EP4169829A1

EP4169829A1 - Sailing system for a boat

Info

Publication number: EP4169829A1
Application number: EP22202388.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marc De Maeyer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-10-20
Filing date: 2022-10-19
Publication date: 2023-04-26

Abstract

A sail system (100) to be mounted on a boat, the sail system (100) containing: a telescopic mast (110) containing at least two mast sections (111) that can be slid together and apart; at least two yards (120), with sails (140) between the two yards (120), mounted parallel to one another on the mast sections (111) such that, when the mast sections (111) are slid apart, the distance between the two yards (120) increases, wherein at least one of the two yards (120) contains a furling system (150) consisting of several intercoupled furling cylinders (151), each having a straight axis of rotation around which the sails (140) can be furled, with a different sail on each furling cylinder, wherein the furling cylinders are arranged such that a projection of the assembly of intercoupled furling cylinders in a plane perpendicular to the mast is convex.

Description

Scope of the invention

This invention generally relates to boats. More specifically, it relates to a sail system to be mounted on a boat. This can be either a sailboat, a motorboat, or a vessel, for example a seagoing vessel.

Background of the invention

A typical sailboat has a mast along which a sail can be hoisted. The luff of the sail can be hoisted up along or inside the mast. This is done by means of a cord, which is also known as the mainsail halyard. The foot of the sail is typically attached to a boom perpendicular to the mast.
The sail can be trimmed by adjusting the position of the boom in relation to the boat. This is done by means of a cord, also known as a sheet, which is attached to the boat and to the boom. Usually, this cord passes through a number of pulleys to apply greater force to the boom. There is usually also the option of reefing the sail. This reduces the area of the sail by lowering it, for example.
In addition to the mainsail attached to the mast and boom, a foresail attached to the front of the mast is also often used. A foresail can be hoisted by means of a cord (the foresail halyard), and trimmed by means of a cord (the foresail sheet).
A stay is used to attach the mast to the boat. In typical configurations, there is a front stay between the mast and the front of the boat, two side stays to the rear of the boat and optionally also two rear stays to the rear of the boat.
This stay must be strong enough to keep the mast straight on the boat even in strong winds.
Operating the different sails by means of the different ropes (the halyards and sheets) and raising the mast by means of the stay requires an experienced skipper and crew. Moreover, if the wind becomes stronger, the boat may start leaning, which is likely to be perceived as unpleasant by a less experienced crew.
When a vessel is sailing not only on open water but also on inland waterways with low bridges (lower than seven metres) across the fairway, these bridges must be able to move to allow a boat with a standing mast to pass. This usually results in waiting times.
Apart from its disadvantages, namely the complexity of operation and the mast making routes along inland waterways difficult or even impossible, sailing also has significant advantages. The main advantage is that it is a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of travelling.
In light of these advantages, there is a need for a sail system that also has this advantage but simultaneously reduces the disadvantages of sailing.

Summary of the invention

It is an objective of embodiments of the present invention to provide a good sail system that can be mounted on a boat.
The above objective is achieved by a sail system according to the present invention.
In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a sail system to be mounted on a boat. The sail system contains:

a telescopic mast containing at least two mast sections that can be slid together and apart, wherein the telescopic mast contains a drive system adapted to slide the mast sections together and apart,
at least two yards, with sails between the two yards, mounted parallel to one another on the mast sections such that, when the mast sections are slid apart, the distance between the two yards increases,
wherein at least one of the two yards contains a furling system consisting of several intercoupled furling cylinders, each having a straight axis of rotation around which the sails can be furled, with a different sail on each furling cylinder, wherein the furling cylinders are arranged such that a projection of the assembly of intercoupled furling cylinders in a plane perpendicular to the mast is convex and wherein the furling system contains a tensioning system for tensioning the sails between the two yards.

