GB2355703A - Flexible head sail reefing system - Google Patents

Flexible head sail reefing system Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2355703A
GB2355703A GB9925504A GB9925504A GB2355703A GB 2355703 A GB2355703 A GB 2355703A GB 9925504 A GB9925504 A GB 9925504A GB 9925504 A GB9925504 A GB 9925504A GB 2355703 A GB2355703 A GB 2355703A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
sail
reefing
tube
head
dinghy
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.)
Granted
Application number
GB9925504A
Other versions
GB2355703B (en
GB9925504D0 (en
Inventor
Robert Paul Helyar
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Individual
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Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB9925504A priority Critical patent/GB2355703B/en
Publication of GB9925504D0 publication Critical patent/GB9925504D0/en
Publication of GB2355703A publication Critical patent/GB2355703A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2355703B publication Critical patent/GB2355703B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related 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
    • B63H9/08—Connections of sails to masts, spars, or the like
    • B63H9/10—Running rigging, e.g. reefing equipment
    • B63H9/1021—Reefing
    • B63H9/1028—Reefing by furling around stays

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (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)
  • Artificial Fish Reefs (AREA)

Abstract

A sail reefing system comprises a flexible tube 11 which in use enables a sail 16 to be furled around it by rotating said tube. The sail area may be reduced to provide a storm jib or completely furled by rotating the tube with a furling line 13. Once completely furled the reefing system may be detached from the vessel on which it has been used and may be coiled up (Fig 6) and stowed in a sail bag.

Description

2355703 DINGHY HEAD-SArLL REEFING SYSTEM This invention relates to a
head-sail reefmg system for dinghies and other small sailing craft.
Head-sail reefing is well know and widely used on yachts and large sailing craft. Such a reefmg system comprises a top swivel, attached.to the head-sail halyard, a fix and ridged metal spar around which the sail farls and a furling drum attached to the bottom of the spar and the bow of the boat. Rotation of the furling drum by means of the furling line, causes the spar to rotate and the sail farls round the spar until the desired sail area is obtained. When the sail is not in use, the sail is ftirled completely round the spar and stored in place.
Fixed spar reefing systems are, however, impractical for dinghies. Dinghies are essentially small boats, easy to rig and de-rig and have no space to stow long aluminiurn tubes and furling gear when not in use.
According to the present invention there is provided a Flexible Reefing Tube that effectively replaces the fixed metal spar. When the head-sail is rigged on the dinghy, the Flexible Reefing Tube is drawn straight by the tension applied to the luff-wire of the head-sail by the halyard and the system then works in the same way as the fixed spar allowing the sail to be reefed as necessary. To remove and store the sail, the sail is completely furled round the Flexible Reefing Tube, the halyard is detached from the top swivel and the furling drum is released from the bow. Since the tube is flexible and will bend, the whole system, top swivel, tube, sail and farling drum can be coiled up and stowed in a normal sail bag. When the sail is next used the reverse process is followed and the sail is rig very quickly- I 1 2 A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 shows in perspective, the Flexible Reefing Tube with a slot running along its length, before the sail is attached to it.
Figure 2 shows in perspective, how the sail is attached to the Flexible Reefing Tube by sliding the luff-wire of the head-sail along the length of the tube.
Figure 3 sh6ws in perspective, the head-sail reefmg system in place on the dinghy with the sa fully furled.
Figure 4 shows in perspective, the head-sail reefing system in place on the dinghy with the sail fully unfurled.
Figure 5 shows in perspective, the head-sail reefing system in place on the dinghy with the sail reefed.
Figure 6 illustrates the sail coiled ready to be put in the sail bag.
Referring to the drawings: Figure 3, illustrates the reefing system which comprises a top swivel (10) the Flexible Reefing Tube (11) the furling drum (12) with furling line (13) and shackles to secure it at the top to the halyard (19) and at the bottom to the bow of the dinghy.
In order to fit the Flexible Reefing Tube to the sail, in Figure 2, the Luff-Wire (17) of the sail (16) is inserted into the tube (11) and then slid along the slot in the tube (18) so that the Luff-Wire lies inside the tube along the whole length of the sail.
In order to deploy the sail from the furled position, as in Figure 4, the furling line (13) is released from the cleat (14) and the j ib sheet (15) is pulled. The action of pulling on the jib sheet not only unfurls the, sail but also rotates the furling drum (12). As the furling drum rotates the furling line is drawn back onto the drum ready for refurling the sail. Figure 3 shows the head-sail fully deployed.
In order to reef the sail, Figure 5, the jib sheet (15) is released, the furling line (13) is pulled, which rotates the furling drum and the Flexible Reefing Tube, the sail is progressively furled round the tube. When the desired reefed sail area is achieved, the line is cleated (14) to hold the sail at that size.
In order to stow the sail in the sail bag, the sail is fully furled Figure 4, the complete reefing system removed from the dinghy and coiled, as in Figure 6, before being placed in the sail bag.
in order to ie-rig the sail on the dinghy, the furling drum is connected to the bow, the top swivel is shackled to the halyard (19) which is then hauled tight. The action of pulling the halyard puts tension in the luffwire pulling it straight which in turn straightens the Flexible Reefing Tube. The Head-sail is then ready to deploy when required.
1 2 k+

