An oblong cantilevered support includes a pair of latitudinally spaced apart oblong resilient members connected by a pair of longitudinally spaced apart blocks. The longitudinal spacing between the blocks can be adjusted. One or both of the members can have a tapered profile causing the stiffness of the member to vary along its length. Adjusting the spacing between the blocks and/or sliding a variable stiffness member longitudinally with respect to the blocks can adjust the stiffness of the overall support. Each member can be made from a unitary piece of fiber composite material such as a carbon fiber infused polymer wherein the orientations of the fibers are varied to provide both bending and torsional strength and stiffness that varies along the length of the member. The tapered geometry can be formed by a pair of parallely spaced apart oblique trapezoidal truncated pyramids interconnected by a webbing strip.

Cambering device for a profiled sail including:—an elastically deformable semi-rigid structure, including: —two length sections, extending one in front of the other, forming respectively a first length section secured to a first surface of the profiled sail, and a second length section secured to a second surface of the profiled sail, —a U-shaped connecting section, connecting together the two length sections terminating at the trailing edge by a tensioning of one of the two free ends, —a spacing system configured for working in compression and in tension, for maintaining a separation between the two length sections, —the action of the actuator, connecting together the two free ends of the semi-rigid structure.

An oblong, resilient, semi-rigid cantilevered support member can have a pair of spaced apart tapering rods joined by a medial webbing strip. The strip can have a substantially planar back surface tangent with the back edges of the tapering rods to form a substantially quadrangular and planar back side to the member albeit with rounded side edges. The strip can have a generally trapezoidal front surface that is scalloped in a concave manner. The member can be made from a unitary piece of fiber composite material where the orientations of the fibers are varied to provide both bending and torsional strength and stiffness that varies along the length of the member. The member can be coupled to a second latitudinally spaced apart oblong resilient member connected by a pair of longitudinally spaced apart blocks for greater adjustability.

A sail for the propulsion of elements of transport, which comprises a sheet-like body made of flexible material which is connected, along one of its edges, to a supporting mast, connected to an element of transport. At least one stiffening rib is associated with the sheet-like body and is accommodated in a respective pocket which is formed in the sheet-like body and extends for at least one portion of the sheet-like body comprised between the supporting mast and the edge of the sheet-like body that is opposite to the one connected to the supporting mast; the rib has, or can assume on command, a substantially arc-like shape adapted to generate lift. Elements are further provided for varying the orientation of a concave part of the rib with respect to the supporting mast.

A sail for the propulsion of elements of transport, which comprises a sheet-like body made of flexible material which is connected, along one of its edges, to a supporting mast, connected to an element of transport. At least one stiffening rib is associated with the sheet-like body and is accommodated in a respective pocket which is formed in the sheet-like body and extends for at least one portion of the sheet-like body comprised between the supporting mast and the edge of the sheet-like body that is opposite to the one connected to the supporting mast; the rib has, or can assume on command, a substantially arc-like shape adapted to generate lift. Elements are further provided for varying the orientation of a concave part of the rib with respect to the supporting mast.

Disclosed is a sail comprising a head, a tack, and a luff extending between the head and the tack; a luff region extending along the luff; wherein the luff region has a significantly higher degree of elasticity compared to the average elasticity of a remainder of the sail. Also disclosed is a method of making a sail comprising laying out material to form the sail; arranging material in a luff region of the sail and in the remainder of the sail such that in the direction of the luff, the luff region has a higher degree of elasticity compared to the remainder of the sail; curing or sewing the sail to form a cohesive structure.

A sail includes at least two layers (36, 37) arranged side by side to form an aerodynamic profile. The wing includes at least one profiling device adapted to modify the aerodynamic profile.

A sail includes at least two layers (36, 37) arranged side by side to form an aerodynamic profile. The wing includes at least one profiling device adapted to modify the aerodynamic profile.

A sail for the propulsion of elements of transport, which comprises a sheet-like body made of flexible material which is connected, along one of its edges, to a supporting mast, connected to an element of transport. At least one stiffening rib is associated with the sheet-like body and is accommodated in a respective pocket which is formed in the sheet-like body and extends for at least one portion of the sheet-like body comprised between the supporting mast and the edge of the sheet-like body that is opposite to the one connected to the supporting mast; the rib has, or can assume on command, a substantially arc-like shape adapted to generate lift. Elements are further provided for varying the orientation of a concave part of the rib with respect to the supporting mast.

A sail for the propulsion of elements of transport, which comprises a sheet-like body made of flexible material which is connected, along one of its edges, to a supporting mast, connected to an element of transport. At least one stiffening rib is associated with the sheet-like body and is accommodated in a respective pocket which is formed in the sheet-like body and extends for at least one portion of the sheet-like body comprised between the supporting mast and the edge of the sheet-like body that is opposite to the one connected to the supporting mast; the rib has, or can assume on command, a substantially arc-like shape adapted to generate lift. Elements are further provided for varying the orientation of a concave part of the rib with respect to the supporting mast.