It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that a curved yard (in the plane perpendicular to the mast) is used. This allows the sail to have an improved shape compared to a sail with a straight yard. Despite the yard being curved, it is still possible to furl the sail into it. This is made possible by dividing the furling system and the sail into segments. Each segment contains a furling cylinder with a straight axis of rotation and a piece of sail that can be furled around the roller with a maximum width equal to the length of the roller.
It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the sail area can be reduced by sliding the telescopic mast together.
In embodiments of the present invention, the furling cylinders are arranged such that the projection of an angle between two adjacent furling cylinders, measured in a plane formed by the telescopic mast and one of the furling cylinders, and measured on the side closest to the other yard to which the sails are attached, is a predetermined angle smaller than 180°, and wherein the sails are cut such that they have parallel sides when unfurled.
In embodiments of the present invention, the yard containing the furling system contains a housing which is curved and in which the furling cylinders are arranged. The housing contains a slot through which the sails can slide. This slot can have rounded sides. The rounded sides can be pressure rollers mounted on the housing.
In embodiments of the present invention, it is the bottom yard, in a pair of two yards, that contains the furling system.
In embodiments of the present invention, the tensioning system is a motor mounted at an end of the yard with the furling system.
In embodiments of the present invention, the sail system contains a mast attachment for attaching the mast to the boat. In embodiments of the present invention, the mast attachment is adapted to rotate the mast around its axis.
In embodiments of the present invention, the furling cylinders are intercoupled by a coupling capable of transferring a rotational moment from one furling cylinder to the other furling cylinder. This coupling may, for example, be a universal joint.
In embodiments of the present invention, the drive system contains a telescopic extension cylinder. This may be a riser cylinder. The telescopic extension cylinder may be hydraulically or mechanically driven.
In embodiments of the present invention, at least one of the sails is provided with one or more sail battens parallel to the corresponding furling cylinder.
In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a boat on which a sail system according to the present invention is mounted. The boat may additionally contain a keel which is tiltable and/or extendable.
Specific and preferred aspects of the invention are included in the appended independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with features of the independent claims and with features of other dependent claims as appropriate and not only as expressly presented in the claims.
These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from, and clarified with reference to, the embodiment(s) described below.

Brief description of the figures

FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a sail system with the telescopic mast extended, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing of a front view of a sail system with the telescopic mast retracted, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic drawing of a side view of a sail system with the telescopic mast retracted, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a schematic drawing of a housing of a yard, wherein the yard contains a slot with rounded sides, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic drawing of a sail system with pressure rollers and furling cylinders, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates a possible coupling between furling cylinders, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows a schematic drawing of a tensioning system, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 8 shows a sail system with pressure rollers as in FIG. 5 with, in addition, a tensioning system as in FIG. 7, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 9 shows a schematic drawing of a mast side view in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 10 shows a schematic drawing of a top view of a mast in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 11 shows a schematic drawing of a mechanical telescopic jack for sliding a mast together and apart, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 12 shows an example of a keel to be mounted on a boat in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 13 shows a drawing of an extension cylinder of a keel to be mounted on a boat, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 14 shows a side view of a boat, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 15 shows a top view of a boat, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

The figures are only schematic and not limiting. In the figures, the dimensions of some parts may be exaggerated and not to scale for illustrative purposes.
Reference numbers in the claims should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of protection. In the various figures, the same reference numbers refer to the same or similar elements.

Detailed description of illustrative embodiments

The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings; however, the invention is not limited thereto but is limited only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and not limiting. In the drawings, for illustrative purposes, the dimensions of some elements may be enlarged and not drawn to scale. The dimensions and relative dimensions sometimes do not correspond to the actual practical implementation of the invention.
Furthermore, the terms "first", "second", "third" and the like are used in the description and in the claims for distinguishing similar elements and not necessarily for describing an order, whether in time, spatially, in rank or in any other way. It is to be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable under suitable circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are suitable for operating in a different order than that described or set forth herein.
Moreover, the terms "top", "bottom", "above", "in front of" and the like in the description and the claims are employed for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to describe relative positions. It should be understood that the terms thus employed may be interchangeable under given circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are also suitable for operating according to other orientations than those described or set forth herein.
It should be noted that the term "contains", as used in the claims, is not to be interpreted as limited to the means described thereafter; this term does not preclude other elements or steps. It is therefore to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the indicated features, values, steps or components referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, values, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device containing means A and B" should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, A and B are the only relevant components of the device.
Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the occurrence of the expressions "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment each time, but may do so. Further, the specific features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner as would be apparent to an average skilled person on the basis of this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.
Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together into one single embodiment, figure or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and assisting in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. In any event, this method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the invention requires more features than are explicitly mentioned in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects are found in less than all features of a single previously disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby explicitly included in this detailed description, with each stand-alone claim being a separate embodiment of this invention.
Further, while some embodiments described herein contain some, but not other, features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are intended to lie within the scope of the invention, and constitute these different embodiments, as would be understood by the skilled person. For example, in the following claims, any of the described embodiments may be used in any combination.
Numerous specific details are set out in the description provided here. In any event, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be implemented without these specific details. In other cases, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order to keep this description clear.
In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a sail system 100 to be mounted on a boat. Reference numbers are used in this and the following paragraphs. These refer to the exemplary embodiments in FIG. 1 to 13, with reference numbers being used consistently throughout the various figures. The sail system 100 contains:

