STRAIGHTENING EFFECT SAIL

Abstract

A cruise or race boat sail able to create a straightening effect on the hull that is able to be configured, when used, to take the attitude, with at least a first portion having a first curvature, and at least a second portion having a second curvature, opposed with respect to the first one, where the second portion is the upper portion of the sail and includes at least two superimposed skins that can take different attitudes according to profiles having different curvatures.

Claims

1. Straightening effect sail for pleasure or racing boats, wherein it is configured to arrange, in a use condition, with at least one first portion having a first curvature, and at least one second portion having a second curvature, opposite with respect to the first one.

2. Straightening effect sail for pleasure or racing boats according to claim 1 wherein it is configured to arrange itself, in a use condition, with one a first portion having a curved wing profile with its concavity facing toward the windward side of the sail, and a second portion having a curved wing profile configured to arrange itself, in use, with its concavity facing toward the downwind side of the sail.

3. Sail according to claim 2, wherein said first portion is provided in the lower area of the sail and said second portion is provided in the upper area of the sail.

4. Sail according to claim 3, wherein said second portion comprises at least two superimposed skins.

5. Sail according to claim 4, wherein said portion comprising at least two superimposed skins is provided in the upper area of the sail.

6. Sail according to claim 5, wherein said skins of said second portion of said sail are joined together at least in correspondence of the sail hoist intended to be coupled with the mast.

7. Sail according to claim 6, wherein said skins of said second portion of said sail are joined together also in correspondence of the lower edge of said second portion of said sail.

8. Sail according to claim 7, further comprising a base, a hoist, a leech and a head, said lower edge of said second portion of said sail being inclined with respect to the direction identified by said base.

9. Sail according to claim 8, wherein said lower edge of said second portion of said sail is inclined so as to define a shorter length section in correspondence of the hoist of the sail and a longer length section in correspondence of the leech of the sail.

10. Sail according to claim 9, further comprising a tensioning mechanism for adjusting the position of said skins.

11. Sail according to claim 10, wherein said tensioning mechanism comprising a cable connecting the leech of each of said skins to the end of one of the cross-tree of the mast.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Further advantages and features will be more clearly understood from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive embodiment of the sail according to the disclosure, shown for illustrative purposes with the help of the enclosed drawings, wherein:

[0030] FIGS. 1 and 2 show the general concepts referred to the sail shape and the thrusting action generated by the wind on the sail as a function of the sail shape;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the wind gradient with respect to the altitude;

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the concepts of true wind, apparent wind, boat speed, advancement wind and sail buckling angle;

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a vector diagram relative to the thrusting force generated on the sail downwind side, and the upwash and downwash concepts;

[0034] FIGS. 6A-6C show, in a schematic top view, profiles of the sail skins according to the disclosure with the increase of the wind;

[0035] FIGS. 6D and 6E show, in a top schematic view, the curve inversion occurring in the upper sail portion, wherein by the cross-hatched line it has been indicated the lower portion of the sail;

[0036] FIG. 6F shows, always in a schematic top view, the curve inversion occurring in the sail upper portion compared with the jennaker curvature;

[0037] FIG. 7 is a schematic lateral view of the sail according to the present disclosure;

[0038] FIGS. 8 and 9 are two bottom views of the sail from which it is noted the inversion of the upper portion of the sail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] Referring to the enclosed figures, the straightening effect sail according to the present disclosure, generically indicated by reference number 1, comprises a cruise or race boat sail 1, which, thanks to its particular configuration, has a straightening effect on the boat, effect not present in known sails.

[0040] More particularly, sail 1 according to the disclosure is characterized in that it is configured to take an attitude, when used, with at least a first portion 10 having a first curvature, and at least a second portion 20 having a second curvature, opposed with respect to the first one.

[0041] Thus the disclosure resides in a sail with a curvature inversion, particularly wherein the curvature inversion occurs in the upper portion of the sail, provided toward the tip of the sail, beyond its half, with respect to the curvature of the lower portion of the sail.

[0042] Further, sail 1 according to the disclosure is characterized in that it is configured to take an attitude, when used, with a first portion 10 having a curved wing profile with its concavity faced toward the windward side of the sail, and a second portion 20 having a curved wing profile with its concavity faced downwind the sail.

