EP2152567B1

EP2152567B1 - Sail pleasure craft

Info

Publication number: EP2152567B1
Application number: EP07735772A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marcella Vincenti
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-04
Filing date: 2007-05-04
Publication date: 2012-02-15
Anticipated expiration: 2027-05-04
Also published as: ATE545576T1; WO2008135807A1; EP2152567A1

Abstract

A sail pleasure craft comprising a hull with a transom and an opening in said hull for the main access into the hull, characterized in that said opening is obtained in the stern area of the hull and in that it extends for a greatest portion of said transom.

Description

The invention concerns a sail pleasure craft of the kind including the features mentioned in the preamble of independent claim 1.
Examples of said kind of sail pleasure crafts are disclosed, for example, in the French Patent application no. FR 2 786 751 A1 and in the Netherlands Patent application no. NL 9 100 883 A .
Both of the aforesaid applications substantially refer to sail pleasure crafts comprising a hull with a transom and an opening in said hull for the main access into the hull, whereby said opening is obtained in the stem area of the hull and it extends for a greatest portion of said transom.
Moreover, the German Patent application no. DE 29 04 130 A1 substantially refers to a sail pleasure craft further comprising a drop keel in a drop keel casing, said drop keel casing being inclined in order to cause a backing of the drop keel together with a raising of the same.
Sail pleasure crafts are distinguished into two main categories depending on the positioning of the cockpit, which is the craft area intended for accommodating crew and passengers when lying outside the hull. The so-called crafts with central cockpit belong to the first category, in which the cockpit is located in a substantially central position between the craft main mast and the stem area, said cockpit being considerably spaced and separated from the latter. The crafts with stem cockpit belong to the second category, in which the cockpit is located in a notably more rearward position than the previous one. The present invention is preferably, even though not exclusively, applied to the crafts of the central cockpit kind.
Independently of the craft category related to the positioning of the cockpit, the latter is generally provided with an opening, which allows to enter the spaces inside the hull. Traditionally, this opening is obtained in correspondence of the bow in the cockpit and it is closed partially by a movable bulkhead and partially by an openable sliding hatch. In some cases, the opening is closed by a simple or double leaf port.
While some examples of crafts with bow cockpit exist, whose saloon is obtained under the cockpit itself (Cigale by Alubat and Comet 11 plus by COMAR), in central cockpit crafts an owner's cabin is obtained in correspondence with the stem and the cockpit opening faces into the craft saloon, which is entered by means of a ladder.
This typical positioning requires, however, considerable geometrical and planimetric limitations to the construction of the hull and of the craft accommodations, which do not sometimes allow an optimal utilization of the theoretically available volumes. Thus, the saloon is typically located at the craft center or it is put forward at bow, while it is usual to locate one or more cabins (night-time spaces), together with the related service rooms, abaft and ahead of the saloon itself.
Furthermore, this construction can negatively affect the positioning of the craft engine.
Another typical disadvantage of the known crafts is that they have been designed without taking into substantial consideration the problems connected with the engine navigation. For this reason, the commercially available crafts, except for rare examples (Mc Gregor 26, which however employs an outboard motorization), have a purely displacing hull and can not allow engine surfing. If, however, it is correct to build sail boats mainly considering the problems linked to the sail navigation, it is also true that such crafts, particularly during summer cruises, very often navigate by engine and that a higher engine cruise speed, which can be reached only with the surfing hull, is certainly desirable.
It is the main object of the invention to provide a hull specifically designed to overcome the technical disadvantages mentioned above. Within this main object, it is a further object of the invention to provide a hull allowing a new arrangement of the craft internal spaces. A further object is to facilitate the embarking and disembarking operations of people and goods.
A further object is to allow an optimal distribution of the weights.
An object equal to the main object is to build a hull in which adjustments are provided in order to facilitate the engine surfing even though assuring a sail optimal navigation.
Last but not least object of the invention is to provide a craft in which the hull live storage is maximized, simultaneously improving the craft shape stability.
These and even other objects that will better become evident hereinafter are achieved by the invention through a sail pleasure craft manufactured in accordance with the following claims.
The features and the advantages of the present invention will better become evident from the detailed description of an embodiment thereof, which is illustrated by way of non limiting example with reference to the attached drawings in which:

figure 1 is a perspective schematic view from stem of a craft according to the invention having drop keel lowered and being ready for navigation;
figures 2 and 3 are views corresponding to figure 1 having rear bridge open;
figure 4 is a side lifted view of the craft of the preceding figures having drop keel raised;
figure 5 is a schematic view which shows a detail of the craft of the preceding figures;
figure 6 is a perspective scheme of another detail of the craft of the present invention, concerning the drive-line and steering gears;
figure 7 is a schematic view of a further detail of the invention concerning the drop keel;
figure 8 is a cross section view of the detail of figure 7;
figures 9 and 10 are partial schematic views of the craft of the preceding figures showing a detail of the portlights according to two operative positions;
figure 11 is a top plan view of the internal spaces of the craft of the preceding figures.

