Patent ID: 8413598

Claim:
A sailing ship comprising (a) a sailing unit that comprises a hard sail assembly comprising a plurality of hard sail sections of wing-shaped hollow cross section vertically stacked so that each one, except the lowermost one, fits on the one immediately below; (b) a mast assembly comprising a plurality of mast sections of hollow cross section vertically stacked so that each one, except the lowermost one, fits in the one immediately below; (c) connecting members for connecting upper ends of the hard sail sections to upper ends of the mast sections located at the same level; (d) first means for moving each mast section, except the lowermost one, toward and away from the one immediately below; and (e) second means for rotating the mast assembly around a longitudinal axis of the mast assembly, wherein overlapping lengths between vertically adjacent mast sections are variably controlled to variably control overlapping lengths between vertically adjacent hard sail sections, thereby vertically expanding and contracting the hard sail assembly.