[0043] Thus, sail 1 according to the disclosure can give to the head, i.e. the top vertex of the sail, the capability of generating a straightening moment. The sail head is the most efficient point to apply a straightening force or, as taught by the disclosure, in order to reduce the heeling force.

[0044] Thanks to the particular configuration of the sail according to the disclosure, in the downwind zone of the sail a wing profile is realized, particularly in the upper zone of the sail, close to the head, having a concavity opposed with respect to the windward wing profile which, as it will be indicated as follows, could also become a linear profile.

[0045] This result is obtained, according to the preferred embodiment of the disclosure illustrated by way of example, due to the presence in the upper part of the sail of two flaps, or fabric skins.

[0046] More particularly, a second skin, or layer, of fabric will be advantageously configured to arrange itself according to a curved wing profile in the downwind side of the wing. Said second skin is advantageously distinguished from a first skin that will result, when in use, windward, and will separate in the upper portion, or head, of the sail creating a curve having curvature opposite with respect to the curvature of the windward skin.

[0047] Particularly, if the windward sail has a concavity faced towards the windward side of the sail, the second skin that is on the downwind side of the sail can assume a curvature equal to the windward skin, a neutral curvature, or a curvature opposite with respect to that of the windward skin, i.e. with a concavity facing the downwind side of the sail.

[0048] Preferably, according to what is here illustrated by way of example, the sail 1 according to the disclosure is characterized in that it comprises a first portion 10 in the lower area of the sail 1, and a second portion 20 in the upper area of the sail 1.

[0049] Thus, preferably, the portion in the upper zone of the sail comprises two superimposed skins 20a, 20b.

[0050] More specifically, and with reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C which show a top schematic view of the sail 1, inferred in a mast A, in different wind conditions F, with the same track (thus maintaining the angle of incidence of the wind relative to the sail constant) the sail 1 according to the disclosure, particularly the two skins 20a, 20b of the upper portion 20 of the sail, may assume different configurations depending on the intensity of the wind.

[0051] The upper part of the sail comprising, as already said, two separate skins 20a, 20b, one windward and the other downwind with respect to the flow, will be arranged according to one of the mode shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C.

[0052] Advantageously, both skins 20a, 20b have the same size (surface), however, while the windward skin 20a in the figures normally works like a traditional wing, the downwind skin 20b can, under certain conditions, bend differently than the windward one, even exactly in a contrary manner, and depending on its curve, which can be controlled for example by a tensioning mechanism, not shown, it produces a straightening moment on the boat.

[0053] Tensioning mechanism can advantageously be for example comprised by a cable connecting the leech of each skins 20a, 20b to the end of a cross-tree on the corresponding side of the mast.

[0054] Overall, in correspondence with the head, as a result of what has been described, there will be a minor thrust effect to the advancement, however mitigated by a more favorable upwash (that is a favorable deviation of the air flow hitting the sail), but the straightening component will be so high, being positioned at the upper end of the sail, i.e. the head, to produce greater efficiency on the overall equation, improving the VMG.

[0055] The straightening effect of the sail according to the present disclosure gives an advantage in structural terms in the design of the hull that will be able to take into account a lower heeling force, so that the bulb and/or the foils can be of reduced weight and size.

[0056] The downwind skin, in the example of the figures indicated with reference number 20b, can be regulated or put under tension in different ways depending on the intensity of the airflow hitting the sail.

[0057] By way of example, and with particular reference to FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C, with low flow intensity regimes, the two curves defined by skins 20a and 20b are coincident without the downwind skin 20b detaching from the windward skin 20a forming different curves. In this condition, which for example can occur for wind intensity from 0 to 10 knots and which is shown in FIG. 6A, there is therefore a single curve.

[0058] As the wind increases (FIG. 6B, about 10-15 wind knots, and 6C, about 15-20 wind knots) the downwind skin 20b can be detached from the windward skin 20a giving rise to a downwind thrust creating a straightening moment on the boat which has the effect of increasing the lift and reducing the heeling force.

