SI22790A - Foldable mast assembly with sail for sailing kayak of trimaran construction - Google Patents

Abstract

The foldable mast with sail for sailing kayaks of trimaran construction solves the problem of implementing a foldable mast assembly with sail for a sailing kayak in a way which in the folded position enables unhindered paddling and when in place quality sailing. The foldable mast assembly with sail consists of a mast (13) with sail (14) and two mast supports (9) and (10) which serve as a support for the mast in active position during sailing. The mast supports are on one end interconnected, while on their free ends they are attached to floaters (2) and (3) via flexible attachment points (7) and (8). In the folded position the mast supports and the mast with folded sail are resting on the stern. In the active position which enables sailing the mast and the mast supports provide a stable three-legged construction. With it the foot of the mast (16) is attached to the front (21), while the set-up of the mast assembly is performed by a straining rope (19) and a hoisting rope (12) which are then attached via straining mechanisms (23) and (24). The mast assembly with sail can be set and folded easily during navigation, while the setting up and folding is enabled from the boat's cockpit by way of straining and hoisting ropes.

Description

FOLDING MAJOR ASSEMBLY FOR A SAILING KAYAK TRIMARAN BUILDING

Subject of the Invention [001] The object of the invention is a collapsible mast assembly with a sail for a sailing kayak of a trimaran building. The mast assembly is intended as an accessory for a trimaran kayak with symmetrically positioned side floats. Folding mast assembly with the sail in the set state enables sailing and in the folded state rowing freely. A sailing kayak with such a folding mast is intended for navigation on calm waters (sea, lakes) by rowing and by sail.

Technical Problem [002] A technical problem solved by the invention is the construction of a collapsible mast assembly with a sailing kayak in a manner that enables smooth rowing in the folded state and quality sailing in the set state. The mast assembly with the sail must be easily foldable and foldable during the voyage, and it must be possible to mount and fold from the kayak cockpit in a way that does not require getting up from the seat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [003] The known solutions are of several types and are described in the following patents: FR2589815 (Rousseau Herve),

US3777690 (William Wilson Garber),

US3902443 (Hugh McDougall),

US4621587 (Peter J. Pool),

US4646669 (Mark S. Frank),

US4751889 (Peter J. Pool),

US4809629 (Werner W. Martinmaas),

US4958582 (James L. Vermillion, Sally M. Forrest),

US5377607 (Gerald S. Ross),

US5657713 (James W. Rovvlett),

US6240865 (Richard L. Hubbard),

US6390013 (Christoper P. Cornell),

US6427619 (Christoper P. Cornell),

US6457430 (David Drabkin),

US6615758 (Robert Carl Blad),

US6655314 (Gary D. Housley, Andrew Boyle, Spencer Shinkfield, James Barker), US6807919 (Timothy Addis Thomsen),

US6892660 (Greg Ketterman),

US6986318 (Evelyn S. Sawyer),

US7165501 (Thomas L. Voomer),

P-200700267 (Primoz Potocnik).

[004] The aforementioned patents address in various ways the problem of a collapsible mast assembly with a kayak sail or a smaller vessel. From the review of existing patents, as well as from the review of the offer of global manufacturers of sailing kayaks and It is apparent that the proposed invention solves the described technical problem in a new way.

Solution to a Technical Problem According to the invention, the problem is solved by the construction of a collapsible mast assembly, consisting of a mast on which a sail of any shape is attached, and of two mast supports forming a stable unit with the mast. The collapsible mast assembly with sail is intended for use on a kayak trimaran structure with a central main hull and auxiliary side floats mounted on the sides of the main hull. The floats are designed to increase the stability of the vessel, both during rowing and sailing. Each of the mast supports is fixed to one of the side floats by a movable assembly, and the remaining ends of the mast supports are interconnected and, in a folded position, rest on the stern of the main hull. The sail is folded around the mast in the folded position and rests on the stern of the main hull, and when positioned in the active position, the heel of the mast must first be fixed to the bow of the main hull and then raised with the help of both mast supports into the active position, which enables sailing. The mast supports, like the mast, are made of solid material (not rope or steel braid) and together with the mast they form a stable tripod structure that supports the raised sail without additional tensioning ropes. Fitting and folding the mast assembly with a sail is possible from the cockpit of the vessel during the voyage without moving the driver out of the seat.

