AU627167B2 - Mast mount - Google Patents

Description

2 ii i: 627 167 :i j i .;i j 1, :;i i% COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Patents Act 1952-19.69 Name of Applicant(s): Address of Applicant(s): MARK TUFFLEY 14 Harvest Street Mansfield Queensland 4122 Australia Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: MARK TUFFLEY G.R. CULLEN COMPANY, Patent &!Trade Mark Attorneys, Dalgety House, 79 Eagle Street, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

4..)e r 0 It t:; )iS i 1 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: 4 0 a

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MAST MOUNT pi- The following statement is a full description invention including the best method of performing it us of the known to a

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ari Ii 2 THIS INVENTION is concerned with a novel means for mounting a mast for sail powered craft or vehicles and relates particularly although not exclusively to the adaptation of aquatic craft to sail powered vessels.

Certain aquatic craft such as motor vessels, dinghies and the like are readily adapted to sail power by the erection of a fixed mast located by stays or shrouds.

Generally speaking the mast is located on a central longitudinal axis of the boat hull such that the centre of 2' effort of the sail rig is located substantially vertically above the centre of lateral resistance of the boat hull. In this manner stability and handling characteristics of the sailing vessel are made predictable and relatively effective.

e 1 For less stable ,raft such as sailboards, the mast is pivotally mounted on the central longitudinal axis of the "o'6 sailboard hull and its pivotal connection enables the centre of effort of the sail to be moved both longitudinally and laterally of the hull to maintain stability.

Many attempts have been made to add a sailing rig i aO to canoes and kayaks but without sufficient effectiveness for widespread application.

The present invention seeks to provide a method and apparatus for adapting a canoe or kayak to sail power.

Although the following description is limited to the adaptation of a canoe or kayak to sail power, it should be understood that the invention may be applicable to other k i ::i--Lllll-L1 il Y-:_l.l-IWII~III~ I 1 1 1 r 0 0 S* 00 o 0'0 a 0o 0 O o 0 on~ a o Q 0 0 0 00 0 o o j o sm 3 forms of sailing vessel, particularly those with unstayed masts.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a mast step for a sail powered craft, said mast step comprising:hull mounting means adapted for pivotal connection about an upright axis relative to a body of said craft; mast support means laterally spaced by a link member from said hull mounting means, said mast support means being selectively rotatable about said upright axis) said hull mounting means connected adjacent to one end of said link member such that said one end of the link member is laterally immovable with respect to the hull*m.t'in means.

The link member may be adjustable to vary thf distance between said hull mounting means and said n ist support means. Preferably said link member is telescopically adjustable and may include means to selectively extend or retract said mast support means.

The hull mounting means may comprise any suitable pivotal connection between said body and said link member such as a spigot and socket assembly.

Suitably the mast step also includes means to selectively rotate said mast support means about said pivotal axis.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a sail assembly for a craft, said sail assembly comprising a sail, and a mast adapted to support said sail, ii

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i e ,i F3 q -4-r 4 ii said mast including or comprising a mast step as hereinbefore described. i In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is made to a preferred. embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:- FIG. 1 shows a side elevation of a mast step; FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of a kayak fitted with a sail assembly according to the invention; FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the figure illustrated t in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1 the mast step 1 comprises a pair of Lshaped tubular members 2,3 with the laterally projecting arm 4 of member 2 slidably located in arm 5 of member 3.

The downwardly extending arm 6 is pivotally locatable in a socket (not shown) in the hull of a kayak or the like.

Upwardly extending arm 7 comprises a mast support j* *i I Smeans to receivably locate a mast (not shown).

Arms 4 and 5 include alignable apertures 8 through S which a pin 9 may be inserted to maintain a desired spatial separation between arm 6 and arm 7 of the mast step 1 A saddle bracket 10 is located towards the free end of arm 5, the purpose of which bracket will be described later.

FIG. 2 shows a kayak fitted with a sailing rig according to one aspect of the invention.

Immediately forward of the cockpit aperture 11 in hull 12 is located a tubular socket 13 to pivotally locate spigot arm 6 of the mast step 1.

Mast 14 is located on arm 7 of mast step 1. and secured by any suitable means such as a cord or the like (not shown) secured to saddle bracket 10 or it may be secured by a pin passing through aligned apertures in arm 7 and the lower portion of mast 14.

As shown in FIG. 2 mast 14 is raked rearwardly of a 0 r, I 9 vertical position. This may be achieved by a lockable @4 C pivotable joint 14a between arm 7 and arm 5 of the mast step r 1. In this manner the centre of effort 15 of the sail 16 may 9 be adjustable along the longitudinal axis of the kayak hull 12 to align with the centre of lateral resistance 17 of the 01P. hull or otherwise to compensate for variables such as weight and size of a person occupying the cockpit and/or other loads ii being carried.

The centre of effort of the sail may also be adjusted relative to the kayak hull by telescopic extension 020- or retraction of arms 4 and 5 of mast step 1. i "6 The sail 15 is controlled by a mainsheet cord 18 attached at one end to the clew 19 of loose footed sail 16, the mainsheet then passing via pulley block 20 to a cleat 21 mounted adjacent cockpit 11.

Connected to saddle bracket 10 are cords 22 each are connected to respective cleat 23 located on opposite 6 sides of socket 13.

A conventional rudder 24 is controlled by foot pedals from within the cockpit 11.

FIG 3 shows a plan view of the arrangement of FIG.

2.

In use as a sailing craft a kayak or canoe can be relatively unstable. Accordingly it is important to be able to trim the sailing rig in order to optimise the stability of the vessel when under sail.