a telescopic mast 110 containing at least two mast sections 111 that can be slid together and apart, wherein the telescopic mast 110 contains a drive system 115 adapted to slide the mast sections 111 together and apart;
at least two yards 120, with sails 140 between the two yards 120, mounted parallel to one another on the mast sections 111 such that, when the mast sections 111 are slid apart, the distance between the two yards (120) increases;
wherein at least one of the two yards 120 contains a furling system 150 consisting of several intercoupled furling cylinders 151, each having a straight axis of rotation around which the sails 140 can be furled, with a different sail on each furling cylinder, wherein the furling cylinders are arranged such that a projection of the assembly of intercoupled furling cylinders in a plane perpendicular to the mast is convex and wherein the furling system 150 contains a tensioning system 154 for tensioning the sails between the two yards.

This unique combination of a curved yard consisting of several segments with intercoupled furling cylinders makes it possible to furl sails into the yard while also having a curved yard.
In embodiments of the present invention, the yards are mounted on the mast on the side of the mast closest to the rear (stern) of the boat, such that the mast is closest to the bow. In other words, the mast is no longer visible (hidden behind the sail) to anyone standing at the rear of the boat. However, this is not strictly necessary. The arrangement of the yards and mast can also be reversed.
When manoeuvring, or sailing on inland waterways, or in strong winds, the telescopic mast can be retracted, which will reduce wind sail. Moreover, this also results in a clearance reduction, eliminating waitingtimes at bridges. It also makes it possible to use waterways with fixed bridges and still be able to sail. Moreover, there is no need for a stay, which means that whistling of wind through the rods and cables can be avoided. The use of ropes can also be minimised by using an extendable mast with sails furled into the yard. The time needed for rigging and unrigging can be dramatically reduced as there is no need to unpack and mount sails. All that is required is to extend the telescopic mast to the desired height. This height determines the desired sail area depending on the wind.
In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a boat 200 containing a sail system 100 according to any of the preceding claims. The boat may additionally contain a keel 170 which is tiltable and/or extendable. The sail system is applicable to different boat sizes. For example, it may even be applied to large seagoing vessels. The length may, for example, be greater than 20 m or even greater than 100 m, or more.
A sail system according to embodiments of the present invention can, for example, be used for mounting on a motor boat so as to obtain a motor sailor. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that a boat is obtained that has the convenience of a motor boat and can be propelled by the wind, thus reducing fuel consumption. A sail system according to embodiments of the present invention may also be installed on a shipping vessel.
In embodiments of the present invention, the sail protrudes from both sides of the vessel. This allows the sail area to be increased. This is particularly advantageous for the sail area close to the deck. This is because the wind force exerting pressure on this sail surface creates a propulsive force, while the torque on the boat pushing the boat at an angle is lower the lower the sail is.
All the actions necessary to set sail, such as raising and straightening sails, lend themselves perfectly to automation. Optionally, a keel may also be added and it may also be included in the automation. In embodiments of the present invention, the boat contains a controller capable of controlling the position of the mast and keel depending on the inclination of the boat and on the wind.
FIG. 1 shows an extended mast system 110 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In this figure, two yards 120 are shown which are parallel to one another. The sails 140 are attached to the top yard and can be furled into the bottom yard. In this exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the mast system 100 contains a mast attachment 114 that allows the system to be mounted on a boat.
In embodiments of the present invention, the furling cylinders 151 are arranged such that the projection of an angle between two adjacent furling cylinders, measured in a plane formed by the telescopic mast 110 and one of the furling cylinders, and measured on the side closest to the other yard to which the sails are attached, is a predetermined angle smaller than 180°, and wherein the sails are cut such that they have parallel sides when unfurled. This produces a yard that is also curved in the vertical plane. See, for example, FIG. 2, which shows a schematic drawing of a sail system with the mast retracted, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. This figure shows the housing 121 of the yard 120. A dotted straight line is also drawn to illustrate the curvature of the yard in the vertical plane.
It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the furling cylinders can be positioned closer to one another without the sails obstructing one another when they are being furled. Because the projection of an angle between two adjacent furling cylinders, measured in a plane formed by the telescopic mast and one of the furling cylinders, is smaller than 180°, the angle between an upright body of the sail and a furling cylinder is smaller than 90°. This will reduce the width of the roller with the sail as more sail is furled.
In embodiments of the present invention, the projections of two adjacent furling cylinders in a plane perpendicular to the mast form an angle with one another that is smaller than 180°. The degree to which the angle is smaller than 180° is also known as the yard bulge. The yard bulge can be between 1° and 10°, for example between 2° and 5°, for example 3°. In the latter case, the angle between the projections of two adjacent furling cylinders in a plane perpendicular to the mast is 177°. The yard bulges between the different furling cylinders are not necessarily the same.
