A sailing vessel is disclosed which comprises a hull, a keel depending from the hull and a mast. A ballast bulb is provided at the lower end of the keel. A first control mechanisms is provided for rotating the ballast bulb about a transverse axis to change the angle of attack of the bulb. A second control mechanism is provided for rotating the bulb about a longitudinal axis of the vessel.

The present invention relates to a movable stay connected between a boom and the mast, capable of furling a sail, such as a headsail or jib. The furling and deployment movements should be proportional so the sail angle remains constant throughout use. By furling sails toward the mast and deck, the center of gravity for the sailboat is lowered. During a capsize or just harsh weather conditions, lower center of gravity helps in righting a ship or preventing it from capsizing in the first place. Other embodiments will allow for automatic detection of an anticipated capsize and an immediate automated furling of sails.

One embodiment of a deployable reversible camber sail system, based on a deployable shell (58) contained within a mast-sail assembly (11, 12) and supported and controlled by additional assemblies (13-15), is disclosed. The embodiment may be easily and quickly configured into the furled, feathered, port tack and starboard tack sail forms. In addition, this embodiment represents a highly efficient sail module which may be controlled by a single human operator or automated computer-based control system. Additional embodiments, utilizing assemblages of the first embodiment sail system module, are described.

A sailing vessel is disclosed which comprises a hull, a keel depending from the hull and a mast. A ballast bulb is provided at the lower end of the keel. A first control mechanisms is provided for rotating the ballast bulb about a transverse axis to change the angle of attack of the bulb. A second control mechanism is provided for rotating the bulb about a longitudinal axis of the vessel.

A dynamic optic includes at least one optic having a reservoir that is at least partially filled with a liquid and at least one light source disposed adjacent to the at least one optic. The upper surface of the liquid creates a total internal reflection surface that totally internally reflects light emitted by the at least one light source.

A standing rigging element, in particular a mast of a vessel, that has a closed profile, and a method of manufacturing the standing rigging element. The halves of the closed profile are made of layers of structural textile saturated with an epoxy resin and have a shape corresponding to the shape of the standing rigging element, after gluing. The mast includes a layer of photovoltaic modules as one of the laminate layers, with a flat set of flexible photovoltaic cells on the outer surface. Cables collecting electricity from photovoltaic modules are routed from each photovoltaic module to common collecting cables, connected to the electric power supply installation of the vessel. The photovoltaic module includes layers of structural textile, wherein one of the layers is a layer of flexible photovoltaic cells.

A dynamic optic includes at least one optic having a reservoir that is at least partially filled with a liquid and at least one light source disposed adjacent to the at least one optic. The upper surface of the liquid creates a total internal reflection surface that totally internally reflects light emitted by the at least one light source.

A method of manufacturing a sail body (3) for forming part of a wind assisted propulsion device (4), the method comprising the steps of: laying a first fabric (14), formed from first fibres, onto a mould (16) defining the shape of a part (2) of the sail body (3); laying a plurality of strips (22), formed from second fibres, onto a surface of the first fabric (14) such that at least some of the second fibres extend longitudinally along the sail body (3).