EP1044875A1 - Sail, particularly storm sail for sailing boats with a foresail roller furler - Google Patents

Abstract

The sail comprises of a rhomboidal shape with line attachment points located on each corner of the sheet. These enable the s to be secured to the jib of the vessel and lanyard lines, tack lines and sail sheeting lines attached via the respective eyelets (11,12,13,14).

Description

The present invention relates to a sail intended in particular to be used in tourmentin on sailboats fitted with a furling jib.

It is known that the ability to go back to the wind, by strong to very strong wind, which is a factor of fundamental security to get away from a coast under the wind or join a wind shelter, basically depends the quality of the sails and in particular the head sail or jib.

These sails work like wings aircraft, of which they present the general profile, and have a more or less accentuated hollow, located in back of the leading edge.

Until fairly recently, boats were equipped with a set of jibs of several dimensions corresponding to different wind forces, the smallest jib being known as the tourmentin.

For about twenty years, the jib game of different sizes has been replaced by a single jib of large size intended to be installed on a reel so as to adjust, by winding said jib, its surface effective depending on the wind.

However, this winding of the jib causes the hollow formed behind the leading edge which prevents the boat to go upwind as well as with a non-jib rolled up of equivalent size and in particular of a stormy.

Also when the jib is wound up and the hollow disappeared there remains a "natural" hollow which is located towards the center of the free part of the sail creating a very unfavorable profile for the flow of air streams at low angles of incidence so that the boat does not can squeeze the wind more closely.

On the other hand, when the coiled part of the jib is downwind, i.e. one edge out of two on tacking, the flow on the upper surface is still disturbed which has the effect of causing the course and speed on said edge dramatically.

Finally, the height of the center of the wing of these jibs mounted on a reel remain constant whatever or the amount of canvas rolled up, which is very unfavorable to the boat's movement against a strong wind, the sail center must be much lower to limit drift.

To overcome the disadvantages of these reel jib devices which represent a real danger in bad weather some owners have done install a flying stay on which they can in case of need to set back behind the jib, fully rolled, a small staysail equivalent to the tourmentin.

However this alternative has a number of drawbacks. Indeed the fully rolled jib provides wind or drag parasite which is very unfavorable when the wind. On the other hand, the general sail center which is retracted, due to the fact that the sail center of the staysail is behind that of the jib, makes the boat fiery, which is undesirable in some conditions. In addition, the operation of the flying forestay and staysail in bad weather is a risk factor for the crew. Finally, the installation of the forestay and different fittings represent a high cost.

The object of the present invention is to provide a sail to overcome the drawbacks cited above.

The sail according to the present invention, intended to be used in particular in stormy weather on a sailboat equipped with a furling jib, is characterized basically in that it presents a form of diamond with an attachment point to each of its angles which respectively form a tack, a halyard point and two listening points intended to be moored jointly to listening and back-tapping and in that said attachment points are associated with means for fixing and tensioning said sail which is intended to be folded, on either side of the passing axis by the tack point and the halyard point, on said jib fully wound.

The sail may advantageously include besides folding means allowing it to be folded way of a camera bellows in view of him give an elongated and flattened U shape, intended to be positioned astride the fully rolled jib, for its storage prior to hoisting. The axis of the sail which goes through the halyard stitch and the tack point is then perpendicular to the plane formed by said U.

The folding means may consist of a first embodiment in fold lines transverse perpendicular to the axis passing through the halyard stitch and tack and distributed at equal distance to form transverse folds zigzag.

In another embodiment of the means folding these can consist on the one hand of transverse fold lines distributed at equal distance and allowing to form zigzag transverse folds perpendicular to the axis passing through the halyard point and the tack and on the other hand in two fold lines extending in a zigzag parallel to said axis and on the one hand and other of the latter so as to form a band central unit intended to be zigzag folded and to form the base of the elongated U while the branches of the U are formed by the zigzag folding of said transverse folds.

The tack and the halyard stitch can be fitted with a cable to move the deck tack and decrease halyard length used.