The principle of the curvature in the horizontal and vertical planes is further clarified by the following example. Since the furling cylinders make an angle in the horizontal plane (the plane perpendicular to the mast) to create a certain convexity in the sail, interference occurs at the level of the angle between two furling cylinders 151. When the furling cylinders are unfurled, the two cloths sit against one another but when they are furled, they sit inside one another, causing them to obstruct one another. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, this has been solved by making the central cloth as a rectangle with 4 x 90° corners and giving the side roller a slant on the interfering side. This slant (in the plane of the sail) ensures that the two unfurled cloths do not create an opening. The side roller then furls conically on that side, thus eliminating the interference.
To close the vertical gap between two sails when they are unfurled, the side roller must make an angle with the horizontal. This angle is also known as the tilt angle. This may be, for example, half the spherical angle between the two furling cylinders (central and side roller). This principle can be repeated again and again to obtain the desired width of the total sail.
In embodiments of the present invention, the opening between sail segments is sealed. In this case, the sail segments are attached to one another such that when unfurled they form a tight unit together. If necessary, sail segments can be provided between the segments that are shaped so that when unfurled, they form a tight unit together with the other segments. In embodiments of the present invention, these sail pieces between the segments may be made of stretchable material. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the various sail segments are attached to one another and form a tight unit. This enables smooth wind circulation in front of and behind the sail. Since there are no gaps between the segments, the wind cannot pass between two segments from one side of the sail to the other. This also allows a pressure difference to build up between the front and rear of the sail, which increases the force of the sail on the boat.
In embodiments of the present invention, the yard 120 containing the furling system 150 contains a housing 121 which is curved and in which the furling cylinders 151 are arranged, wherein the housing contains a slot through which the sails 140 can slide. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the furling cylinders can be positioned in the housing.
In FIG. 3, two yards and a mast are shown in the retracted state. The housing 121 of the yards is indicated in this figure. When this mast is extended, the yards will also move apart and the sails will unwind.
In embodiments of the present invention, the slot has rounded sides 152. An example of this is shown in the schematic drawing in FIG. 4. This figure shows that the slot is provided with two rollers which prevent the sail with furling cylinder from coming out of the yard support structure. These segments are then joined together to form an arch with only the central segment attached to the mast. In this figure, a structure 155 is also present on the yard, which structure can be used to attach the yard to the mast. In this example, the structure is present centrally, on the concave side of the yard. The invention is not limited thereto, however. The attachment structure may also be present at other locations on the yard.
It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that the furling cylinders can rest against the slot and the sails can unfurl between the same slot.
In embodiments of the present invention, the rounded sides are pressure rollers 152 mounted on the housing. An example of this is shown in FIG. 5. However, the housing itself is not drawn in order to clearly show the pressure rollers 152 and the furling cylinders 151.
The pressure rollers 152 can be bearing mounted or fixed. The sail can furl/unfurl from the furling cylinder 151, which, in embodiments of the present invention, is driven.
The vertical force in the sail keeps the furling cylinders pressed against the pressure rollers. Since, in this embodiment, the furling cylinder 151 rests against the pressure rollers 151 located above it, its central axis will move depending on the amount of cloth on the roller. The drive will also experience this centre displacement. Therefore, in such an exemplary embodiment, the drive is freely arranged parallel to the centre displacement and is only secured against rotation around the central axis. A drive can be provided on both sides of the outermost furling cylinders. In some embodiments of the present invention, the drive can also be manual.
In embodiments of the present invention, the furling cylinders 151 are intercoupled by a coupling 153 capable of transferring a rotational moment from one furling cylinder to the other furling cylinder. This coupling may, for example, be a universal joint. In embodiments of the present invention, this coupling between the furling cylinders 151, which must operate at an angle and also remain torsionally coupled, is implemented with a tongue and groove connection provided with plastic between the contact surfaces. This can be implemented in the tubes themselves. An example of this is shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 shows a schematic drawing of a mast 110 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the mast 110 is telescopic. In embodiments of the present invention, the mast contains several mast sections that can be slid together. The bottom (when the mast is fully extended) telescopic mast section has the largest cross-sectional area, and the higher the telescopic mast section, the smaller the cross-sectional area of the mast section.
