Split-hinged, winged, self-cradling shallow draft keel for sailing vessel
OwnerRobert L. Pageinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sailing vessel is disclosed having a segmented winged keel made up of a pair of L-shaped keel members which are independently swingable toward and away from one another. When in their normal, side by side, closed positions, the keel members define an inverted-T. Each keel member is swingable through an arc of approximately 90.degree. to decrease the overall draft of the vessel, or alternately to thwart a tendency for the vessel to heel in a crosswind. Mechanism is connected to the keel members to permit selective independent swinging thereof from the cabin or cockpit of the vessel. The rudder of the vessel may similarly be raised to a level such that it also does not extend below the normal longitudinally extending main keel of the vessel.
Claims12
In a sailing vessel having a hull, an improved keel assembly for the hull comprising:
- a pair of keel members each having a generally planar base leg portion;
- means for pivotally securing the base leg portions of the keel members to the underside of the hull in side by side disposition extending fore and aft of the hull,
- each of the keel members being swingable in directions toward and away from the other keel member to selectively permit decrease in the overall draft of the vessel and to provide compensation for a tendency of the vessel to heel in a cross wind;
- mechanical means housed within the hull and including prime mover means for positively raising and lowering each of the keel members independently of one another to a selectable extent;
- and
- said mechanical means including components connected to said prime mover means for fixedly holding each of the keel members against further swinging movement when located in a selected position relative to the other keel member.
A method of thwarting the tendency of a sailing vessel hull to heel in a cross wind comprising the steps of:
- pivotally attaching a pair of L-shaped keel members to the underside of the hull in disposition such that the keel members cooperate to define an inverted T-shaped keel;
- positively and independently swinging the windward L-shaped keel member away from the other keel member when the hull starts to heel in a cross wind;
- positively and independently swinging the keel member on the windward side of the hull away and up from the other keel member when the hull starts to heel in such cross wind and
- mechanically securing each of the keel members against further swinging movement after a selected keel member has been swung away from the other keel member to a predetermined extent to counteract cross wind heeling of the hull.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.