EP0271215A1 - Fore and aft sails - Google Patents

Fore and aft sails Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0271215A1
EP0271215A1 EP87309915A EP87309915A EP0271215A1 EP 0271215 A1 EP0271215 A1 EP 0271215A1 EP 87309915 A EP87309915 A EP 87309915A EP 87309915 A EP87309915 A EP 87309915A EP 0271215 A1 EP0271215 A1 EP 0271215A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sail
aft
fore
lines
directional stability
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP87309915A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Geoffrey Andrew Smale
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Larnaston Ltd
Original Assignee
Larnaston Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Larnaston Ltd filed Critical Larnaston Ltd
Publication of EP0271215A1 publication Critical patent/EP0271215A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
    • B63H9/00—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power
    • B63H9/04—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power using sails or like wind-catching surfaces
    • B63H9/06—Types of sail; Constructional features of sails; Arrangements thereof on vessels
    • B63H9/067—Sails characterised by their construction or manufacturing process
    • B63H9/0678—Laminated sails
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
    • B63H9/00—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power
    • B63H9/04—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power using sails or like wind-catching surfaces
    • B63H9/06—Types of sail; Constructional features of sails; Arrangements thereof on vessels
    • B63H9/067—Sails characterised by their construction or manufacturing process
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63H—MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING
    • B63H9/00—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power
    • B63H9/04—Marine propulsion provided directly by wind power using sails or like wind-catching surfaces
    • B63H9/06—Types of sail; Constructional features of sails; Arrangements thereof on vessels
    • B63H9/067—Sails characterised by their construction or manufacturing process
    • B63H9/0671—Moulded sails

