and the vessel will then sail on a stable course relative to the wind direction. Of course, if the water current is moving faster than the wind, keel module  200  will pull sail module  100  but the same stability will be achieved relative to the water current direction.  
         [0057]     Adjustments to the length of any one or more of the sheets  70 ,  80 ,  170  or  180  will result in course changes, with the sail module and keel module finding new points of equilibrium. For each setting, a point of stability will be achieved and a steady course will result. When multiple equilibria exist, one equilibrium will be achieved and will be sustained until further changes are made or the system is moved to one of the other equilibria by a shock to the system such as a large wave or a dramatic windshift.  
         [0058]     4. Pivoting Sailing Vessel—Fixed Course Version  
         [0059]     A basic version of the vessel uses fixed lengths of sheets for all the connections. Since the sheets will not be adjusted in this version, they can be made of rigid or non-rigid material. The vessel with fixed sheet lengths will only sail on a small number of distinct courses relative to a given wind and water condition.  
         [0060]     5. Pivoting Sailing Vessel—Steerable Version  
         [0061]     An advanced version has conventional mechanisms for adjusting the lengths of the various sheets. The course of the vessel can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the sheets  70 ,  80 ,  170  and  180 . Sheets  70  and  80  control the rotation and setting of sail  50  and thus sail module  100 , and sheets  170  and  180  control the rotation and setting of keel  150  and thus keel module  200 . Each adjustment of keel module  200  causes rotation of sail module  100 , and vice versa, but the resulting changes are always self-stabilizing, with the result that the vessel settles on a new course for each adjustment.  
         [0062]     6. Pivoting Sailing Vessel—Tacking Version  
         [0063]     Instead of attaching sheet  70  to the tack ‘B’ of sail  50 , sheet  70  can be run in front of the mast and along the leeward side of sail  50  and connected to the clew ‘C’ on the opposite side of sail  50  as in  FIG. 4 . This will allow sail  50  to tack. Keel  150  can be made to tack in a similar fashion.  
         [0064]     7. Pivoting Sailing Vessel with Rigid Connection Arms  
         [0065]     Above, instead of using sheets made of wire or rope or any other non-rigid material, some or all of the connections could be made with fixed lengths of rigid material. For example, wooden or synthetic (metallic or plastic) bars or rods could be used instead of rope.  
         [0066]     As well, the rigid material may have an adjustable length though the employment of conventional mechanical elements. As shown in  FIG. 5 , a conventional, telescoping rigid arm  500  cooperating with conventional rotational elements operating in the vertical and horizontal planes, allows the same control of sail  50  or keel  150  in the horizontal and vertical planes, as explained above with non-rigid sheets.  
         [0067]     8. Further Variations of Pivoting Sailing Vessels  
         [0068]     Above references to floats and hulls should be read to include hydroplanes, but are not limited to hydroplanes.  
         [0069]     Above, sail  50  of standard sail and spars assembly  90 , has been described and illustrated as triangular. Four-sided sails are also standard and this invention can be easily applied by those skilled in the art, to four-sided sails with obvious changes to the above description. Instead of three sheets to the each corner of sail  50 , there would be four sheets, one for each corner of rectangular sail and the coordinated pulling/releasing of one, pairs or triplets of ropes would effect the desired rotation of the sail or keel, as the case may be. Similarly, other standard and innovative shaped sails and keels can be accommodated with obvious changes.  
         [0070]     Also, passengers and cargo can be carried on keel  150  or sail assembly  90 , or in a separate vessel towed from P s  or P k  or from the connector connecting P s  to P k.  or from the sail or from the keel.  
         [0071]     Above, there are references to “flying a kite in the wind”, or “flying a keel” in a flowing river. Obvious variations include apparent flows of water or wind, such as when an operator of a kite in still air runs to generate an apparent air flow impacting on the kite, or a person at the stern of a boat moving in a still lake towing the keel module  200 .  
         [0072]     Sail assembly  90  and keel  150  can be, with appropriate adjustment of the sheets/etc, in the context of specific wind and water currents, be made respectively to rise completely above, and sink completely below, the water level.  
         [0073]     All Figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the present invention only. The extensions of the Figures with respect to number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiment are within the knowledge of those skilled in the art after the above teachings of the present invention have been read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, wind and water conditions and similar requirements, will likewise be within the knowledge of those skilled in the art after the above teachings of the present invention have been read and understood.  
         [0074]     Where used in the various Figures, the same numerals and letters designate the same or similar parts or locations. Furthermore, when the terms “top”, “bottom”, “first”, “second”, “inside”, “outside”, “edge”, “side”, “front”, “back”, “length”, “width”, “inner”, “outer”, and similar terms are used herein, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention.  
         [0075]     Although the method and apparatus of the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.