MAST AND CORRESPONDING RIG, IN PARTICULAR FOR A SURFBOARD

Abstract

A mast for a rig for a surfboard is characterized among others by the following features: a mast with a profiled cross-section in the longitudinal direction, said cross-section being formed transversely to the mast longitudinal direction and deviating from a circular shape; the profiled cross-section has the shape of a droplet or has a droplet-like design in the manner of a droplet profile; the mast has a fork tree head securing section which can be rotated or pivoted about the fork tree head securing section; the fork tree head securing section is provided with a cross-section which deviates from the droplet profile; and the mast lower part and the mast upper part of the mast consist of plastic or comprise plastic optionally with the addition of a reinforcement consisting of metal, glass fibers, and/or carbon fibers.

Claims

1. Mast for a rig for a surfboard, comprising the following features: comprising a mast, the mast is provided, in the longitudinal direction thereof, with a profile cross section that is transverse to the mast longitudinal direction and differs from a circular shape, the profile cross section is drop-shaped or drop-like in the form of a drop profile, a groove, provided with an undercut, is provided on the mast at the tapering end of the drop profile in order to receive a luff of a sail, the mast, in the longitudinal direction thereof, is divided into at least three parts, specifically into a bottom mast part, into a top mast part and into a boom-head fastening portion formed between the bottom mast part and the top mast part, the boom-head fastening portion is provided with a cross section that differs from the drop profile, the cross section in the boom-head fastening portion designed such that a rotary body placed on the boom head fastening portion of the mast by means of the hole in said body can be rotated or pivoted about the boom-head fastening portion, and the bottom mast part and the top mast part of the mast consist of plastics material or include plastics material, optionally with the addition of a reinforcement consisting of metal, glass fibres and/or carbon fibres.

2. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the boom-head fastening portion also consists of plastics material or includes plastics material, optionally with the addition of a reinforcement consisting of metal, glass fibres and/or carbon fibres.

3. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the boom-head fastening portion is axially symmetrical, and in particular rotationally symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal extension thereof.

4. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the boom-head fastening portion is designed as a mast connection portion that interconnects the bottom mast part and the top mast part.

5. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the length of the fastening portion is greater than 2 cm, in particular greater than 3 cm, 4 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm, 8 cm, 9 cm, 10 cm, 11 cm, 12 cm, 13 cm, 14 cm, 15 cm, 16 cm, 17 cm and 18 cm and/or the length of the fastening portion is shorter than 20 cm, in particular shorter than 19 cm, 18 cm, 17 cm, 16 cm, 15 cm, 14 cm, 13 cm, 12 cm, 11 cm, 10 cm, 9 cm, 8 cm, 7 cm, 6 cm and 5 cm.

6. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the boom-head fastening portion is designed as the mast connection portion, by means of which the bottom mast part and the top mast part are or can be interconnected in the form of a plug-in connection.

7. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the mast can be dismantled at least into two parts, specifically into the bottom mast part and into the top mast part, the boom-head fastening portion being rigidly connected to the bottom mast part or to the top mast part, and it therefore being possible for the free end of the boom-head fastening portion to be inserted into a receiving hole in the end face of the top mast part or in the end face of the bottom mast part.

8. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the mast can be dismantled into at least three parts, specifically into a bottom mast part, into a top mast part and into a mast connection portion, the bottom mast part, the top mast part and the boom-head fastening portion located therebetween being detachably interconnected in the form of a plug-in and/or rotary connection.

9. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the mast has a cross-sectional area that changes, at least in part, over the total length thereof, preferably decreasing towards the mast top.

10. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the mast is curved or runs straight when untrimmed.

11. Mast according to claim 1, wherein a rotary body is or can be placed on the boom-head fastening portion and can be rotated or pivoted, at least completely freely or in a predefined angular range, about the boom-head fastening portion.

12. Mast according to claim 11, wherein the rotary body consists of a bush or includes a bush.

13. Mast according to claim 12, wherein the rotary body, in particular in the form of a bush, has a length in the longitudinal direction of the mast and in particular of the boom-head fastening portion, that corresponds to or is marginally smaller than the free space between the end face at the top of the bottom mast part and the end face at the bottom of the top mast part.

14. Mast according to claim 1, wherein the rotary body has zero clearance or approximately zero clearance in the axial direction of the mast and in particular in the axial direction of the mast connection portion, and is therefore axially immovable.

15. Mast according to claim 1, wherein a boom-mast fastening means is further provided for fixing a boom front arch or boom head to the mast, which means includes the preferably bush-shaped rotary body as part of the mast holder or can be placed on or is fastened to a rotary body.