[0059] The innovation produces a straightening effect and in the backwind tracks, it allows to have a sizing (in terms of design and structure or adjustment) of the bulb and the lower foils: the boat also increases its VMG in backwind tracks where the skidding effect will be lower. The described inversion of the curve allows in the backwind tracks both to generate if necessary a straightening moment and to close the channel with the overlapping sails used at these speeds (spinnaker, jennaker, kite and codozero). This effect, illustrated in FIG. 6F, increases the advancement thrust due to the amplitude reduction of the channel created between the jennaker 30 and the mainsail 1, due to the curvature of the downwind skin 20b of the same mainsail 1.

[0060] As it can be noted, in fact, the downwind skin 20b by assuming a curvature opposite with respect to the windward skin 20a will define a channel of width A between mainsail and kite/jennaker lower than the width B of the channel defined by the windward skin 20a, so as to determine an acceleration of the airflow between the two sails and, therefore, an increase of the apparent wind on the kite/jennaker.

[0061] The above causes the increase of the VGM of a boat.

[0062] As already said, and with reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C wherein the apparent wind is indicated by F, the configuration of the windward 20a and downwind 20b curves will vary with the variation of the apparent wind intensity.

[0063] FIG. 6A shows a condition of low wind intensity: the curve defined by the windward skin 20a is arranged with the concavity facing the windward side of the sail and the downwind skin 20b follows the same arrangement.

[0064] FIG. 6B shows a condition of average wind intensity: the curve defined by the windward skin 20a is still arranged with the concavity facing the windward side of the sail even if it will have a more flattened shape, with a less accentuated concavity, while the downwind skin 20b will detach from the upper skin 20a by arranging itself with the concavity towards the downwind side, which is therefore opposite with respect to the concavity of the windward skin 20a.

[0065] Finally, FIG. 6C shows a condition of high wind intensity: the windward skin 20a flattens, eliminating or significantly reducing its concavity, while the downwind skin 20b will still be offset with respect to the windward skin 20a and will be disposed with its concavity towards the downwind side.

[0066] FIGS. 6D and 6E schematically show the curvature of the windward skin 20a and of the downwind skin 20b of the upper portion of the sail in comparison with the curvature of the lower portion 10 of the same sail, schematically indicated with a dashed line.

[0067] Said different curvature between the lower portion 10 and the upper portion 20 of the sail is also visible in FIGS. 8 and 9, making it possible to appreciate how the upper portion 20 of the sail is arranged according to a curve opposite with respect to the curvature of the lower zone 10.

[0068] Advantageously, said skins 20a, 20b of said second portion 20 of said sail 1 are joined together at least in correspondence of the sail hoist 12, i.e. the portion that is inferred in the mast.

[0069] The description set forth herein refers particularly to a mainsail, however it is clear to the person skilled in the art that the concepts of the present disclosure can be applied to any type of sail or wing.

[0070] Preferably, the skins 20a, 20b of the second portion 20 of the sail 1 are joined together also at a lower edge 21, which then defines the lower edge of the second portion 20.

[0071] With particular reference to FIG. 7, the sail 1 according to the disclosure thus comprises, in addition to a base 11, a luff 12, a leech 13 and a head point 14, an upper portion 20 which is inferiorly delimited by the lower edge 21 which is preferably inclined with respect to the direction identified by the base 11, which we can be defined as horizontal direction.

[0072] Advantageously, the lower edge 21 of said upper portion 20 of the sail 1 is inclined with respect to the base 11 so as to form a shorter portion 22 at the luff 12 of the sail to the mast, and a longer section 23 at the leech 13 of the sail.

[0073] Practically, it has been found that the sail according to the disclosure obtains the intended aim and objects, since it is able to provide a straightening moment on the boat.

[0074] Another advantage of the sail according to the present disclosure consists in the fact of creating a downwind curve in the part of the sail head that is adjustable, opposite to the curve created by the windward part.

[0075] These aims and advantages are obtained by effect of the downwind curve that creates an additional upwash on the windward curve, improving the angle of incidence or the flow entrance.

[0076] In this way it is possible to manage two opposite or in any case different curves on opposite walls.

[0077] This allows to obtain a wing that altogether produces a thrust, but for a part of the same also a straightening moment, thus allowing to reduce the resistance and to increase the lift and to reduce the heeling force.

[0078] The sail according to the present disclosure thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; furthermore all the details may be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the technical requirements.

[0079] Practically, the materials used, so long as they are compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements.

[0080] different curvatures.