[006] The invention will be described in the embodiment and figures showing FIG. 1: gliding kayak with folded mast assembly, floor plan FIG. 2: gliding kayak with folded mast assembly, lateral drawing. FIG. 3: gliding kayak with raised mast assembly; : mast kayak with mast assembly, lateral Figure 5: mast assembly, first phase en 6: mast assembly, second phase [007] Folding mast with sail is intended for use on a kayak of a trimaran structure consisting of a main hull 1 and two lateral floats 2 and 3 connected to the crossbar 4. The preferred mode of use dictates that the kayak of the trimaran building is demountable for easier transportation by car. The driver sits in the cockpit 5, which is located in the middle of the main hull. The connecting bar 4 is located at the stern of the main fuselage and must be designed in such a way as to allow unimpeded rowing by allowing sufficient space 6 on either side of the fuselage for unobstructed curtain. The lateral floats 2 and 3, located at the free ends of the crossbar 4, allow the vessel to be in a stable position during sailing and rowing, and serve as anchorages 7 and 8 for mast supports 9 and 10 of the collapsible mast assembly. The anchorages 7 and 8 are made of movable elements that allow masts to move freely in any direction. The mast supports 9 and 10 are any poles connected at the other end, and the joint 11 rests in a folded position on the stern of the main hull. Thus, the mast supports form together the shape of the letter "V", whose axes are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vessel. The mast supports may be joined in any manner, and in the preferred embodiment, the ends of the mast supports are provided with ears, which are then connected to the end of the lifting rope 12, intended for raising the mast assembly to the active position.

[008] The mast 13 is an arbitrary pole and a sail 14 of any shape is attached to it in any way. It is desirable that in the folded position of the mast assembly the sail can be wrapped around the mast so that it does not float or fall into the water, so such a preferred embodiment constitutes an obstacle to the use of slats to improve the sail profile. The use of slats should only be considered in a way that allows the sail to be wrapped around the mast, as shown in Figure 4, slats 15 to increase the surface of the sail. The mast 13 in the folded position rests freely on the stern of the main hull. In the folded position, the heel of the mast 16 is located just behind the cockpit, and the top of the mast 17 rests on the joint of mast supports 9 and 10, which also prevent the mast from slipping from the stern into the water. From the mast support joint, a lifting rope 12 is routed to the bow of the vessel, the lifting rope being passed through the ear 18 at the upper part of the mast, which enables lifting of the mast assembly in active position by means of a lifting rope 12. The mast 16 is also against the bow. Vessel rope 19, which allows the mast to be fastened to the bow of the vessel. A movable lath 20 is attached to the bow of the main hull, on which are located two ears 21 and 22 intended for clamping the lifting rope 12 and the tensioning rope 19. The first ear 21 is intended for attaching the fifth mast 16 to the bow via the tensioning rope 19, and the second ear 22 is intended for raising the mast assembly to an active position via the lifting rope 12. The ears 21 and 22 may also be fixed, preferably in a movable lane 20 which allows the movement of both ears in order to fine tune the sailing characteristics of the vessel. The lifting and tensioning ropes are guided to the bow below the cockpit flange intended to accommodate the roof, so they do not interfere with driver activity. Both ropes through the ears 21 and 22 are finally fastened in front of the cockpit by means of tensioning mechanisms 23 and 24. This method of mounting allows the driver to operate the entire mast assembly from the cockpit of the vessel, the cockpit being covered by a roof. The guidance of the vessel is by means of rudder 25, which is located at the stern of the main hull and is operated in a known manner via a foot control mechanism. It is usually installed inside the boat and is operated by the feet.

[009] The process of placing the mast assembly with the sail in an active position to allow sailing begins with the movement of the mast heel 16 through the tensioning rope 19 to the ear 21. The tensioning rope 19 must then be fastened with a tensioning mechanism.

23. This concludes the first phase of the mast assembly. In the second stage of the installation, it is first necessary to untie the folded sail 14, which is wrapped around the mast 13, and then lift the mast assembly with the sail into an active position via a lifting rope 12 running over the ear 18 at the upper part of the mast. By tightening the lifting rope, the mast assembly with the sail is placed in the final active position that enables sailing. Lastly, the lifting rope 12 must be fastened with a tensioning mechanism 24. To increase the surface, the sail may have an additional lath 15 and an additional lath 26 at the lower edge, through which the sail is also tightened to the correct sailing position. Tightening the sail via the lower lath 26 can be further enhanced by an additional tension rope 27. In the position set, the sail is stably mounted on a tripod mast assembly consisting of mast 13 and mast supports 9 and 10.