16. Rig for a surfboard comprising a sail, a boom and a mast according to claim 1.

17. Rig according to claim 16, wherein the boom-mast holding means and/or the rotary body, preferably in the form of a bush, is detachably anchorable to the mast and in particular to the mast connection portion and forms a boom-head fastening portion.

18. Rig according to claim 16, wherein, the boom-mast fastening means includes a holding body, the holding body comprises a mast-receiving channel, the holding body further includes a boom-head abutment portion which is positioned in the leading direction and extends transversely or perpendicularly to the central longitudinal axis of the mast-receiving channel, the boom-head abutment portion on the holding body is designed so as to be offset from the mast-receiving channel in the leading direction, and a boom-head holding means is provided which is part of the holding body or is fastened thereto and/or supported thereon.

19. Rig according to claim 16, wherein the mast-receiving channel is closed and is thus bush-shaped or sleeve- or clamping-jaw-shaped having a slot extending on the trailing side of the mast-receiving channel in parallel with the longitudinal direction of said channel.

20. Rig according to claim 16, wherein the boom head is held so as to be rotatable about a pivot axis (X) extending transversely to the axial extension of the mast-receiving channel.

21. Rig according to claim 16, wherein the holding body includes a central boom abutment portion which is abutted on each opposing side by a boom front arch lateral portion, the two boom front arch lateral portions extending so as to significantly diverge from one another.

22. Rig according to claim 16, wherein the boom head is positioned in its position fixed to the holding body in such a way that the boom front arch central portion is raised by a central boom abutment portion of the holding body such that the two boom front arch lateral portions which abut the boom front arch central portion are supported on the two boom abutment portions which abut the boom abutment portion of the holding body on each opposing side, which abutment portion is provided centrally for this purpose.

23. Rig according to claim 16, wherein the boom-head holding means includes a tension element, preferably in the form of a belt, by means of which a boom head is held on the holding body.

24. Rig according to claim 23, wherein the tension element is non-resilient but flexible, in particular deformable or bendable.

25. Rig according to either claim 23, wherein the tension element consists of a circumferentially closed tension element which extends, in two superimposed planes, in two parallel loops on the rear side around the sleeve-, clamping-jaw or bush-shaped mast-receiving-channel walls and, from there, around the boom head in two laterally offset planes on the boom head.

26. Rig according to claim 16, wherein the mast-receiving channel is part of the holding body or in that a bush is provided in the mast-receiving channel, which bush, when the mast is assembled, is penetrated in particular by a boom-head fastening portion located on the mast, which portion is formed between a bottom mast part and a top mast part provided as an extension of said bottom mast part.

27. Rig according to claim 16, wherein, when the boom is mounted, the holding body of the boom-mast fastening means is fixed to the bush such that the boom can be pivoted together with the bush about the mast connection portion.

28. Rig according to claim 16, wherein the boom front arch lateral portion can be fastened at various height positions, i.e. at various points in the longitudinal direction of the bush-shaped rotary body, and can thus be fastened at various height positions with respect to the mast.

29. Rig according to claim 16, wherein a height-adjustment means is provided for the fastening point of the boom head with respect to the mast.

30. Rig according to claim 28, wherein the bush is a threaded bush, the mast-receiving channel being provided with an internal thread such that the threaded bush is rotatably arranged, by means of the external thread thereof, in the internal thread of the mast-receiving channel, as a result of which the height position of the fastening point of the boom can be altered and/or can be variably adjusted with respect to the mast.

Description

[0046] The invention is described in more detail in the following with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0047] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a rig of a surfboard;

[0048] FIG. 2a is a schematic side view of a separable mast according to the invention;

[0049] FIG. 2b is a similar view to FIG. 2a with the mast dismantled;

[0050] FIG. 2c shows an enlarged detail of a region of the mast, and also shows a bush;

[0051] FIGS. 3a to 3d are different cross sections through the mast at various heights of the mast;

[0052] FIG. 3e is a modified cross-sectional view through the mast in the region of the boom-head fastening portion;

[0053] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a boom-mast holding means 35 by means of which a boom can be rotatably fastened with respect to the mast, in particular in the fixed position;

[0054] FIG. 5 is comparable view to FIG. 4, in which the boom has been pivoted forwards from its functional position beneath the mast end into the released position thereof;

[0055] FIG. 6 is a schematic side view in which the boom has been pivoted into the non-engagement position (released position) thereof in front of the mast;

[0056] FIG. 7a shows a detail of a schematic cross section (in parallel with the mast) which depicts the design of the lateral abutment portions of the mast holder for abutting the boom head;

[0057] FIG. 7b is a view corresponding to FIG. 7a showing the central abutment portion of the mast holder for abutting the boom head;

[0058] FIG. 8 is a schematic rear view of a modified embodiment with a height-adjustment means for the boom head.