In the figures, with reference numeral 1 is denoted as a whole a sail craft including a hull 2 closed above by a deck 3 and equipped with masting including a mast 4, a boom 5 and a strut operated vang 5a between mast and boom.
The craft 1 is of the central cockpit kind, that is the cockpit 6 is obtained in the deck 3 immediately close to the mast 4. Inside cockpit 6 there are provided a wheeled steering gear 7, a pair of juxtaposed seats 8 and a roll-bar 9, onto which a beam rail (not shown) for controlling the mainsail sheet can be mounted.
The steering gear 7 controls, in a way known in itself, a pair of stem rudders 10 inclined with respect to the substantially vertical axis of the mast 4. A movable drop keel 11 is further provided, which is located inside a drop keel mast-step 12. This latter is open between the hull keel and the bottom 13 of the cockpit 6 and it also acts as scupper to allow fast discharge from the cockpit of water that might have got into due to waves or the like. The drop keel mast-step 12 is fastened to a stiffening framing 12a made of beams 12c and spars 12d, which framing is fastened to the hull bottom and includes a cage 12b rising as a scaffold from the beams and spars structure.
The drop keel 11 has a center board 14 and a bulb 15. The center board 14 and the mast-step 12 are inclined by an angle A comprised between 30° and 40° with respect to a vertical axis, such as the axis of the mast 4, i.e. perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bulb. In this way the drop keel is driven along an inclined direction, which involves the backing of the drop keel center and of the bulb ballast weight as the drop keel is lifted inside the mast-step (the movement is produced by means of tackles, jacks 12e or other motorized devices, which are known in themselves), thus causing a lowering of the hull stem portion and a resulting raising of the bow (so-called stem lowering effect). Such trim modification, in addition to the effect of propulsion increase due to two propellers located near the rudder, which will be better disclosed hereinafter, facilitates the engine surfing by notably improving the performance of craft 1. Moreover, the backing of the drop keel center can be of advantage in the sail frees, with the wind coming from the stem dials, that are the ones wherein typically a movable drop keel is lifted.
The bulb 15 or the center board 14 are provided with an additional oscillating blade 14a having the fulcrum, as to center board 14, in 14b and being retractable into a cavity 14c of the center board 14 itself as the drop keel continues to raise into the mast-step 12. The backing of the center board 14 into cavity 14c can be achieved either thanks to the interaction between the additional blade and the lower edge of the drop keel mast-step 12 or thanks to the specific actuation (for instance, by means of an hydraulic jack) of the center board 14, said operation being directly or indirectly related to the drop keel raising into the mast-step 12. When the drop keel 11 is lowered from the mast-step 12, the additional blade 14a is progressively pulled out from the center board 14 due to the pushing action of a not shown suspension and to the gravity force itself, until achieving the pulled out operative position of figure 7. In such operative position, the surface of the drop keel 11 is increased as a whole, with a better performance of the craft during wind lifts sailing trims and with an improved course stability.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the additional blade 14a also acts as a trimmer or a flap, as will be explained hereafter. Said additional blade 14a, as a matter of fact, besides being retractable into the space suitably obtained inside the center board 14, is also rotating, when completely pulled out from the aforesaid space, around an axis K substantially parallel to the center board through a pivoting 14b at its lower end and a connecting rod 14d, equipped with a joint 14e and a motorized actuating device 14f, at its upper end. The rotation of the additional blade 14a substantially performs two functions: the first one is to contribute, though to a minor extent, to the directional control of the craft, together with the double rudders, which are mainly intended to perform such control; the second function is to contribute to the heeling control of the craft, specifically during wind sailing trims, by operating primarily close to the bulb, and then with a certain lever arm equal to the extension of center board 14, a controllable side buoyancy, which is proportional to the rotation of the additional blade.
With reference to figure 5, it will be further noticed that the drop keel mast-step 12 is surrounded, at least partially, by a plurality of overlaying components, denoted by 16, 17, 18 and 19 respectively, all these components being substantially located at the craft center and held by cage 12b and framing 12a. The component 16, located in a lower position, is a first tank, for instance intended for sewage (dark waters). The component 17 is a second tank, for instance intended for containing oil for hydraulic operation of the craft. The component 18 is a third tank, for instance intended for the supply fresh water. The component 19, at last, is a fourth tank, for instance for fuel intended for feeding an engine schematically denoted with 20.
All the tanks and the engine 20 can be easily inspected, for instance through an hatchway obtained in the cockpit 6 or through an access from the hull inside, with watertight doors openable, for instance, into saloon, towards a kitchen and/or an astern bathroom.
It will be noticed that the engine 20 location is such that it results easy to position the line shafting in such a way as to allow positioning of a propeller or of any propulsion device among rudders 10. As an alternative, as previously cited, the employ of two propellers 20a,b is provided, each of said propellers being operated by means of a corresponding foot 21a,b through a corresponding drive shaft 21e, both of them meeting into a central drive shaft 21c connecting foots 21 a,b to the same driving shaft 21d for either a phased or an independent joint actuation. In this way, the engine surfing of craft 1 is facilitated, though with a quite limited driving power.
In the rear portion of the hull, a transom 21 exists, which is provided with a board 22, provided, in its turn, with an oscillating port 23. The port 23 is oscillating between an open position (see Figures 2 and 3), in which said port is substantially horizontal and forms an extension of the board (a little terrace on sea able to accommodate many people) acting both as a sunbathing area and to facilitate the disembarking / embarking operations of people and goods, and a closed position (see Fig. 1), in which said port closes the transom, substantially flush therewith, following the oblique profile shown in figure. In this second position, the port 23 delimits a locker, defined between the side walls 24 and a stem wall 25 of the hull, the volume of said locker being useful for storage materials (for instance, the tender) during navigation. In the closed position, said port further gives an absolute protection from sea to the whole astern section of the craft.
An opening 30 is obtained in the stem wall 25, in the transom 21 and in a portion of the deck 3, said opening forming the main access into the hull. The opening 30 is removably closed by an openable hatchway 31, which can slide laterally with respect to the opening onto guide-rails 32. The guide and opening device is known in itself and it is similar to those adopted in some cars and vans for the guide and closure of sliding doors.
The hatchway closure onto the opening 30 is a watertight closure. The hatchway 31 is protected by means of port 23 when the latter is closed.
The opening 30 allows main access into a saloon 33 of the craft through a passage 34 flanked on one side by a chart work area 35. An auxiliary opening 36, of the conventional kind, is provided inside the saloon 33, said auxiliary opening allowing access into the cockpit and being removably closed by means of a sliding hatch 36a and a movable partition not shown. When both the main access opening 30 and the auxiliary opening 36 are open, an optimum natural ventilation of the saloon 33 is achieved, the craft being anchored both in harbor and in haven.
The remaining division of the internal volumes of the hull provides a kitchen area 37, side berths 38, a first cabin 39, a bow cabin 40 and service spaces 41, 42, 43, 44.
Along the upper part of the two sides of the craft, at the connection between the hull 2 and the deck 3, two transparent or semi-transparent plankings 52 extend, which are joined at stem into an astern planking 50 and into which openable windows 51 are obtained at pitch, said windows comprising an outside port 53 and an inside port 54 both resting onto the same opening. The inside port is mounted onto a frame 55. The assembly is stiffened by means of an auxiliary structure 56. This construction method of the craft, instead of the known constructions wherein the hull is closed by a deck elevated in correspondence with a deck house, allows to realize a deck of the flush-deck type, which is free from obstructions and considerably elevated with respect to the hull, with an high increase of the available internal space, of the internal space luminosity and of the volume intended for increasing the shape stability and righting arm related thereto.