Definitions

  • This is invention is concerned with fore and aft sails e.g. headsails viz. jibs and genoas; and mainsails.
  • Such fore and aft sails are generally triangular and have a luff edge, a leech edge, and a foot edge.
  • That concept was equally applicable to the foot area of the sail, and by that means it is possible to produce a sail that is much stronger and more stable under varying wind conditions. That earlier invention minimised any tendency of the sail to change shape due to bias stretch in the luff area of the sail, as was prevalent with earlier sails.
  • the sail making industry has concentrated on aligning panels of the luff, leech, and foot with the stress lines appearing in the sail as a family of curves, each family of stress lines extending from the head to the tack (in the luff area) from the head to the clew (in the leech area) and from the tack to the clew (in the foot area).
  • the luff portion has successfully held the shape of the sail forward, and with reinforcement in the leech and foot areas, it has been possible to produce an extremely strong sail with the major emphasis being on the leech strength.
  • sailmakers have created a very strong and rigid sail.
  • the sail it is desirable for the sail to have a cross-sectional shape which can vary in response to varying wind conditions, similar to a bird's wing in nature.
  • the invention provides a fore and aft sail, with a head, tack and clew, the sail having at least two main portions, a fore portion in which the directional stability of material means transmits stress loads in the luff area to the head and tack of the sail, and an aft portion in which the directional stability of material means radiates out from the vicinity of the clew to the vicinity of at least the aft edge of the fore portion in such a manner to ensure that a proportion of the loads being placed on the clew are able to be transmitted by the directional stability of the material means to at least the aft edge of the fore portion when the sail is under load and properly tensioned.
  • substantially tetragonal panels may be divided into two or more substantially triangular panels as at 24A-24B.
  • Figure 3 shows a headsail 30 having a fore portion 31 and an aft portion 32.
  • a larger number of panels are shown in the aft portion, and these aft panels 33 are separated by join lines 34 35 36 and 37, so that the lines of directional stability will approximate to curves in the aft portion.
  • the lines of directional stability 39 may also extend beyond the aft edge of the fore panel, as shown by dotted lines 40 extending into the fore panel.
  • Figure 4 shows a similar headsail with the lines of directional stability 39 also approximating curves in some portions of the aft portion.
  • Figure 5 shows a mainsail in accordance with this invention having a fore portion 40 and an aft portion 41.
  • the aft portion is similarly formed from a series of panels to provide lines of directional stability radiating outwardly from the clew to at least a central region of the aft edge 42 of the fore portion 40.
  • Figure 6 shows a similar mainsail with the addition of further panels, in the aft portion.
  • Figure 7 shows a similar mainsail with the addition of strips of reinforcing material 44 superimposed on the surface of the fore portion 40 of the sail which is itself make up of substantially triangular panels 18A-18E. It is thus a composite of the ideas embodied in Figures 1-6 and those of Figures 8-13. The converse arrangement is also possible as shown in Figure 14, i.e. strips or tapes in the aft portion as in the aft portion of Figure 14 but panels in the front portion of Figure 14 of the type shown in Figure 1 or Figures 5 and 6.
  • FIG. 8 shows a headsail 50 having a fore portion 51 and an aft portion 52.
  • This sail can be formed from a single large panel, or more conveniently a series of panels 53 54 55 56, in which the
  • the invention in its simplest form radiates straight lines of directional stability from the clew towards the aft edge of the fore portion of the sail.
  • the aft edge of this fore portion can become the collector for the majority of the stresses at the clew.
  • the aft portion could be formed from a single panel, preferably with the lines of directional stability being such that at least one of them will extend from the clew and intersect with the aft edge of the fore portion towards the centre of the sail.
  • the lines of directional stability can be chosen such that the warp or weft threads are arranged that the warp or weft threads are parallel to this single line of directional stability.
  • a series of lines of directional stability radiate outwardly from the clew towards the aft edge of the fore portion, and this can be achieved with woven material, by forming the aft portion from a series of panels as shown in Figures 1-7.
  • the lines of directional stability may be formed from strips of material, e.g. tapes or the like, superimposed on the surface of the sail as shown in Figures 8-13.
  • a number of the lines of directional stability radiate from the clew in a series of curves, (or approximate curves) to at least the rear edge of the fore portion.
  • curves may be approximated through a number of straight lines segments, as would be evidenced by a series of panels of woven material with either the warp or weft threads being aligned with the lines of directional stability as described above. Examples of this is shown in Figures 3 and 4.
  • curves can be achieved by the use of strips or tapes, as shown in Figures 10 and 11.
  • Any length of sail material will have a certain elongation at a specific loading.
  • the objective becomes one of transmitting the loads at the clew to the aft edge of the fore portion consistent with maintaining the ability of the leech of the sail to react dynamically to changing wind conditions and thus varying its cross-sectional shape in the chosen manner.
  • sail makers will have different ideas on how to vary the cross sectional shape of the sail, and may wish to chose their own version of the aft portion in order to control the "softness" of the leech.
  • the lines of directional stability should be as straight as possible and generally as short as possible. When the lines of directional stability are curves, then more elongation can occur when the sail is under load. The rigidity or resistance to elongation of the lines of directional stability will play a major part also.
  • the high proportion of straight lines of directional stability in the centre of the aft portion of the sail will mean that a substantial proportion of the loads at the clew can be transmitted via these lines or panels to the fore portion and thereby to the head and the tack.
  • This is contrary to current technology which involves transmitting the loads from the clew up the leech and along the foot.
  • the sails of the present invention will result in there being significantly less load being carried by the leech than is the case in a conventional tri-radial sail.
  • the sails of the present invention will have a substantially longer life than current sails, as the sails of this invention will not have to carry the heavy loading on the leech. This also means the new sail will not have to be as rigid as in the past. Thus the sails of the present invention will become dynamic in their response to changing wind conditions.
  • the sails of the present invention can also have a "softer" leech than conventional sails.