[0059] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a rig comprising a sail 1. In this case, the sail is fastened at its luff 3 to a mast 5, which in turn is freely, on all sides, rotatably and pivotally arranged on a surfboard 8 (of which only an excerpt is shown) by means of a mast foot joint 7 (universal joint 7).

[0060] A sail 1 of this kind is usually trimmed at its rear end 9, thus at what is known as its clew 9, at a boom 11 that surrounds the sail 1, i.e. at the boom end 11a.

[0061] The schematic side view according to FIG. 1 also shows that the sail comprises batten pockets 2a that are offset with respect to the longitudinal direction of the mast and extend from the luff 3 to the leech 4 (or also at least in part to the foot 2b) and that are sewn into the sail 1, in which pockets the corresponding battens 2b for reinforcing the sail are typically inserted.

[0062] Said mast 5 can in principle consist of a straight-running mast. In the context of the invention, however, a permanently bent mast 5 is preferably used. The bend at the top end of the mast 5 is usually more pronounced than in the bottom portion of the mast 5. In other words, the mast is therefore curved or curved more significantly at least in portions, preferably at least towards the top end thereof. The curvature can also be referred to simply as being crescent-shaped or crescent-like, irrespective of the fact that conventional crescents usually exhibit a considerably more pronounced curvature than the mast 5 shown in side view in FIG. 1. This ultimately makes it possible to have a larger sail surface area without the height of the sail having to be increased. This means that it can also be ensured that the holding force does not substantially increase against the wind pressure.

[0063] On account of said trimming at the rear end of the sail, said mast irrespective of whether it is designed to run straight or is inherently slightly arcuate, thus permanently bent is bent further in marginal, steady increases on account of the applied trimming forces, at least in the top region.

[0064] A corresponding recess la in a sail 1 is usually provided over a partial length of the mast 5 at which the leading boom end 33 is fastened to the mast 5, such that the leading boom end can preferably (at least indirectly, as explained in the following) be fastened to the free mast.

[0065] It should be noted at this point that the mast 5 comprises a straight-running portion in said fastening region in which the boom head is preferably indirectly fastened to the mast 5. Said straight-running fastening portion 105 on the mast is, however, not only provided if the mast as a whole runs straight, but also if (as is preferred and shown in FIG. 1) the mast is inherently, thus permanently, curved in the substantial longitudinal extension thereof.

[0066] FIG. 2a is a schematic side view of a preferred variant of the mast 5 without a corresponding sail and without a boom. It is clear from this variant that the mast 5 is ultimately divided into three portions, specifically into a bottom mast part 5a having a length 5a, into an top mast part 5b having a length 5b and into a mast connection portion 5c that connects the bottom mast part 5a and the top mast part 5b and has a length 5c. Said mast connection portion 5c can also be rigidly connected to/formed together with either the bottom mast part 5a or the top mast part 5b, and is preferably integral therewith. In the embodiment shown, the mast connection part 5c is a fixed component of the bottom mast part 5a, as is clear from the schematic side view according to FIG. 2b. This is because the mast 5 is shown dismantled in FIG. 2b.

[0067] Said mast connection part 5c simultaneously forms the boom-head fastening portion 105 to which a boom head of a boom (to be explained in more detail in the following) can be attached and held.

[0068] For this purpose, the top mast part 5b comprises a channel-shaped receiving opening 5d which, in the embodiment shown, can be designed as a round hole or a blind hole. In this case, the mast connection portion 5c, which is preferably cylindrical in cross section, is inserted into the bottom end of the top mast part 5b, and is preferably inserted so as to be restricted by a stop, until the two parts are interconnected. At this juncture, reference is briefly made in advance to FIG. 2c, which shows, as a detail, the bottom end of the top mast part 5b, the top end of the bottom mast part 5a positioned at a distance therebelow, and the mast connection part 5c positioned therebetween, on which connection part a rotary body 25 is arranged and held so as to be able to rotate or pivot relative to the mast, which will be discussed in more detail in the following.

[0069] The mast 5 formed and capable of being dismantled in this manner is ultimately held by the raised and trimmed sail 1, with the components of said mast being bound tightly together.

[0070] Different cross sections along the lines IIa-IIa, IIb-IIb, IIc-IIc and IId-IId in FIG. 2a are reproduced in FIG. 3a, FIG. 3b, FIG. 3c and FIG. 3d.