C t 1 ,1 As there are many factors which can affect the longitudinal location of the centre of lateral resistance of the hull, particularly weight distribution of one or more I occupants and other loads carried, it is important to be able to trim the sail rig to place the centre of effort as close as possible over the centre of lateral resistance to avoid I either a lee or weather helm on rudder 24. i The approximate alignment of the centre of. effort and centre of lateral resistance may be achieved initially by raking the mast 14 to the desired angle and then securing •2 00 lockable pivotable joint 14a.

Once the craft is under sail fine tuning of the sail rig may then be achieved by telescopic extension or retraction of the mast support arm 7 and/or rotation of mast step 1 about arm 6.

When sailing into the wind (the wind direction represented by arrow A) the sailing rig may be adjusted to .i1- 7enable the craft to sail efficiently. This is achieved with the arrangement shown by loosening the cord 22b on cleat 23b and then tightening cord 22a on cleat 23a to rotate mast step 1 in a clockwise direction shown in phantom at On a conventional sailing craft sailing to windward is normally achieved by moving the clew of the sail close to the central longitudinal axis of the sailing craft in a direction towards the wind to increase the angle of the sail relative to the wind direction sufficient to maintain laminar air flow over the sail. The same effect is achieved with the owf .t present invention by rotating the mast step 1 to move the mast towards a windward direction thereby reducing the tendency of the craft to tilt towards a leeward direction.

A conventional rig is not practical with a narrow Slt hulled craft without much ballast such as a kayak.

;r tt When sailing downwind (the wind direction represented by arrow the sail 16 is extended in the Sposition shown in phantom at 26.

To compensate for laterally shifting the centre of 8'JD effort of the sail in a downwind direction, the mast step is cctcr rotated and perhaps elongated to the position shown in phantom 26 whereby the centre of effort of the sail is moved inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the hull and centre of lateral resistance of the hull.

It will be readily apparent to a skilled addressee that the rotatable mast step according to one aspect of the

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8 i invention permits a far greater degree of tuning to be applied to a sailing rig and this in turn has enabled the addition of an efficient sailing rig to a relatively unstable hull such as a kayak or canoe, a feat which, to all practical purposes, hitherto has not been achieved.

It also will be clear to a skilled addressee that many modifications and variations may be made to the various aspects of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

0 I For example the pivotal lockable joint 14a between the mast 14 and arm 5 on mast step 1 and/or the means for pivoting the mast step I about spigot arm 6 may be ,0 n mechanically controlled by gears or the like. Similarly, the telescopic extension between arms 4 and 5 of mast step 1 may .3 be mechanically operated or fluid powered.

o If required, the invention may be adapted to incorporate a furling mechanism to selectively change the S' working area of the sail. Such mechanisms may include a rotatable mast element rotatable by a drum winch or the like.

p A rotatable furling mechanism may also comprise a mast element rotatabie against a spring means and lockable with a ratchet and pawl assembly in a manner akin to a holland blind.

In yet another variation, the invention may include a rotatable boom about which the foot of the sail may be furled.

It also will be clear to a skilled addressee that the rotatable mast step according to the invention with .appropriate modification, will be applicable to larger sailing vessels.

For example the rotatable mast step may be employed in association with single masted sailing vessels or in association with one or more masts of a multi-masted vessel.

Further, the apparatus may be utilized in association with a foresail such as a jib and, if required, buff tension may be ,9 transferred to the hull of the sailing vessel by means of a Ce traveller mounted on an arcuate track attached to the foredeck of the vessel.

The invention may also be applicable to other sail 4 C powered vehicles such as land yachts or ice yachts. 16,5^ In other modifications of the invention, the S movable components of the mast step may be remotely operated by foot from within the cockpit thus leaving a sailor's hands free for sail trimming or balance utilizing a paddle. cC iCC i rI R movale ompnent ofthemas ste ma beremoelyopea-e 1 I i

Claims (9)

1. A mast step for a sail powered craft, said mast step comprising:- -tt 11 t o *1 p p p p o Ci o p Ci p p 0 p* So p I P" 1 op 25 pp' 2« p Ppp. a p p p. hull mounting means adapted for pivotal connection about an upright axis relative to a body of said craft, mast support means laterally spaced by a link member from said hull mounting means) said mast support means being selectively rotatable about said upright axis, said hull mounting means connected adjacent to one end of said link member such that said one end of the link member is laterally immovable with respect to the hullAMioUt i means.

2. A mast step as claimed in claim 1 wherein said link member is adjustable to vary the distance between said hull mounting means and said mast support means.

3. A mast step as claimed in claim 2 wherein said link member is telescopically adjustable.

4. A mast step as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising means to vary the angle between said mast support means and said link member.

5. A mast step as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means to vary the angle between the mast support means and said link member comprises a pivotable joint.

6. A mast step as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a pivotal connection between said body and said hull mounting means comprises a spigot and socket assembly.

7. A mast step as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including means to selectively rotate said mast support i-i i: S means about said upright axis. A sail assembly for a craft, said sail assembly .9 9 9 09 099* 0~ *9 9 *9 o o 9 9. *09t*~ 0 9, 0* o o 9 0 99 9

9. 4 0 @9

999. 99 09 9 9 9 90 9 0 9 09 11 i comprising a sail and a mast adapted to support said sail, said mast comprising a mast step as claimed in any one of the i preceding claims, 9. A sailing craft comprising a mast step as claimed in any one of claims 1-7. A mast step substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this thirty-first day of January 1992 MARK TUFFLEY By his Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO. t q1 f L tit .p p c p L I to *4 4 e ta 6' -f 4 4* *0 S p 1 C a4 S* «0 C i 1. 4'? 'N I- 1