  • FIG. 1 there is illustrated a headsail having a head 12, a tack 13 and a clew 14.
  • the drawings show that the head portion, tack portion and clew portion can be reinforced by a substantially triangular gusset or the like.
  • the other panels of the sail will generally extend into the corners of the sail hidden by these gussets, such that if reference made to a triangular panel extending into the head, it will be appreciated that a portion of this triangular panel will be obscured by the small triangular portion reinforcing the head 12.
  • the sail 10 shown in Figure 1 has a luff edge 15, a leech edge 16 and a foot edge 17. It is preferably divided into two main portions, a fore-portion 18, and an aft-portion 19.
  • the fore portion 18 can be formed in the manner of our POWER LUFF concept, e.g. it may be formed from a series of panels 18A-18G, each formed from woven material having the warp or weft thereof aligned in such a way that the aft edge 20 of the fore portion 19 is aligned with the warp or weft to provide lines of directional stability extending from the head to the tack of the sail.
  • the thread lines are shown by cross-hatching along side each major panel edge.
  • the fore portion 18 can be provided in a great variety of shapes of panels, or with superimposed reinforcements, e.g. tapes, or by forming the fore portion from a single panel or plurality of panels in which the lines of reinforcement are precast or moulded therein.
  • the lines of directional stability may be preset in the material so as to approximate the lines of stress in the sail between the head and the tack under normal sailing conditions.
  • the fore portion 18 is shown as a single panel, in order to concentrate on the construction of the aft portion. Nevertheless, it will be appreciated that the fore portion can be constructed in accordance to the fore portion of Figure 1, or in accordance with the examples shown in our European patent application #0126614A1 (or equivalents thereof) or in any other way that provides directional stability between the head and the tack.
  • the aft portion is formed from a series of panels 19A-19E, each of which is formed from woven material with its warp or weft aligned as shown by the cross-­hatching.
  • This allows a series of principal lines of directional stability to radiate outwardly from the clew 14 to intersect the aft edge 20 of the fore portion. These principal lines are formed by the seam lines joining the panels together.
  • the radiating lines of directional stability 21 can extend beyond the aft edge 20 of the fore portion, as shown by dotted lines 22, e.g. this could be achieved by overlapping the aft panels with the fore panels, or by extending a reinforcing seam or tape along the seam line 21 into the fore portion.
  • Figure 2 shows a similar headsail 25 divided into a fore portion 26 and an aft portion 27.
  • the aft portion 27 being provided with a plurality of panels, some of which are substantially triangular (19A-19E) and some of which are substantially tetragonal panels (23A-23C) which terms are deemed to include references to polygonal panels which approximate these shapes.
  • Some of the substantially tetragonal panels may be divided into two or more substantially triangular panels as at 24A-24B.
  • Figure 3 shows a headsail 30 having a fore portion 31 and an aft portion 32.
  • a larger number of panels are shown in the aft portion, and these aft panels 33 are separated by join lines 34 35 36 and 37, so that the lines of directional stability will approximate to curves in the aft portion.
  • the lines of directional stability 39 may also extend beyond the aft edge of the fore panel, as shown by dotted lines 40 extending into the fore panel.
  • Figure 4 shows a similar headsail with the lines of directional stability 39 also approximating curves in some portions of the aft portion.
  • Figure 5 shows a mainsail in accordance with this invention having a fore portion 40 and an aft portion 41.
  • the aft portion is similarly formed from a series of panels to provide lines of directional stability radiating outwardly from the clew to at least a central region of the aft edge 42 of the fore portion 40.
  • Figure 6 shows a similar mainsail with the addition of further panels, in the aft portion.
  • Figure 7 shows a similar mainsail with the addition of strips of reinforcing material 44 superimposed on the surface of the fore portion 40 of the sail which is itself made up of substantially triangular panels 18A-18E. It is thus a composite of the ideas embodied in Figures 1-6 and those of Figures 8-13. The converse arrangement is also possible as shown in Figure 14, i.e. strips or tapes in the aft portion as in the aft portion of Figure 14 but panels in the front portion of Figure 14 of the type shown in Figure 1 or Figures 5 and 6.
  • FIG 8 shows a headsail 50 having a fore portion 51 and an aft portion 52.
  • This sail can be formed from a single large panel, or more conveniently a series of panels 53 54 55 56, in which the orientation of the thread lines of the panels is not as important as the orientation of the lines of directional stability of a series of strips of material, e.g. tapes 60, 61, superimposed on the surface of the material.
  • the fore portion of the sail is formed from a series of tapes 60 superimposed on the sail and forming curves extending from the vicinity of the head to the vicinity of the tack of the sail.
  • the aft most tape 60D defines the outermost edge of the fore portion 51.
  • a series of tapes 61 radiate outwardly from the clew, the majority of these extending towards the tape 60D, although some of them may extend beyond this aft edge of the fore portion, as shown by dotted lines 62, e.g. some of them may extend into contact with one or more of the other tapes 60A-60C.
  • lines 65 can extend from the clew to the tack of the sail in order to reinforce the foot area thereof.
  • Figures 7 - 11 show similar fore sails, with that of Figure 11 showing the lines 61 extending across each of the lines 60, so as to terminate at line 60A in the fore portion of the sail.
  • Figures 12 to 14 show mainsails having the lines of directional stability in the aft portion of the sails defined by strips of material superimposed on the sail, in a similar manner to that described in Figures 8 - 11. It will be noted that Figures 12 and 13 show strips in the fore portion also but that Figure 14 shows panels in the fore portion.
  • curved lines can be formed by strips or by two or more panels with straight lines of directional stability joined at an angle so that the path followed by the joined lines will approximate a curve.
  • the main body of the sail is defined as those areas in the central portion of the sail bounded by the vicinity of the head and the vicinity of the tack of the sail.
  • the fore portion of the sail can be formed as a single panel, or a series of panels in the luff area of the sail, possibly extending beyond the bounds of the luff area of the sail, and arranged so as to transmit a substantial proportion of the loads in this fore portion to the vicinity of the head and the vicinity of the tack of the sail.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Woven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Moulding By Coating Moulds (AREA)
EP87309915A 1986-11-11 1987-11-10 Fore and aft sails Withdrawn EP0271215A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NZ218259 1986-11-11
NZ21825986 1986-11-11