[0071] It can be seen therefrom that the actual mast 5 comprises a profile that differs from the circular shape, and in particular has an at least approximately drop-shaped or drop-like cross section. On account of this drop-shape in cross section, the mast 5, on its leading side 15, is generally convex, in the shape of a part-circle, and has a portion 19a that is in the shape of a semicircle or like a semicircle in cross section, i.e. is preferably in the shape of a semicircle, which portion then, at the trailing end 17 thereof, transitions into a portion 19b that steadily tapers in cross section, in the trailing end of which a groove 22 is made having an undercut 21. The arcuate shape 19a in the leading portion 15 of the drop-shaped mast profile can, however, have any desired radius or can even have an arbitrarily variable radius within wide limits. Aerodynamic shapes are preferably realised in the process.

[0072] The cross-sectional view according to FIG. 3b shows that this cross-sectional view preferably has the largest transverse and longitudinal extension, i.e. in the region of the end face regions of the top mast part and the bottom mast part, which are intended to be placed one on top of the other. In other words, the top end of the bottom mast part 5a and the bottom end of the top mast part 5b, each adjoining the mast connection portion 5c, usually have the largest longitudinal and transverse extension, i.e. just in the direction of the sail 1 or in the direction transverse thereto. Said mast cross section is then dimensioned so as to be considerably smaller at the top mast end, i.e. at the mast top 5e. Similarly, the bottom mast part 5a can also be designed to have a mast cross section that tapers gradually or in portions from the mast connection portion 5c to the mast foot, at least to a small extent, as shown by FIG. 3. However, this can also be omitted, such that the bottom mast part has a more or less even cross section over the entire length thereof, but can nevertheless be provided with a cross section that becomes increasingly larger towards the mast foot. Arbitrary modifications are possible in this case.

[0073] The cross-sectional view according to FIG. 3c shows that the mast connection portion 5c in turn has or can have a cylindrical or hollow-cylindrical shape. In general, a cross-sectional shape is preferred that allows a body allowing rotation or pivoting to be placed, which body can then be rotated or pivoted about said fastening portion 105.

[0074] The schematic cross-sectional view according to FIG. 3e shows, as an alternative to the circular cross section according to FIG. 3c, that other cross sections differing from the circular shape are also possible for the boom-head fastening portion 105. Axially symmetrical cross-sectional shapes are preferably realised. FIG. 4e shows that for example a fairly square cross-sectional shape having appropriately rounded corners can be used, such that a bush or corresponding sleeve- or clamping-jaw-shaped abutment portions 39 placed here can be supported on said for example rounded edges or corners of the boom-head fastening portion 105 provided with a cross section of this kind. This also allows a rotation of the bush 25 about the boom-head fastening portion 105 with as little clearance as possible. Further arbitrary modifications are possible in this respect.

[0075] The luff 3 of the sail 1 can be pushed into said groove 22, formed in the mast over the total length thereof (with the exception of the length of the mast connection portion 5c), by means of a thickened edge in the longitudinal direction of the groove 22, and can thus be securely anchored to the mast 5. Here, said recess 1a in the luff 3 of the sail 1 comes to abut the trailing side 17 of the mast in the region of the mast connection portion 5c.

[0076] A mast of this kind is preferably made from plastics material that is sufficiently stable, but at least still slightly elastically deformable, in order to be able to trim a corresponding sail. The mast preferably consists of CFK material, i.e. of carbon fibre plastics material or carbon fibre reinforced plastics material. This particular design also allows the mast according to the invention to have an inherent, at least slightly arcuate, i.e. crescent-shaped or crescent-like, design with a permanent curve, which results in significant advantages for the invention.

[0077] As can be seen from the side view according to FIGS. 2a and 2b, said mast 5 is preferably broadly curved, i.e. is slightly curved over at least portions of its length, resulting in a crescent-shaped or crescent-like form. In other words, the mast is arcuate or at least slightly arcuate, preferably continuously arcuate, from its foot to its upper mast top, at least over its significant longitudinal extension portions, it being possible for a straight-running portion to be provided in particular towards its foot end. However, if the mast is inherently (i.e. permanently) curved so as to be arcuate or includes arcuate curved portions, the mast connection portion 5c, which ultimately forms a fastening portion 105, runs straight, i.e. is not curved. This allows the possibility for a pivoting body in the form of the boom-mast holding means 35 to be able to be placed on the fastening portion 105 by means of a receiving hole 37 or a receiving channel 37 (FIGS. 4 and 5) such that the boom-mast holding means 35 can be rotated or pivoted about the mast connection portion 105 on account of the straight-run of said mast connection portion 105. The advantages resulting therefrom are discussed in more detail below.

[0078] FIG. 2c shows, as already discussed, an enlarged detail of the mast connection portion 5c and the bottom mast part 5a and top mast part 5b adjoined thereto in perspective view.