[010] Folding a mast assembly with a sail follows the reverse procedure, such as erection. It is first necessary to release the hoist tensioner 24, thus releasing the mast structure of the mast assembly. The mast is then lowered to the main hull of the vessel. The mast supports 9 and 10 are then lowered to the stern of the vessel. When all the assemblies are laid on the vessel, the sail should be folded around the mast so that it does not later interfere with rowing by floating on the water. It is best to fix the twisted sail to the mast with an additional elastic tensioner. It is then necessary to release the tensioner 23 holding the tensioning rope 19 and move the mast with the sail back to the stern of the vessel. This will free up enough space to continue sailing through rowing. If necessary, the rigged mast can be fixed with an additional rig on the stern just behind the cockpit. Also, mast assembly with a sail is entirely possible from the cockpit, which means that the sailing and stacking procedure can also be performed while sailing in open waters without landing.

[011] Preferably, for the main hull of a trimaran design kayak, a competitive kayak for calm waters is extremely fast, and the instability of such a kayak is offset by lateral floats. This maintains a high speed of navigation with high stability of the vessel. The floats should be hydrodynamically shaped. The connecting bar for fastening the floats to the kayak should preferably have a fastening with hand screws, which enables quick manual assembly and disassembly and easy transportation by car. The kayak cockpit should be covered with a rooftop that prevents water from entering the vessel. The mast assembly should preferably be made of circular hollow sections made of carbon fibers, which allow the minimum mass of the assembly with sufficient structural strength. The sail should be made of a durable fabric, adapted for sail making and fitted with a transparent window for a better view of the surroundings of the vessel. The tripod structure of the mast assembly limits the opening of the sail to about 60 degrees, which in practice does not hinder windsurfing, since the upper part of the sail can open up to the full 90 degrees. The paddle should be secured to the vessel with a safety harness to prevent any loss of the paddle while sailing.

Claims (3)

PATENT APPLICATIONS 1. A collapsible mast assembly with a sail for a kayak of a trimaran structure, comprising a kayak of the main hull (1) and two side floats (2, 3) mounted at the free ends of the crossbar (4) extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the main hull (1) behind the cockpit (5), such that it crosses (4) and the float (2, 3) to form an unobstructed space (6) for rowing, the kayak also having the rudder (25) preferably provided for foot control, but may also be manual and that a mast assembly with any sail (14) can be folded and / or disassembled on board, characterized in that the mast assembly is made of two mast supports (9, 10) in terms of masts , which are rotatably and / or individually interconnected at one end within the meaning of letter V, the free ends of which are rotatably mounted on the floats (2, 3) at the anchorages (7, 8) so that the intersection ( 11) both supports (9, 10) always on the longitudinal symmetry of the hull (1), further from the mast (13) to the shape i A pole on which any sail (14) is mounted in any way, and two ropes (12, 19) running through the ears (21, 22) mounted on the hull bow (1) and intended to be fixed in the tensioners (23, 24), with the rope (12) running through the ear (18) on the mast (13) and fixed at the intersection (11) with the opposite end (9, 10) while the free end of the second rope (19) ) fixed at the lower end (16) of the mast (13). 2. Folding mast assembly with sail for a kayak of a trimaran building, characterized in that the mast supports (9, 10) and the mast (13) are upright in their active state by contacting the junction (11) on the mast (13) and the ear (18) and are fixed to each other by a tightened rope (12) which is fixed in the tensioner (24) and that the lower end (16) of the mast (13) is fixed at the ear (21) by a tightened rope (19), which is fixed in the tensioner (23). 3. Folding mast assembly with sail for a kayak of a trimaran building, characterized in that in their passive state the mast supports (9, 10) are rotated against the stern of the hull (1) so that the junction (11) lies on the hull deck (1). ), and the mast (13) with the sail (14) is also located on the hull deck (1) at its longitudinal symmetry such that a rope (12) running inside the sail (13) wrapped around the mast (14) is clamped. ) and with a tensioner (24) fixed, thereby positioning the junction (11) and the apex of the mast (13) with the sail (14) close together and interconnected.