The bottom telescopic mast section 111 is arranged on a mast attachment 114 which in this case is a slewing ring bearing. The slewing ring bearing may have, for example, internal or external toothing. The arrangement on the slewing ring allows the telescopic mast 110 to rotate around its axis. In embodiments of the present invention, the toothing engages a pinion coupled to a gearbox in order to enable the mast to rotate by means of a motor depending on the wind and sailing direction. The invention is not limited to this present embodiment for rotating the mast around its axis. Embodiments other than a slewing ring with toothing are also possible.
The overall length of the bottom telescopic mast section 111 determines the number of telescopic sections required to obtain a certain maximum length. In embodiments of the present invention, this maximum length is determined depending on the desired sail result.
The different mast sections can be slid apart by means of a drive provided for this purpose. This drive may contain a telescopic extension cylinder 115a driven by a drive system 115b. This telescopic cylinder may be hydraulically or mechanically driven, for example. In embodiments of the present invention, the telescopic cylinder may be extended using compressed air. This can reduce the weight. In embodiments of the present invention, the drive for sliding the different mast sections apart may contain a single cylinder. The length of such a cylinder may, for example, be twice as long when extended than when retracted. In embodiments of the present invention, a mechanical telescopic jack can be used. An example of this is shown in FIG. 11 with extension system 115a and motor 115b. Also, in the larger models, it is possible to opt for a riser cylinder that gradually pushes the telescopic sections upwards. This is a common technique in telescopic cranes serving as lifting tools, or in telescopic handlers. In embodiments of the present invention, a telescopic hydraulic cylinder can be used.
Depending on the desired size of the sail, several yards can be provided one above the other. This is dependent on the maximum sailcloth length between two yards. Depending on the sail configuration, the sailcloth material used, the number of sails on a yard, the maximum sail length can vary. It is an advantage of embodiments of the present invention that it allows the system to be designed such that the distance between two yards is optimally chosen depending on the optimal sail length for a certain configuration. FIG. 10 shows a top view of the same mast configuration as FIG. 9.
In embodiments of the present invention, the furling system 150 contains a tensioning system 154 for tensioning the sails between the two yards. An example is shown in the schematic drawing in FIG. 7. In the figure, two drives are drawn connected together. The tensioning system may be a tube motor. In this case, a tube containing a motor drive unit is present. Alternatively or additionally, the tensioning system may contain a gearbox with a drive motor. In FIG. 7, this is represented by the cubic block at the end of the tube.
In embodiments of the present invention, the drive is only rotationally locked against co-turning. The centre can slide along with the centre of the furling cylinder 151 that drives it.
The fact that the sails can be rolled into the yard also makes it possible to attach sail battens parallel to the corresponding roller in the sail. This allows the shape of the sail to be further optimised.
A sail system according to embodiments of the present invention can be used on large transport vessels (e.g. in commercial shipping), optionally in combination with motors. In the latter case, such a system can reduce the consumption, and consequently the emissions, of the transport vessel. It is also advantageous that in severe weather the mast can be retracted, allowing the sails to be furled into the yard. Also, when the mast is retracted, there is no obstruction in terms of clearance height or unloading and loading in the harbour.
To keep the boat as straight as possible, a ballast weight can be used. In embodiments of the present invention, the boat contains a keel 170 which is tiltable and/or extendable. In this case, the ballast weight is hinged such that it can always provide a balance with the sail pressure and thus the boat experiences no or reduced skew. Sailboats typically have a fixed keel with ballast weight. Motor boats do not have this. The ballast weight could thus be hingeably arranged for both ship types; in some cases, hinging can also be combined with retraction of the ballast weight.
A schematic drawing of such a keel 170 is shown in FIG. 12. In this example, that keel 170 is tiltable and telescopic. The tilting mechanism and the extension of the keel can be driven in several ways. In the example of FIG. 12, the ballast weight hangs from a water-driven telescopic cylinder 175 that can raise the keel 170 if necessary. This described structure is hinged to a housing 174 which is incorporated into the bottom of the boat. Above the tiltable keel 170 is a driven spindle 172 which, when rotated, angle and hold the keel with ballast. When the housing cover 173 is mounted on the housing 174, the drive 171 for tilting can drive the tilt drive rod 172. This drawn version has the option of tilting 30° to starboard and 30° to port. The invention is not limited thereto, however. With the housing cover 173 applied, the assembly is watertight with respect to the boat. In this example, the housing at the level of the hinge is not watertight since this complexity is not needed. A more detailed drawing of the extension cylinder is shown in FIG. 13.
FIG. 14 shows a schematically drawn side view of a boat, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the boat contains a sail system 100, and a keel 170 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. This keel may be tiltable and/or extendable.
FIG. 15 shows a schematically drawn top view of a boat, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. In this example, the mast of the sail system 100 is rotatably arranged on the boat.
The various aspects can be easily combined with one another, and the combinations thus also correspond to embodiments according to the present invention.