[0079] It can already be seen therefrom that, on the mast connection portion 5c connecting the bottom mast part 5a to the top mast part 5b, a rotary body 25 that can rotate on said portion, in particular that can freely rotate in at least one angular range around the mast 5, is arranged, in particular is fitted therein.

[0080] The length of said rotary or pivoting body 25 is preferably such that it is at least slightly shorter than the distance D between the top end face or limiting face 5a of the bottom mast part 5a and the downward-facing end face or limiting face 5b of the top mast part 5b. Said distance D is produced when the mast, with its two parts 5a and 5, is put together according to the view in FIG. 2a. As a result, the rotary body 25 can be rotated or pivoted about the axis of the mast connection part 5c or at least can be freely rotated and/or pivoted by a certain angular measurement. At the same time, the pivoting body 25 is held in a manner restricted by a stop so as to be more or less immovable in the axial direction (apart from a low level of clearance which may be provided).

[0081] In the preferred embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3d, the mast 5, i.e. at least the mast connection portion 5c, passes through the receiving hole 5d penetrating the rotary body 25, it being possible for said rotary body 25 to preferably be in the form of a bush 25a or, as disclosed hereinafter, in the form of a threaded bush 25b. Said bush-shaped rotary body 25, together with the receiving hole 5d thereof, runs straight, just as with the mast connection portion 5c passing therethrough, and is therefore not arcuate, such that the above-mentioned desirable rotational or pivoting movement of the rotary body 25 relative to the mast or mast axis is possible here. In other words, the inner diameter of the receiving hole 5b in the pivoting body 25 is preferably at least slightly larger than the outer diameter of the mast in this fastening region, thus at least slightly larger than the outer diameter of the mast connection portion 5c. The fit, however, is intended to be as free of clearance as possible.

[0082] In the following, a fastening, according to the invention, of the boom to the mast is explained with reference to further drawings.

[0083] FIG. 4 is a cross section, shown as a detail, through the mast 5 in the region of the mast connection portion 5c, specifically directly above the front boom end, which is hereinafter also referred to as the boom head 33 or the boom front arch 33. The variant according to FIGS. 4 and 5 relates to a first embodiment of a possible boom-mast fastening. According to this embodiment, the boom-mast fastening and/or holding means includes a boom-mast holding means 35 preferably consisting of plastics material. In particular, said boom-mast holding means 35 is produced in the form of an integral plastics part 35a. Said boom-mast holding means 35 is hereinafter also referred to occasionally as the boom-mast holding means 35.

[0084] Said boom-mast holding means 35 having a holding body 35b comprises a mast-receiving opening 37. In other words, the mast 5 shown in FIG. 1 extends, at least in the region of the cross-sectional view according to FIG. 4, perpendicularly to the drawing plane E. In the unloaded initial position, i.e. in particular without wind, the mast 5 extends in the symmetry plane or centre plane S indicated by dashes in FIG. 4, and is usually bent backwards, thus towards its rear or trailing end 17, from its bottom mast foot joint 7 to its upper mast tip 8.

[0085] Said boom-mast holding means 35 is sleeve-, clamping-jaw- or bush-shaped and includes at least two opposing holding portions 39 which, when assembled, ultimately at least indirectly surround the mast 5 extending through the mast-receiving opening 5 in the embodiment shown. The mast 5 is thus indirectly surrounded because said rotary body 25, in the form of a bush 25a, is placed on the mast 5 in the region of the mast connection portion 5c and can be freely rotated there. The bush 25a is shown in side view according to FIG. 2c. In this case, the arrangement according to FIG. 4 can be such that the jaw-, sleeve- or bush-shaped holding portions 39 are not circumferentially closed, but terminate on the trailing side 17 thereof so as to be mutually spaced, preferably on either side of the symmetry plane S, as a result of which a trailing distance or slot 41 is formed.

[0086] On the leading side 15, the boom-mast holding means 35, in the cross section shown in FIG. 4, is designed to be T- or -shaped or to have the shape or resemblance of double-wings perpendicularly to the centre axis 5 of the mast 5 (at least in the region of the mast-receiving opening 37), with, in addition to a central boom abutment portion 43, lateral boom abutment portions 44a and 44b being adjacent thereto.

[0087] The central boom abutment portion 43 can for example have a length (in the drawing plane E), perpendicular to the symmetry plane S, that is in the order of magnitude of the diameter of the mast-receiving opening 37. Values that are, for example, above 40%, in particular above 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 110%, 120%, 130% or 140% of the diameter of the mast-receiving opening 47 are particularly suitable in this case. Conversely, this width or length of the central boom abutment portion 43 is intended to be smaller than 150% of the diameter of the mast-receiving opening 17, thus in particular smaller than 140%, 130%, 120%, 110%, 100%, 90%, 80%, 70%, 60% or smaller than 50% of the diameter of the mast-receiving opening 37.

