A rigging comprises a mast controllably about a longitudinal axis; a flexible sail comprising a starboard and port flexible sail portions; a plurality of elongated battens which extend a luff and a leach of sail portions; each batten is pivotally connected to a respective outermost part of the respective side of the mast. Rotation of the mast causes the battens connected to one of the sail portions to be compressed along their length and causes the battens connected of the other sail portions to be tensioned along their length so as to change the shape of an aerofoil formed by the sail.

A wing-type sail system is provided. The system includes a mast assembly pivotally mounted on a swiveling base attachable to a craft and a substantially rigid multi-element asymmetric wing pivotally attached to a top of the mast assembly. The system further includes a control mechanism for modifying roll and yaw of the substantially rigid wing with respect to the craft.

A rigging for a wind-propelled vessel includes: a rotating airfoil-shaped mast; a sail movably coupled to a trailing edge of the airfoil-shaped mast and configured to be hoisted or lowered along the airfoil-shaped mast; a swiveling masthead coupled to a top section of the airfoil-shaped mast; and a plurality of stays supporting the airfoil-shaped mast, each stay having a first end connected to the swiveling masthead and a second end connected to a hull of the vessel.

A rotatable mast system for a sailing craft wherein a lower section of the mast is mounted for rotation in upper and lower bearings fixed to the body of the sailing craft spaced along the length of the lower mast section. The upper section of the mast is removable from the lower section for purposes of servicing, repairing or replacing the upper section of the mast. The lower section of the mast remains in the sailing craft for future use and does not have to be removed while the upper mast section is removed for servicing, repair or replacement, etc. However if desired, the lower mast section may be removed by itself or with the upper section. The lower section of the mast may be made from aluminum and it also includes attachments for connecting a boom and the rigging to the lower section of the mast.

A method for treating an inflammatory disease or an immune disorder includes administering to a subject in need of such treatment an antagonist against ENO1. The antagonist binds ENO1 and inhibits ENO1 plasminogen receptor activity. The antagonist may be an anti-human ENO1 antibody, or an scFv, Fab, or F(ab).sub.2 fragment thereof, that specifically binds to human ENO1 (GenBank: AAH50642.1) for the treatment of an inflammatory disease or an immune disorder, which may be multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, systemic Lupus erythematosus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, allergy, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, artherosclerosis or osteoporosis.

The invention relates to a vessel comprising a wind propulsion unit (100) that is elongate in a vertical direction when in the operating position comprising propulsive elements (111, 112) and a mast (121).

The invention relates to a tilt device comprising a base (210) that is rigidly attached to a proximal region of the mast (121) of a unit, which tilt device rotates on a horizontal main axis (A) on a support (220) attached to a deck of the vessel, a tilt control device (216, 217) causing the base to rotate relative to the support, which tilt control device comprises a first actuator (217) capable of generating a linear force in a horizontal direction and a redirection element (216) connecting the actuator to the base (210) in order to exert a force on the base in a first region (218) located at a distance from the main axis, and a locking device (300) for locking the base (210) to the support element (220), which locking device comprises a second actuator (310) that is capable of exerting, in a second region (215) of the base (218), a retaining force in the vertical direction.

The wind propulsion unit (100) can be moved, by virtue of the one or more first actuators (217), between an inactive position, wherein it extends along the deck of the vessel and an erect position, the locking device (300) being capable of contributing to holding the unit in its active position.

An apparatus (206), including: a support (206) having: a strut (204) with a sleeve (214) disposed at a lower end (212); and a base (200) configured to be secured to the strut via a pivot joint (210) therebetween. The base has a fin (202) configured to fit within and cooperate with the sleeve to enable the strut to pivot about an axis of rotation (220) of the pivot joint while maintaining a cant angle (222) that is less than 90 relative to the axis of rotation. The fin includes a first fin section (230) that extends circumferentially about the axis of rotation and a second fin section (232) that extends circumferentially about the axis of rotation. The second fin section is disposed axially offset from the first fin section and radially outward from the first fin section relative to the axis of rotation.

The invention relates to a vessel comprising a wind propulsion unit (100) that is elongate in a vertical direction when in the operating position comprising propulsive elements (111, 112) and a mast (121). The invention relates to a tilt device comprising a base (210) that is rigidly attached to a proximal region of the mast (121) of a unit, which tilt device rotates on a horizontal main axis (A) on a support (220) attached to a deck of the vessel, a tilt control device (216, 217) causing the base to rotate relative to the support, which tilt control device comprises a first actuator (217) capable of generating a linear force in a horizontal direction and a redirection element (216) connecting the actuator to the base (210) in order to exert a force on the base in a first region (218) located at a distance from the main axis, and a locking device (300) for locking the base (210) to the support element (220), which locking device comprises a second actuator (310) that is capable of exerting, in a second region (215) of the base (218), a retaining force in the vertical direction. The wind propulsion unit (100) can be moved, by virtue of the one or more first actuators (217), between an inactive position, wherein it extends along the deck of the vessel and an erect position, the locking device (300) being capable of contributing to holding the unit in its active position.

A system for mast alignment includes a mounting bracket assembly and a laser emitter connected to the bracket assembly. The bracket assembly mounts to a sailboat boom. The laser emitter projects a vertical laser beam along a length of a sailboat mast when the mounting bracket assembly is mounted to the sailboat boom. A method for mast alignment includes attaching the laser emitter to the bracket assembly; strapping the bracket assembly to the sailboat boom; projecting the vertical laser beam on a rear of the sailboat mast; and adjusting turnbuckles of shrouds and/or stays until the laser beam extends along a center of more than half of a height of the sailboat mast.