Claims

A sail system (100) to be mounted on a boat, the sail system (100) containing:
- a telescopic mast (110) containing at least two mast sections (111) that can be slid together and apart, wherein the telescopic mast (110) contains a drive system (115) adapted to slide the mast sections (111) together and apart,

- at least two yards (120), with sails (140) between the two yards (120), mounted parallel to one another on the mast sections (111) such that, when the mast sections (111) are slid apart, the distance between the two yards (120) increases,

- wherein at least one of the two yards (120) contains a furling system (150) consisting of several intercoupled furling cylinders (151), each having a straight axis of rotation around which the sails (140) can be furled, with a different sail on each furling cylinder, wherein the furling cylinders are arranged such that a projection of the assembly of intercoupled furling cylinders in a plane perpendicular to the mast is convex and wherein the furling system (150) contains a tensioning system (154) for tensioning the sails between the two yards.
A sail system (100) according to claim 1, wherein the furling cylinders (151) are arranged such that the projection of an angle between two adjacent furling cylinders, measured in a plane formed by the telescopic mast (110) and one of the furling cylinders, and measured on the side closest to the other yard to which the sails are attached, is a predetermined angle smaller than 180°, and wherein the sails are cut such that they have parallel sides when unfurled.
A sail system (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the yard (120) containing the furling system (150) contains a housing (121) which is curved and in which the furling cylinders (151) are arranged, wherein the housing contains a slot through which the sails (140) can slide.
A sail system (100) according to claim 3, wherein the slot has rounded sides (152).
A sail system (100) according to claim 4, wherein the rounded sides are pressure rollers (152) mounted on the housing.
A sail system (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein in a pair of two yards, the bottom yard contains the furling system (150).
A sail system (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the tensioning system (154) is a motor mounted at an end of the yard with the furling system (150).
A sail system (100) according to any of the preceding claims, the sail system containing a mast attachment (114) for attaching the mast (110) to the boat.
A sail system (100) according to claim 8, wherein the mast attachment (114) is adapted to rotate the mast (110) around its axis.
A sail system (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the furling cylinders (151) are intercoupled by a coupling (153) capable of transferring a rotational moment from one furling cylinder to the other furling cylinder.
A sail system (100) according to claim 9, wherein the coupling (153) is a universal joint.
A sail system (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive system (115) contains a telescopic extension cylinder.
A sail system (100) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the sails is provided with one or more sail battens parallel to the corresponding furling cylinder (151).
A boat containing a sail system (100) according to any of the preceding claims.
A boat according to claim 14, the boat further containing a keel (170) which is tiltable and/or extendable.