The present invention is directed broadly to a marine vessel (10) comprising a deck (12) mounted to a hull (14) together with a sail (16) coupled to the marine vessel (10) via a mast base assembly (18). The mast base assembly (18) comprises a mast tilt assembly (22). The mast base assembly (18) also comprises a mast base mounting (20) to which the mast tilt assembly (22) is pivotally mounted for movement about a tilt axis (24) between stowed and operative positions. The mast base assembly (18) further comprises a sail slew assembly (26) mounted to the sail (16) associated with the marine vessel (10). The sail slew assembly (26) is operatively coupled to the mast tilt assembly (22) for slewing of the sail (16). The sail (16) is rotated or slewed about a slew axis (28) of the mast tilt assembly (22) to reorient the sail (16) relative to the marine vessel (10).

Disclosed, as a device for correcting the horizontality of the small ship according to the present invention, is a device for controlling the horizontality of a small ship by using a variable mast, the device comprising: a tilt sensing unit for sensing the tilt of the small ship; a position adjustment unit formed such that at least a portion thereof can move in the horizontal direction on the deck of the small ship, and having a separate mast loaded on an upper part thereof to support the mast such that the mast is located at a predetermined height or higher; and a horizontality control unit for correcting the center of gravity of the small ship by adjusting a position of the mast through the position adjustment unit in correspondence to the tilt sensed by the tilt sensing unit.

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 keel canting mechanism for a sailing vessel having a hull, a keel and a mast is disclosed. The mechanism comprises a worm gear co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the vessel about which the keel rotates during a canting movement. There is a double enveloping worm in mesh with the worm gear and means for driving the worm. The worm gear is fast with the keel and, when rotated by the worm, displaces the keel through a canting movement. The gear has a plurality of holes in it into which pins can be inserted to lock the gear, and hence the keel, in the position to which it has been moved by the worm.

A submersible vessel having wing and keel assemblies that are extendable for wind-powered surface operation and retractable to reduce drag for submerged operation or to place the vessel in a more compact configuration. A deployment mechanism including an actuator and linkage pivots the wing and keel assemblies simultaneously between the deployed and retracted configuration. The vessel may have first and second pressure hulls flanking the wing and keel assemblies. A drive mechanism including a motor and a gear train employing pulley-and-cable assemblies rotates either the wing and flap together such that the flap angle relative to the wing is constant, or to change the flap angle relative to the wing with the wing angle of incidence held constant. The invention also provides a retractable wind-powered propulsion apparatus that is mountable to the hull assembly of a submersible or non-submersible vessel.

A pivoting mast device is disclosed for pivoting a mast relative to a surface. The pivoting mast device comprises a mast pivot pivotably coupling the mast to the surface. A lower wheel is rotatably coupled adjacent to a proximal end of the mast. An upper wheel is rotatably coupled adjacent to a distal end of the mast. A linkage couples the lower wheel to the upper wheel. A drive is coupled to the lower wheel for displacing the linkage. An upper traveler slideably engages the mast and is coupled to the headstay. A lower traveler slidably engages the mast and is coupled to the linkage. A lowering stay is secured to the surface and the lowering traveler. A mast lowering displacement is defined by the lower traveler and the upper traveler in a descending direction. A mast raising displacement is defined by the lower traveler in a ascending direction.

A wingsail comprising: a first aerofoil having a leading edge at a front of the wingsail and a trailing edge behind the front edge; and a second aerofoil having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge of the second aerofoil being closer than the trailing edge of the second aerofoil to a point of maximum cross-sectional width of the second aerofoil; wherein the wingsail is configured such that the leading edge of the second aerofoil can be positioned behind the trailing edge of the first aerofoil; wherein the first aerofoil comprises: an air inlet; an air outlet; a channel inside the first aerofoil connecting the air inlet and the air outlet; wherein air flow from the air inlet is directed by the channel to the air outlet.