[0088] The length of each of the lateral boom abutment portions 44a, 44b can be designed to be in a corresponding order of magnitude, which portions are oriented so as to be symmetrical to the symmetry plane S and are slightly trailing with respect to the central boom abutment portion 43, and thus diverge significantly from one another. The angle a between the abutment flanks 44a, 44b of the corresponding boom portion that are sloping in the trailing direction and a plane E1 that extends in parallel with the mast axis 5 (i.e. at least in the mounting region of the boom or the mast axis 5 of the mast connection portion 5c) and perpendicularly to the symmetry plane S is designed to correspond, at least approximately, to the profile of the boom. Such an angle can usually vary in this region between 10 and 60, in particular 20 and 40, etc. There are no restrictions in this respect.

[0089] Said two lateral boom abutment portions 44a, 44b can also be designed to be slightly convex towards the leading end thereof, according to the profile and shape of the boom front arch 33, which is often also referred to as the boom head 33.

[0090] Finally, the view in FIG. 4 shows that a tension element 49 is also provided, in the form of a closed circumferential belt 49a in the embodiment shown. Any possible embodiment for a continuous tension belt 49 that, as far as possible, is not extensible, i.e. is not resilient, and can absorb large tensile forces can be considered in this case.

[0091] In the embodiment shown, the belt loop 49, having a specified, defined length, surrounds the boom to the left of the symmetry plane S and to the right of the symmetry plane S in order to surround the outer circumference of the jaw-, sleeve- or, for example, bush-shaped mast abutment portion 39 of the boom-mast holding means 35 in an upper and a lower plane.

[0092] FIG. 4 shows the boom 11 together with the boom front arch 33 thereof in the tensioned position in which it is fixed to the fastening portion 105 of the mast 5. In this position, the two lateral boom front arch lateral portions 33a and 33b, in the region of the trailing outer wall portion thereof, abut, at least in part, the corresponding leading abutment portions in the region of the lateral boom abutment portions 44a and 44b. In this position which will be explained in more detail in the following the leading boom front arch central portion 33c, on its trailing side, is raised by a corresponding central boom abutment portion 43 of the holding body 35a of the boom-mast holding means 35, forming a distance A. Here, A1 denotes the length of the distance between the centre of the boom front arch central portion 33c and the centre of the mast-receiving opening 37. The significance of the distance A or the length of the measurement A1 is discussed in more detail below.

[0093] FIG. 4 shows, for example, the relative position of the boom or boom head with respect to the boom-mast holding means 35, the sail bulging, in particular also under wind load (coming from the right-hand side in FIG. 4), for example to the left and the entire mast 5 and the centre axis 5 thereof being rotated clockwise in the process such that the drop-shaped profiling of the bottom mast part 5a (and also of the top mast part 5b) shown in FIG. 4 is rotated clockwise to the left in the view according to FIG. 4. Points are also inscribed at the profile end in order to indicate which position the sail 1 extending therefrom adopts. It can already be seen therefrom that an optimum contour between the profiled mast and the adjoining sail is produced, meaning that optimum (turbulence-free or low-turbulence) propulsion forces can be produced.

[0094] FIG. 5 shows, with respect to FIG. 4, the position of the boom or of the boom front arch before the boom is rigidly locked to a mast.

[0095] FIG. 6 is a side view of the boom, which has been pivoted from the functional position thereof shown in FIG. 1 (i.e. before trimming at the clew, thus at the boom end) beneath and beyond the mast foot 5 of the mast 1 into a leading position.

[0096] In this initial situation before trimming, the two boom front arch lateral portions 33a and 33b are therefore raised by the corresponding lateral boom abutment portions 44a, 44b of the boom-mast holding means 35 such that only the boom front arch central portion 33c can abut a corresponding central abutment portion 43, but does not have to. This is because, in this initial position, the boom front arch central portion 33c comes to be positioned closer to the centre 5 of the mast-receiving opening 37 and thus of the mast 5, and therefore said tension belt 49, for example the circumferentially closed belt 49a, is no longer under tension, but has a loose circumferential fit, as shown in FIG. 5. In this position, the boom 11, through which the corresponding winding of the belt 49a passes, can be rotated without difficulty, i.e. without difficulty about an axis that extends perpendicularly to the centre axis 5a of the mast and that extends in or approximately in the drawing plane E.

[0097] The distance between the centre of the boom front arch central portion 33c and the centre 5 of the mast-receiving opening 17 (and thus the centre of the mast 5) is denoted by reference sign A2. This measurement, A2, is considerably smaller, thus shorter than the longitudinal measurement A1 in FIG. 4.