Claims

A sail pleasure craft (1) comprising a hull (2) with a transom (21) and an opening (30) in said hull (2) for the main access into the hull (2), said opening (30) being obtained in the stem area of the hull (2) and extending for a greatest portion of said transom (21), said sail pleasure craft (1) further comprising a drop keel (11) in a drop keel casing (12), said drop keel casing (12) being inclined in order to cause a backing of the drop keel (11) together with a raising of the same, characterized in that said drop keel (11) is of the center board type with bulb ballast and in that said center board (14) is inclined consistently with said drop keel casing (12) with respect to the perpendicular line to the longitudinal direction of said bulb (15).
A craft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said opening (30) is removably closed by means of an hatchway (31).
A craft (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a board (22) is obtained in said transom (21), said opening (30) being obtained in a portion of the transom (21) near said board (22).
A craft (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said opening (30) is located between said board (22) and a saloon (33) of the craft (1).
A craft (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a port (23) is provided pivoting between a closed position, substantially closing the transom (21) and a locker delimited by the board (22), and an open position, in which said port (23) forms an extension of said board (22).
A craft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drop keel casing (12) is open in a cockpit (6) so as to form a scupper of the same.
A craft (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said center board (14) is coupled with an auxiliary blade (14a), which is retractable into said center board (14).
A craft (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that said auxiliary blade (14a) is subjected to an automatic retraction owing to the raising of the drop keel (11) in the drop keel casing (12).
A craft (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that said auxiliary blade (14a) can be oriented around an axis (K) that is substantially parallel to said center board (14).
A craft (1) according to claim 1, comprising at least one tank and characterized in that said at least one tank is located near the drop keel casing (12).
A craft (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that said tank extends as much as to at least partially surround said drop keel casing (12).
A craft (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising two side plankings (52) connecting the hull (2) with a deck (3), which closes above said hull(2), and a plurality of ventilation openings (51) obtained in said plankings (52).
A craft (1) according to claim 12, wherein said plankings (52) are transparent or semi-transparent plankings (52).