The halyard stitch can in another mode of realization include a spatula pad of U-shaped section, made of a semi-rigid material, to guide the sail throughout the coiled jib when hoisted.

The sail can be fitted with a handle positioned on its axis of symmetry and halfway up, on one of the folds, so that said folded veil can be easy to handle.

So as not to take the wind prematurely, the folded sail can be maintained by straps or garcos arranged at a distance regular, sewn or not and which will be dropped when hoisting.

For the same purpose the sail can be maintained folded by Velcro strips sewn inside folds and which will give way as the hoisting.

Always for the same purpose, every two folds and on its axis of symmetry slides can be secured to the sail, by being sewn for example, and threaded in a split tube whose length will be significantly greater than the total height of slides threaded and stacked in said tube. So to be able to release the slides only when the sail is hoisted one end of the tube will be plugged while the other end will have a locking system such as a pin for example. Finally to allow release the slides successively so as to best control the sail during the hoisting phase, each slide can be blocked individually by a locking system such as a pin fitted with a boy for example.

The tube may also be provided on the one hand a handle on its front side to facilitate handling of the folded sail and on the other hand, at its base, a cable or rope fitted with a carabiner for moor it so that you can retrieve it when the veil will be hoisted.

To bring the sail more easily when it is no longer used, it may include advantageously a cord or a thin cable intended for to be moored at the point of halyard going down along the axis of symmetry of the sail to arrive at a fixed point at the tack or return a this place by an eyelet or a pulley. A cleat sewn into the sail will block the cable or cord when set the sail so that it does not take too much wind. The rope or cable can be installed on the face fore or aft of the sail.

The sail according to the present invention may include a system for shifting the two points listening to each other so as to compensate pressure differences between the lower and upper surfaces and thus maintain the axis of symmetry of the sail in the center line of the boat, well centered on the front of the jib rolled. This system could for example consist of a rectangular metal plate with, on each faces, slightly set back respectively from one of its two opposite edges, a trigger guard intended to pass in the eyelet of the corresponding listening point and to receive listening to the corresponding half sail.

For the same purpose, the two listening points can be connected by a rope at the end of which there will be two elongated rings each intended for pass through the eyelet of the listening point and receive listening to the corresponding half sail.

• la figure 1 représente une vue en plan d'une voile selon la présente invention.
• la figure 2 représente une vue en plan d'une voile selon la présente invention comportant des moyens de pliage dans un premier mode de réalisation.
• la figure 3 représente une vue en plan d'une voile selon la présente invention comportant des moyens de pliage dans un deuxième mode de réalisation.
• la figure 4 représente une vue en perspective de la voile de la figure précédente en phase de pliage.
• la figure 5 représente la voile de la figure précédente pliée entièrement et positionnée à cheval sur le foc enroulé.
• la figure 6 représente la voile selon la présente invention dans une utilisation en tourmentin pour un voilier équipé d'un foc enrouleur.
• la figure 7 représente une vue en coupe transversale de la voile selon la présente invention solidarisée autour du foc enroulé.

The advantages and characteristics of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows and which refers to the appended drawing, which represents several non-limiting embodiments.

• Figure 1 shows a plan view of a sail according to the present invention.
• 2 shows a plan view of a sail according to the present invention comprising folding means in a first embodiment.
• FIG. 3 represents a plan view of a sail according to the present invention comprising folding means in a second embodiment.
• 4 shows a perspective view of the sail of the previous figure during the folding phase.
• 5 shows the sail of the previous figure folded entirely and positioned astride the rolled jib.
• FIG. 6 represents the sail according to the present invention in use in a stormy mode for a sailboat equipped with a furling jib.
• Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the sail according to the present invention secured around the coiled jib.

If we refer to Figure 1 we can see that a sail 1 has a diamond shape, equivalent to two jibs joined by their luff, and which comprises each of its angles an eyelet 10, which angles forming in 11 a halyard point, in 12 a tack point, and in 13 and 14 two listening points.