Claims (5)

1. A Dinghy Head-Sail Reefing system comprising of a Flexible Reefing Tube, the means of rotating the Reefing Tubel to enable the sail to be furled round it, and the means of securing the Ming line.
2. A Dinghy Head-Sail Reefing system as claimed in Claim I wherein provides the means of reducing the sail area of a head-sail by furling part of it round the Reefing Tube thereby leaving a smaller area exposed the obviating the need to replace the head-sail with a storm jib when the wind strengthens.
3. A Dinghy Head-Sail Reefing system as claimed in Claim I or Claim 2, wherein provides the means of ftuling the sail completely by rotating the furling drum by means of pulling the furling line until the sail has been completely furled round the Flexible Reefing Tube.
4. A Dinghy Head-Sail Reefing system as claimed in Claim I or Claim 3 wherein provides the means of storing the sail furled round the Flexible Reefing Tube by detaching the whole system (furling drum and line, Flexible Reefing Tube, sail and top swivel) from the dinghy, coiling the tube, still with the sail attached, and stowing in a normal sail bag.
5. A Dinghy Head-Sail Reefing system substantially as described herein with reference to Figures I to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
I I
GB9925504A 1999-10-29 1999-10-29 Dinghy head-sail reefing system Expired - Fee Related GB2355703B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9925504A GB2355703B (en) 1999-10-29 1999-10-29 Dinghy head-sail reefing system

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9925504A GB2355703B (en) 1999-10-29 1999-10-29 Dinghy head-sail reefing system

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9925504D0 GB9925504D0 (en) 1999-12-29
GB2355703A true GB2355703A (en) 2001-05-02
GB2355703B GB2355703B (en) 2003-04-23

Family

ID=10863532

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9925504A Expired - Fee Related GB2355703B (en) 1999-10-29 1999-10-29 Dinghy head-sail reefing system

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2355703B (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2411386A (en) * 2004-02-20 2005-08-31 Robert Paul Helyar A sailing vessel foresail reefing system
EP1580118A3 (en) * 2004-03-25 2006-01-18 Renzo Greghi Sail furling device
FR3028493A1 (en) * 2014-11-18 2016-05-20 La Voilerie - Petitjean Composites WINDING DEVICE FOR WINDING THE SAIL BEFORE A SAILBOAT

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5463970A (en) * 1995-03-13 1995-11-07 Harken, Inc. Furling foil for sailing vessel
US5787831A (en) * 1993-05-14 1998-08-04 Von Schwarzenfeld; Wolfgang Kraker Sail which can be rolled-up or reefed

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5787831A (en) * 1993-05-14 1998-08-04 Von Schwarzenfeld; Wolfgang Kraker Sail which can be rolled-up or reefed
US5463970A (en) * 1995-03-13 1995-11-07 Harken, Inc. Furling foil for sailing vessel

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2411386A (en) * 2004-02-20 2005-08-31 Robert Paul Helyar A sailing vessel foresail reefing system
GB2411386B (en) * 2004-02-20 2006-01-18 Robert Paul Helyar Foresail reefing system using a flexible luff spar
EP1580118A3 (en) * 2004-03-25 2006-01-18 Renzo Greghi Sail furling device
FR3028493A1 (en) * 2014-11-18 2016-05-20 La Voilerie - Petitjean Composites WINDING DEVICE FOR WINDING THE SAIL BEFORE A SAILBOAT

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2355703B (en) 2003-04-23
GB9925504D0 (en) 1999-12-29

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20101029