A shipping container includes a container configured to be secured onto a vessel or a vehicle. The shipping container further includes at least one wingsail stored in the container and configured to be unfolded to deploy from the container and folded to be stowed in the container,

Embodiments of the present apparatus and method feature a permanently fixed canted keel. The apparatus and method feature tacking maneuvers which shift the sail element and reverse the direction of the hull form.

Embodiments of the present apparatus and method feature a permanently fixed canted keel. The apparatus and method feature tacking maneuvers which shift the sail element and reverse the direction of the hull form.

A vehicle-based airborne wind turbine system having an aerial wing, a plurality of rotors each having a plurality of rotatable blades positioned on the aerial wing, an electrically conductive tether secured to the aerial wing and secured to a ground station positioned on a vehicle, wherein the aerial wing is adapted to receive electrical power from the vehicle that is delivered to the aerial wing through the electrically conductive tether; wherein the aerial wing is adapted to operate in a flying mode to harness wind energy to provide a first pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle; and wherein the aerial wing is also adapted to operate in a powered flying mode wherein the rotors may be powered so that the turbine blades serve as thrust-generating propellers to provide a second pulling force through the tether to pull the vehicle.

A portable sail for use with a paddle and paddle board, where one edge of the sail has a fastening portion that is reversibly affixed along the length of the paddle, while the opposite end of the sail is held by the user via a cord or handle. With paddle held upright on the surface of the paddle board with one hand, and controlling the end of the sail with the other hand, a user can capture the wind and propel the paddle board through the water. The rate of propulsion can be adjusted by partially wrapping the sail around the paddle to reduce the sail area exposed to the wind. Furthermore, the sail can be entirely wrapped around the paddle so the paddle can be used to manually propel the paddle board in the traditional manner.

A portable sail for use with a paddle and paddle board, where one edge of the sail has a fastening portion that is reversibly affixed along the length of the paddle, while the opposite end of the sail is held by the user via a cord or handle. With paddle held upright on the surface of the paddle board with one hand, and controlling the end of the sail with the other hand, a user can capture the wind and propel the paddle board through the water. The rate of propulsion can be adjusted by partially wrapping the sail around the paddle to reduce the sail area exposed to the wind. Furthermore, the sail can be entirely wrapped around the paddle so the paddle can be used to manually propel the paddle board in the traditional manner.

The present disclosure relates to a wing. More specifically, aspects of the invention relate to a variable shaped wing movable incrementally between a neutral configuration and a deformed configuration, wherein the wing takes a reflexed camber aerofoil section shape in the deformed configuration. The wing includes a first aerofoil segment and a second aerofoil segment having ends connected or fixed to one another at opposing neutral leading and trailing edges and spaced apart from one another along their lengths across a neutral mean camber line extending between the neutral leading and trailing edges to form a neutral aerofoil section of the wing. One or more actuators deform the wing between the neutral aerofoil section and a reflexed camber aerofoil section, with the first and second aerofoil segments being resilient to bias the wing towards an initial at rest aerofoil section.

A mast system for use with a sailing vessel including a flexible mast connected to a first point of the sailing vessel; a tether connected to a second point of the sailing vessel, the tether being further connected to the flexible mast, wherein the lengths of the tether and the flexible mast are sized to pull the flexible mast into an arch.

A mast system for use with a sailing vessel including a flexible mast connected to a first point of the sailing vessel; a tether connected to a second point of the sailing vessel, the tether being further connected to the flexible mast, wherein the lengths of the tether and the flexible mast are sized to pull the flexible mast into an arch.

A substantially hollow wingsail is configured to enable electrical components to be situated within the wingsail. In particular, the wingsail may be configured to contain the solar panels used to power the other electrical components of the vessel, as well as other items that are conventionally situated on the exterior of the vessel, such as antennas, navigation lights, and so on. The surface of the wingsail may include transparent or translucent areas to provide light to the solar panels, as well as optical and electromagnetic reflective areas within the wingsail to enhance the performance of the solar panels and antennas. The wingsail may also include an internal light that illuminates the translucent areas of the wingsail for enhanced visibility to other vessels.