If we also refer to Figures 6 and 7 we can see a sail 1 according to the present invention in use in torment, positioned around a jib coiled 2, i.e. folded in two parts 17,17 ' with respect to its axis of symmetry 16, passing through the halyard stitches 11 and tack 12, on the coiled jib 2.

The two parts 17,17 'of the tourmentin 1 are secured to each other by their free end forming one of the two listening points 13,14 by means of a compensation system 3 (figure 7) or simply at by means of a cord or other fastening system.

The free end of the storm formed by the two listening points 13,14 is connected to cords 15 allowing to fix and fully tighten the tourmentine. Depending on the wind direction, the parts 17, 17 'form each a lower or upper surface, as we can see in FIG. 7, the part 17 ′ forming the upper surface of the tourmentin and part 17 forming the lower surface.

The profile of the tormentor thus has, because of its positioning around the coiled jib 2 which has a certain diameter, a thickness such as its yield is much better than the staysail and infinitely superior to that of a furling jib reduced to an equivalent size.

Also the fact that the jib 2 rolled partially disappears in the thickness of the storm decreases its dunnage (drag) by a proportion of 30% approx, which further improves walking against the wind.

On the other hand, the sail center of the tourmentin is much lower than that of the jib partially rolled which decreases the heel and therefore the drifts, thereby increasing speed. The center of the wing is also further forward than that staysail, which prevents the boat from becoming ardent.

The compensation system 3 consists of a metal plate 30 provided on each of its faces a 31.31 'trigger guard located so that the listening point 13 of part 17 forming the lower surface is shifted towards the rear with respect to the listening point 14 of the part 17 'forming the upper surface.

Thus, the lower surface is more restrained and prevents the axis of symmetry 16 to shift downwind. At tack, the system reverses as soon as you tack listen.

If we now refer to Figure 2 we can see that sail 1 according to the present invention has fold lines 18, perpendicular to the axis of symmetry 16, distributed at a distance equal to one of the other and forming transverse zigzag folds of so that you can fold the tourmentin 1 like a camera bellows.

In another embodiment of the folding of the sail 1 according to the present invention, this comprises, as can be seen in figure 3, on the one hand of the lines folding 18 'transverse, distributed at equal distance one from the other, forming transverse zigzag folds and on the other hand two 19.19 'zigzag fold lines extending parallel to the axis of symmetry 16 and located on either side of the latter so as to form a central strip intended to be zigzag folded and the salient angles 190.190 'and re-entrant angles 191.191' are in contact alternately with a line transverse 18 'on two.

Each 18 'line which is in contact with two corresponding projecting angles 190 and 190 'of the central strip forms a protruding fold 192 outside the central strip, while part 193 of line 18 ' which is located in the central strip forms a fold returning. Conversely, each 18 'line which is in contact with the corresponding inside angles 191 and 191 'of the central strip forms a re-entrant fold 194 outside the central band and a 195 fold in the band central.

If we refer to Figure 4 we can see the wall 1 being folded with the central strip, delimited by the two 19,19 'zigzag fold lines, intended to form the base 42 of a very elongated U once the sail fully folded like a bellows camera, as you can see in figure 5 where the two branches 40,41 of the U end at the level of the listening points respectively 13.14. You can see also that jib 2 is located between the branches 40,41 from the U and comes to bear on the internal face of the base 42 from the U.

Note that to facilitate the handling of the sail, its setting and its establishment, the sail can be contained in a U-shaped bag which will be installed astride the base of the fully rolled jib. The bag may be provided with closing means such as "VELCRO" type bands so as to open automatically when hoisting the sail. Dots tack, halyard and sheet, as well as sheets slightly protrude from the bag to be accessible and will be advantageously plated on the outside of the bag by "VELCRO" type bands.

It goes without saying that the sail according to the present invention can also be used in cape veils or any other veil whose application would be similar, without depart from the scope of the present invention, only the dimensions of the sail would be different.

