FR2502108A1 - Stabiliser for sailing boat hull - is open ended cylinder replacing keel, with sliding supports raised and lowered to vary inclination - Google Patents

Abstract

The method of controlling the stability of a yacht or sailing craft uses an adjustable open ended cylinder (2) in the place of a conventional keel. The cylinder is supported with its own axis in line with the axis of the craft by vertical supports (3) front and rear. These can be selectively raised and lowered so as to tilt the cylinder at an angle to the horizontal. These supports pass through guide channels (4) through the bottom of the hull (1) and are secured by hinge pins (6) to the top of the tube. In an alternative design, the tube is suspended from a single flat section curved arm which can be swung along a curved path and which has leaf springs attached at front and rear to form a self compensating system.

Description

 The present invention relates to the stability of ships moved by the energy of the wind and their maintenance in their navigation axis.

 In known and traditional devices of this kind, a ballasted keel or a drift placed under the ship compensates for the effect of the wind and the heeling of the ship. However, such devices no longer correspond to safety rules when the wind exceeds a certain limit, the ballast being provided once and for all and not being progressive compensator and proportional to the effort required.

 The invention of the proposed stabilizer consists in fitting under the hull (I) of the ship, instead of the keel, a tube (2) of round, square, oval or rectangular section, the angle of which is adjustable.

 This process is particularly possible on a type of chine hull whose shallow V-shaped bottom allows complete planing of half of the hull opposite the wind.

 The stabilizer acts in the same way as a rudder and is in opposition to the heeling of the ship while retaining an inert ballast which causes additional stability.

 This process is applicable on all forms of hull.

 Figure I is a view of the tube (2) immersed forward by strong wind. The angle of attack is adjusted from inside the vessel and at the request of the maneuverer using suitable rods (3) passing through the drift wells (4).

 Figure 2 shows the tube (2) in zero wind or wetting.

 Figure 3 shows the device raised forward to allow a planing by tailwind.

 Figure 4 is a front view of the stabilizer with its well (4) and its rod (3) in an arc, and its tube (2).

 FIG. 5 is a representation of the automatic adjustment system with leaf springs (5), with well (4) and arcuate rod drift (3).

 FIG. 6 is a view of the manual device with a well (4) and an arcuate rod drift (3).

a) in low drift (strong wind),
b) in high drift (tail wind and mooring).

 The stabilization device, object of the invention, can be used on all ships without exception, wherever there are problems of violent roll due to dunnage of certain cargo ships or motor boats.

Replacing the traditional keel of boats with this stabilizer has the following advantages
10) Lightening of the ship, while retaining the inertia necessary for walking.

 2 ") Stability of the ship increasing in proportion to the speed.

 30) A drift correction.

 40) Planing downwind allowing greater speed by reducing the wetted surface.

 5) A remedy for the dangerous roll of certain motor boats whose dunnage is too heavy.

 60) The process is of interest to rigid mast sailboards, competition sailboats, those looking for the combination of lightness and stability in cross winds.

 70) On trimarans and catamarans, two stabilizer tubes are fitted. These will use a pendulum system which will act with the roll with the help of a crossed reminder by making the one of the tubes opposite the wind and plunge the one found in the wind.

Claims (1)

 Hydraulic inertia ballast compensator stabilizer characterized by the arrangement under the hull of the ship of a tube whose diving angle is variable.  Heel-compensating stabilizer according to claim 1, characterized by replacing the known keel, which is a weighted drift or not located under the hull of the ship, by a longitudinal tube open at both ends (2) located under the hull with means to adjust its inclination.  Heel-compensating stabilizer according to claim 2 characterized by the suspension of the tube (2) using two vertical rods passing through drift wells (4) connected respectively to the two ends of the upper part of the tube (2). The rod (3) and the tube (2) are articulated around an axis (6).  Heel-compensating stabilizer according to claim 3 characterized in that the device can be manual, the tube (2) being directed using a rod (3) - arc drift passing through a drift well (4) in bow too. Locking is ensured by a butterfly screw system or other means at the desired level.  Heel compensator stabilizer according to claim 4 characterized in that the system can be fully automatic using compensating springs (5) (spring leaves, springs, bungee cords).  Heel compensator stabilizer according to claim 5 characterized in that the shape of the tube section can be round, square, oval, rectangular or of any geometric shape and the number of tubes will depend on the hull shapes (trimarans, catamarans or other vessels).