[0098] In order to rigidly fix the boom 11 to the mast 5, the boom 11 ultimately has to be pivoted from the position thereof shown in FIG. 6 (in which the entire boom 11 is leading in front of the mast with respect to its final functional position) and, in terms of the side view according to FIG. 6, pivoted anticlockwise following the arrow 41 within the tension element 49 (belt 49) until the boom end 11 a thereof is in the functional position shown in FIG. 1 and indicated by dashes in FIG. 6. During this pivoting movement about the pivot axis X passing through the boom front arch central portion 33a in the longitudinal direction thereof, the two boom front arch lateral portions 33a and 33b run on the lateral boom abutment portions 44a and 44b, respectively, of the boom-mast holding means 35, as a result of which the boom front arch central portion 33c is raised by the corresponding central boom abutment portion 43. This means that the tension element 49, preferably in the form of the belt 49a, is accordingly taken therewith and tensioned. Since the length of the belt 49a is defined precisely such that the final tension position shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 can be achieved, but only in conjunction with a rigorous application of tensioning forces to the tension belt 49, the optimum fixing of the boom 11, i.e. the boom head 33 to said rotary body 25, is in this case realised in the form of the bush 25a that is held with as little clearance as possible on the corresponding portion 5c of the mast 5, but is also held so as to be able to rotate or pivot thereon. It can also be seen from FIG. 4 that the distance A1 between the centre of the boom front arch central portion 33a and the centre of the mast-receiving opening 37 is now considerably larger than the length of the distance A2 according to FIG. 5, as a result of which the large tensioning forces that are required are produced in co-operation with the tension belt 49. Said tension element 49, preferably in the form of the tension element 49 or the belt 49a, fulfils the function of a boom holding means 149 in this respect.

[0099] What is interesting and significant in this connection is that, by means of said fastening means, the boom head 33 can be fastened at various points, i.e. at various height positions, to the rotary body 25, which in this case is in the form of said bush 25a. This is because the fastening means always operates between the boom head 33 and the bush. On account of the variable fastening point of the rotary body 25, in particular in the form of the bush 25a, the boom head can be variably fixed at different height positions relative to the mast 5. The longer the bush 25a, the larger the available fixing region or the available fixing point for the boom head 33.

[0100] As can be seen from FIG. 7a, the lateral boom abutment portions 44a, 44b, in vertical cross section (perpendicularly through the drawing plane according to FIG. 4 or 5), are designed to be appropriately slightly concave between a top and a bottom edge 53, as a result of which the corresponding rail-like boom front arch lateral portions 33a, 33b can be rotated so as to be effectively guided and abutting in said concave lateral boom abutment portions 44a, 44b. The central boom abutment portion could also be designed in this way. According to the sectional view in FIG. 7b, said portion is recessed only in part with respect to a top and bottom edge 53 and does not have to extend in a strictly concave manner therebetween, but rather can simply be in the form of a recess 52 having a flat base 54.

[0101] In the embodiment under discussion, the corresponding clamping jaws 39 can surround the preferably bush-shaped rotary body 25 at the corresponding abutment portions, preferably by means of a slotted sleeve, the large tensioning forces that are produced resulting in the boom front arch and thus the entire boom in the front region being rigidly or largely rigidly fastened to the rotary body 25 by means of said boom-mast holding means 35, which body, in turn, can pivot or rotate about the mast connection portion 5c, at least in a sufficiently large angular range. In this case, the mast holder abuts, at least at its leading and in part also at its lateral surface portions, the outer circumference of the preferably bush-shaped rotary or pivoting body 25. At the same time, the tension belt of the boom together with its rear boom end can be brought into the corresponding optimum height at which the end of the sail can be trimmed. This is because it is by all means possible to pivot the boom in the belt 49a. The holding means as a whole therefore allows the boom together with the bush-shaped rotary body 25 to pivot in a free or largely free manner about the mast 5, the bush-shaped rotary body 25 itself being held between the bottom mast part 5a and the top mast part 5b so as to be virtually axially immovable or centred in the longitudinal direction of the mast.

[0102] FIG. 5 also shows, by way of derogation from FIG. 4, that the boom-mast holding means 35 does not have to comprise any clamping-jaw- or sleeve-shaped holding or fixing portions 39, but rather the boom-mast holding means 35 can also be slot-free and can thus be closed with the formation of a corresponding receiving opening 37 for said preferably sleeve-shaped rotary body 25, which is then in turn arranged so as to be able to rotate on the mast.