Claims (18)

Veil (1) intended in particular to be used especially in stormy weather on an equipped sailboat of a furling jib (2) characterized in that it has a diamond shape with a dot of attachment (10) to each of its angles which form respectively a halyard stitch (11), a tack point (12) and two listening points (13,14) intended to be moored jointly to listening and back-tapping and in that said attachment points (10) are associated with means (15) for fixing and tensioning said veil (1) which is intended to be folded on either side of the axis passing through said halyard point (11) and said tack point (12) on said jib (2). Veil (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises folding means allowing it to be folded like a bellows camera to give it a U shape intended for be positioned astride the jib (2) before his hoisting. Veil (1) according to claim 2 characterized in that it has fold lines transverse (18), perpendicular to the axis (16) passing by the halyard stitch and the tack point, distributed at equal distance to form transverse folds to fold it in a zigzag. Veil (1) according to claim 2 characterized in that it comprises on the one hand lines transverse folding (18 '), perpendicular to the axis (16) passing through the halyard stitch (11) and the point tack (12), distributed at equal distance and allowing form transverse folds and secondly two lines folding (19.19 ') extending in a zigzag parallel said axis (16) and on either side of the latter of so as to form a central strip intended to be folded in the manner of a bellows, said central strip forming then the base of the elongated U while the branches of the U are formed by the zigzag folding of said folds transverse. Veil (1) according to any one of previous claims characterized in that the point tack (12) and the halyard stitch (11) are fitted with a cable for moving said tack point (12) away from the bridge and decrease the length of textile halyard used. Veil (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the point of halyard (11) has a U-shaped spatula pad, made of a semi-rigid material, to guide the sail throughout the coiled jib when hoisted. Veil (1) according to any one of previous claims characterized in that it is fitted with a handle. Veil (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 7 characterized in that it is held by straps or garcettes arranged at regular distance, sewn or not. Veil (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 7 characterized in that it is held folded by Velcro strips sewn to inside the folds and which will give way as the hoisting. Veil (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 7 characterized in that both transverse folds and on its axis of symmetry runners are secured to the sail (1) and threaded in a split tube whose length will be substantially greater than the total height of said threaded slides and stacked in said tube. Veil (1) according to claim 10 characterized in that one end of the tube is blocked while the other end is fitted with a locking and in that each slide is blocked individually by a blocking system. Veil (1) according to claim 10 or the claim 11 characterized in that the tube is provided on the one hand, a handle on its front side to facilitate handling the folded sail (1) and on the other hand, its base, a cable or rope fitted with a carabiner to moor it so that you can retrieve it when the sail (1) is hoisted. Veil (1) according to any one of previous claims characterized in that it has a thin cord or cable intended to be moored at the halyard stitch (11) going down along its axis passing through said halyard point (11) and the point tack (12) to reach a fixed point at this last or make a return to this place by an eyelet or a pulley and in that a cleat sewn into the sail (1) allows to block said cable or said cord when bring the sail (1) so that it does not take too much wind. Veil (1) according to any one of previous claims characterized in that it comprises a compensation system (3) making it possible to shift the two listening points (13,14) one relative to the other; Veil (1) according to claim 14 characterized in that the compensation system (3) is consisting of a rectangular metal plate (30) comprising, on each side, slightly set back respectively from one of its two opposite edges, a trigger guard (31) intended to pass through the eyelet (10) of the point of listening (13,14) corresponding and to receive the listening of the corresponding half-sail. Veil (1) according to claim 14 characterized in that the two listening points (13,14) are connected by a rope at the end of which find two elongated rings each intended to pass in the eyelet (10) of the listening point (13,14) correspondent and to receive the listening of the half-sail corresponding. Veil (1) according to any one of Claims 2 to 16 characterized in that the sail (1) is contained in a U-shaped bag intended to be installed astride the base of the jib (2) entirely rolled up. Veil (1) according to claim 17 characterized in that the bag has closing means allowing it to open automatically when said veil (1) is hoisted.

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