Sailing craft stable when airborne

A vehicle capable of travel on water, comprising:

• (a) an airfoil assembly comprising a plurality of airfoils fixedly joined;
• (b) aerodynamic means for orientation of said aerodynamic assembly, in both yaw and pitch, in relation to a relative wind, or air motion relative to said airfoil assembly;
• said orientation means relying only on the presence of said relative wind, in other words, said orientation means being effective without contact between said vehicle and said support medium;
• (c) a plurality of pontoons such that
• (i) each said pontoon is rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to surface of said water when said vehicle is in its usual attitude,
• (ii) each said pontoon is elongated about a respective longitudinal axis;
• (iii) each said pontoon allows relative motion of said water in directions aligned with its said respective longitudinal axis and resists relative motion of said water in directions not aligned with its said respective longitudinal axis;
• and
• (iv) each said pontoon capable of contacting surface of said water at the same time, in other words, said pontoons are substantially coplanar.

A vehicle capable of travel on a support medium such as water, land, ice, snow, marsh, tundra, mud, rails, cables or guides;

• said vehicle comprising:
• (a) an airfoil assembly comprising a plurality of airfoils fixedly joined;
• (b) aerodynamic means for orientation of said airfoil assembly, in both yaw and pitch, in relation to a relative wind, or air motion relative to said vehicle;
• said orientation means relying only on the presence of said relative wind, in other words, said orientation means being effective without contact between said vehicle and said support medium;
• (c) at least one traction means or running gear for controlling direction of movement of said vehicle relative to said support medium;
• each said traction means allowing motion of said vehicle in a particular direction and its opposite, hereinafter called respectively forward and reverse, and resisting motion of said vehicle in directions not substantially aligned with said forward direction;
• all said traction means being steerable in unison only, in other words, all said traction means having substantially the same orientation or said forward direction relative to said vehicle;
• said orientation being rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to said support surface when said vehicle is in a usual attitude;
• said orientation being adjustable within a range of at least 30 degrees, or from −15 degrees to +15 degrees relative to some neutral position;
• and all said traction means being capable of contact with said support medium at the same time, in other words, said traction means being substantially coplanar;
• such that when said vehicle is in its said usual attitude, one or more of said airfoils have sufficient area and are inclined to said support medium at sufficient angle(s) that, under the following conditions:
• (i) said traction means are set in a fixed orientation relative to said vehicle, and
• (ii) a wind, or motion of air relative to said support medium, exists at a speed of no more than 10 meters/second,
• through use of said orientation means, said inclined airfoil(s) generate an aerodynamic force capable of overcoming all friction and aerodynamic drag acting on parts of said vehicle, so as to accelerate said vehicle from rest, in substantially said forward direction of said traction means, or under said conditions (i) and (ii) above, through a different use of said orientation means, said inclined airfoil(s) generate an aerodynamic force capable of accelerating said vehicle from rest in substantially said reverse direction of said traction means.

A vehicle capable of travel on a support medium such as water, land, ice, snow, marsh, tundra, mud, rails, cables or guides;

• said vehicle usually making use of wind, or air motion relative to said support medium, for propulsion;
• said vehicle having substantially a single particular usual upright attitude in relation to said support medium when using said wind for propulsion;
• said vehicle comprising:
• (a) an airfoil assembly comprising a plurality of airfoils fixedly joined comprising at least one airfoil inclined at more than 15 degrees to horizontal when said vehicle is in its said usual upright attitude;
• said inclined airfoil(s) making up more than 50% of the total area of all airfoils in said airfoil assembly;
• (b) at least one all-moveable airfoil rudder rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to said support medium when said vehicle is in said usual upright attitude, whereby yaw of said airfoil assembly in relation to a relative wind may be controlled;
• (d) at least one horizontal stabilizer airfoil with adjustable trailing-edge flap or elevator;
• said horizontal stabilizer(s) being substantially parallel to said support medium when said vehicle is in said usual upright attitude;
• whereby pitch of said airfoil assembly in relation to said relative wind may be controlled.
• (d) traction means or running gear for controlling direction of movement of said vehicle relative to said support medium;
• each said traction means allowing motion of said vehicle in a particular direction and its opposite, hereinafter called respectively forward and reverse, and resisting motion of said vehicle in directions not substantially aligned with to said forward direction;
• and when said vehicle is either at rest or in high-speed wind-propelled travel, all said traction means being capable of contact with said support medium at the same time;