[0103] According to the variant under discussion, the mast holder 15 together with its jaw-, sleeve-shaped or bush-shaped portions sits directly on the rotary body 25, preferably said bush 25a, and thus surrounds the rotary body 25. In this case, the rotary body 25 is provided with an inner diameter with respect to the receiving hole penetrating the rotary body 25 that, as stated above, is at least slightly larger than the outer diameter of the mast 5 in said fastening region (mast connection portion 5c), such that, when there is rigid fixing between the boom and the boom-mast holding means 35, the boom together with the associated boom-mast holding means 35 and the bush 37, which is also fixed with respect to the boom-mast holding means 35, can then freely rotate on the corresponding portion of the mast, which offers a range of advantages in respect of the orientation of the sail with respect to the rig.

[0104] As stated above, the boom-mast holding means 34 is preferably a component that is separate with respect to the bush-, sleeve- or clamping-jaw-shaped rotary body 25. This makes it possible to be able to attach a wide range of boom-mast fastening means to said rotary body 25. It is therefore noted at this juncture that said rotary body 25 may be an inherent part of the boom-mast holding means 35, thus part of the rotary body 25. In this case, said holding or fixing portions 39 (which ultimately define the mast-receiving opening 37 or the mast-receiving channel formed thereby) would be placed directly on the outer circumference of the mast portion 5c (thus before the bottom mast part 5a and the top mast part 5b are joined to form a single entity, for example) in order to absorb corresponding tilting moments with respect to the mast 5. The length of the mast-receiving channel 37 and thus the axial length of the holding or fixing portions 39 will in this case preferably have a larger degree of longitudinal extension than is indicated by FIG. 1 or as results for an embodiment explained in the following with reference to FIG. 8.

[0105] Generally, this longitudinal extension of the bush-, sleeve- or clamping-jaw-like holding or fixing portion 39 and the rotary body 25 formed thereby can be completely different. The axial measurement (longitudinal measurement) by which the boom-mast holding means 35 can be placed directly on the fastening portion 105 of the mast 5, or is placed by interposition of a separate, preferably bush-shaped rotary body 25, can for example be greater than at least 2 cm, in particular greater than 3 cm, 4 cm, 5 cm, 6 cm, 7 cm, 8 cm, 9 cm, 10 cm, 11 cm, 12 cm, 13 cm, 14 cm and 15 cm. Similarly, it is usually sufficient for this longitudinal measurement to be less than 30 cm, in particular less than 23 cm, 22 cm, 21 cm, 20 cm, 19 cm, 18 cm, 17 cm, 16 cm, 15 cm, 14 cm, 13 cm, 12 cm, 11 cm, 10 cm, 9 cm, 8 cm, 7 cm, 6 cm and 5 cm.

[0106] In the variant described in the following according to FIG. 8, instead of the bush shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a threaded bush 25b is used that also runs straight and sits on a straight-running portion of the mast 5 (in particular on the boom-head fastening portion 105, which, in the embodiment shown, is formed by the connection portion 5c). Said threaded bush 25b also has an inner diameter that is at least slightly larger than the outer diameter of the mast 5 in this region, such that the threaded bush can be rotated about its own longitudinal axis (i.e. the centre axis 5a) with as little difficulty as possible.

[0107] In this embodiment, the boom-mast holding means 35 itself comprises a mast-holding portion comprising a mast-receiving opening 37 which is designed, for example, as a slotted, but preferably non-slotted (thus closed) hollow-cylindrical boom-mast holding means 35, in particular comprising a corresponding internal thread 35c. The design of this embodiment is otherwise in principle the same as the embodiments described above. In other words, the boom-mast holding means 35 can otherwise in principle be designed as in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0108] This design, now using a threaded bush 35 that interacts with a corresponding internal thread in the receiving hole 37 in the boom-mast holding means 35, offers the possibility of the surfer being able to adjust the height position of the boom-mast fastening 35, as needed, by rotating the threaded bush 25b positioned on the mast about its own longitudinal axis in the case of a non-rotating boom-mast holding means 35. This also allows for optimisation of the overall orientation and trimming of the sail between the mast and the boom and for a preferred height adjustment of the boom to be performed, by the simplest means possible.

[0109] Optionally, a snap-fit final lock may also be provided, as a result of which the threaded bush 137 cannot rotate automatically or inadvertently while surfing, resulting in an inadvertent height adjustment.

[0110] The dimensions of the longitudinal extension of the threaded bush and/or of the sleeve- and clamping-jaw-like portion, or of the portion provided with a corresponding internally threaded hole, of the boom-mast holding means 35 can be similar to the embodiment above, which was also explained, inter alia, with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0111] Finally, it is noted that, in order to increase the absorption forces, the boom-mast holding means 35 can also be designed to have two opposing ribs 53, in particular plastics ribs 53, which extend between the jaw-, sleeve- or bush-shaped holding portions 39 to the relevant adjacent boom abutment portions 44a or 44b.