Patent Publication Number: US-2007113768-A1

Title: Nautical device for adjusting the bow sail of a sail boat

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a nautical device, specifically designed for adjusting the bow sail of a sail boat, such as the jib or preferably the genoa sail.  
      As is known, the jib and genoa sails are triangular sails which are raised before the forward mast.  
      The jib is usually directly anchored on the boat deck by one or two stays which are generally extended for a comparatively large extension abaft the mast.  
      The genoa, or Genova, is a jib of a large size hoisted on the forward stay, with a very low foot, and it can also be applied with the sail close to the wind.  
      Another bow sail is the so-called Spinnaker, which is substantially a large size jib having an isosceles triangle configuration, which is hoisted by a halyard passing through a pulley arranged at a top of the inner stay, and, sometime, even on the head of the mast.  
      One of the clues is clamped to a rod, the swinging boom, and is ejected from the part opposite to the boom, by holding it by a sheet, which is fixed on the deck toward the sail boat stern.  
      The other clue, that is the tack clue, is in turn clamped on the deck forward of the mast.  
      The Spinnaker is cut as a parachute, to be upward inflated, thereby raising the bow.  
      The Spinnaker is used in an aft wind or stern wind condition, but it cannot be used with the sail close to the wind.  
      In a sail close to a wind condition, the angle formed by the wind direction with the longitudinal axis of the sailboat is of about 45°, as measured starting from the bow.  
      In this sailing condition, one has the minimum rate or speed, and the maximum leeway, that is the lateral trajectory offset, with respect to the longitudinal axis direction.  
      In a sail close to a wind condition, the sailboat “jams” the wind.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The aim of the present invention is to provide a novel operation principle, in particular to properly adjust a bow sail, such as the jib and preferably the genoa.  
      Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the invention is to provide a novel adjusting device allowing to easily modify the sail incidence angle with respect to the wind.  
      A further object of the invention is to provide such a device, which, with the sail close to the wind, allows to jam the sail boat direction toward the wind, to achieve a substantially upwind condition.  
      A further object of the invention is to provide such a device, which, in a downwind condition, allows to move away the sail from the spanker, with butterfly sails, to greatly increase the surface impinged upon by the wind, with an operation similar to that of a Spinnaker.  
      According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a nautical device, particularly for adjusting a bow sail of a sail boat, characterized in that said nautical device comprises a cross-shape supporting element, including a rail in which a carriage to which is attached the bow sail slides.  
      The device comprises moreover driving and locking means for driving said carriage to and locking said carriage in a desired or set position of the sliding rail, to modify the sail angle of incidence with respect to the wind. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following disclosure of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative, but not limitative, example, in the accompanying drawings, where:  
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view of the nautical device according to the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the nautical device; and  
       FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the subject nautical device.  
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the nautical device according to the invention, which has been generally indicated by the reference number  1 , comprises a bearing supporting element  2 , in the form of a cross, preferably made of a boxed steel material or light alloy and mounted at the bow  3  of a boat  4 .  
      Said cross supporting element  2  is advantageously mounted by bottom supports  5 , made of a steel material, for reinforcing said cross supporting element  2  and for attaching it to the bow  3  of the boat  4 .  
      The device comprises, moreover, a steel rail  6 , in the form of an arbalest or leaf-spring.  
      The rail  6  has a bending radius corresponding to the distance between the boat mast  7  and the attachment  8  of the hook member of the bow sail  9 , comprising either a jib or a geona.  
      The bow sail is in turn coupled to a carriage  10 , which may slide in said rail  6 .  
      Said carriage  10  is driven along the rail  6  by a driving steel cable or chain  11 , extending along said rail  6  and the diagonal arms  12  of the latter, said diagonal arms being joined at a central portion where a winch element  13  is arranged for driving and adjusting the carriage  10  as it is driven along the rail  6 , said winch comprising a detent element for locking the carriage at any desired or set position thereof.  
      The device according to the present invention allows, by driving or displacing the carriage  10 , to which the sail  9  hook element  8  is attached, to modify the sail incidence angle, with respect to the wind.  
      Thus, it is possible to achieve two very important advantages.  
      With the wind at the boat bow, i.e. with the sail close to the wind, and by always holding the same angle of incidence on the sail, it is possible to jam the boat direction toward the wind to achieve a substantially upwind condition.  
      In a downwind condition, it is possible to move the sail away from the spanker (with a butterfly type of sail), thereby increasing the sail surface impinged upon by the wind, to provide an effect similar to that of a Spinnaker.  
      It has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.  
      In fact, the invention provides a device, which, by a novel adjustment operating principle, for properly adjusting the bow sail, allows to jam the wind, with the sail close to the wind, and to increase the operating sail surface, in a downwind condition.  
      It should be apparent that the used materials, as well as the contingent size and shapes, can be any, depending to requirements.