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0271215A1 true EP0271215A1 (en) 1988-06-15

Family

ID=19921867

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP87309915A Withdrawn EP0271215A1 (en) 1986-11-11 1987-11-10 Fore and aft sails

Country Status (5)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0271215A1 (enExample)
JP (1) JPH01301490A (enExample)
AU (1) AU8094987A (enExample)
DK (1) DK588387A (enExample)
ZA (1) ZA878418B (enExample)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2001000487A1 (en) * 1999-06-25 2001-01-04 Clear Image Concepts Llc Sail body and method for making
WO2001017848A1 (en) * 1999-09-10 2001-03-15 Clear Image Concepts Llc Multisection sail body and method for making
US6265047B1 (en) 1998-10-16 2001-07-24 Tensile Composite Research Composite products, methods and apparatus
US6925950B2 (en) * 2002-01-22 2005-08-09 Jean-Pierre Baudet Composite iso-stress sail structure and method for making
WO2005061321A3 (en) * 2004-09-09 2005-10-06 Alberto Fiorenzi Apparatus and method to make a sail and relative sail made
US7479200B2 (en) 2002-07-02 2009-01-20 Createx S.A. Method of producing reinforced, formed fabrics
US8506739B2 (en) 2002-07-02 2013-08-13 Createx S.A. Method of producing sails using reinforced, formed fabrics

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5097784A (en) * 1990-08-21 1992-03-24 North Sails Group, Inc. Sail of one piece three dimensional laminated fabric having uninterrupted load bearing yarns
US6332420B1 (en) * 2000-06-21 2001-12-25 North Marine Group Sail of one piece three dimensional fabric

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4476799A (en) * 1982-09-29 1984-10-16 Bandy Stephen D Sails
EP0126614A1 (en) * 1983-05-16 1984-11-28 Larnaston Ltd. Sails
US4593639A (en) * 1984-12-14 1986-06-10 Sobstad Sailmakers, Inc. Method of stress distribution in a sail and sail construction
EP0244729A1 (de) * 1986-04-30 1987-11-11 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren zur Übertragung von DPCM-Werten

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4476799A (en) * 1982-09-29 1984-10-16 Bandy Stephen D Sails
EP0126614A1 (en) * 1983-05-16 1984-11-28 Larnaston Ltd. Sails
US4593639A (en) * 1984-12-14 1986-06-10 Sobstad Sailmakers, Inc. Method of stress distribution in a sail and sail construction
EP0244729A1 (de) * 1986-04-30 1987-11-11 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Verfahren zur Übertragung von DPCM-Werten

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6265047B1 (en) 1998-10-16 2001-07-24 Tensile Composite Research Composite products, methods and apparatus
US6761795B2 (en) 1998-10-16 2004-07-13 Tensile Composite Research Composite products, methods and apparatus
WO2001000487A1 (en) * 1999-06-25 2001-01-04 Clear Image Concepts Llc Sail body and method for making
WO2001017848A1 (en) * 1999-09-10 2001-03-15 Clear Image Concepts Llc Multisection sail body and method for making
US6302044B1 (en) 1999-09-10 2001-10-16 Clear Image Concepts Llc Multisection sail body and method for making
AU758796B2 (en) * 1999-09-10 2003-03-27 Clear Image Concepts Llc Multisection sail body and method for making
US6925950B2 (en) * 2002-01-22 2005-08-09 Jean-Pierre Baudet Composite iso-stress sail structure and method for making
US7051666B2 (en) 2002-01-22 2006-05-30 Jean-Pierre Baudet Composite iso-stress sail structure and method for making
US7479200B2 (en) 2002-07-02 2009-01-20 Createx S.A. Method of producing reinforced, formed fabrics
US8181587B2 (en) 2002-07-02 2012-05-22 Createx S.A. Method of producing reinforced, formed fabrics
US8506739B2 (en) 2002-07-02 2013-08-13 Createx S.A. Method of producing sails using reinforced, formed fabrics
US8709186B2 (en) 2002-07-02 2014-04-29 Createx S.A. Method of producing reinforced, formed fabrics
WO2005061321A3 (en) * 2004-09-09 2005-10-06 Alberto Fiorenzi Apparatus and method to make a sail and relative sail made
US7383783B2 (en) 2004-09-09 2008-06-10 Alberto Fiorenzi Apparatus and method to make a sail and relative sail made

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH01301490A (ja) 1989-12-05
ZA878418B (enExample) 1988-05-05
DK588387A (da) 1988-05-12
AU8094987A (en) 1988-05-12
DK588387D0 (da) 1987-11-10

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Inventor name: SMALE, GEOFFREY ANDREW