Heel control system for sailing yachts and sailing yacht hull

A sailing yacht comprising

• a sailing hull with a bow and stern extending along a centerline at midships, port and starboard sides, and a mast with at least one sail, comprising:
• a ballast,
• means for supporting said ballast generally below said hull and for providing lateral movement of said ballast about a first axis lying fore and aft on said centerline for generating a gravitational righting moment for countering heeling thereof under sail,
• means defining a control surface on said supporting means, said control surface being movable relative to said ballast about a second axis,
• means for moving said control surface about said second axis for providing a moment tending to hold said yacht at a desired attitude,
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull and extending downwardly therefrom for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht.

A sailing yacht comprising

• a sailing hull with a bow and stern extending along a centerline at midships, port and starboard sides, and a mast with at least one sail, comprising:
• a ballast,
• an elongated strut having one end connected to said ballast for supporting the same, said strut defining a hydrodynamically shaped foil having variable camber,
• means for mounting said strut to depend from said hull for supporting said ballast generally below said hull,
• means for adjusting the camber of said foil while underway for providing a moment tending to hold said yacht at a desired angle of heel,
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull and extending downwardly therefrom for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht.

A sailing yacht comprising

• a sailing hull with a bow and stern extending along a centerline at midships, port and starboard sides, and a mast with at least one sail, comprising:
• a ballast,
• an elongated strut having one end connected to said ballast for supporting the same,
• means for mounting said strut to depend from said hull for supporting said ballast generally below said hull and for providing movement of said strut about a first axis lying fore and aft on said centerline and shifting said ballast port or starboard from a generally mid position for generating a gravitational righting moment for countering heeling thereof under sail,
• first drive means for moving said strut about said first axis,
• an adjustable flap,
• means for mounting said flap to rotate relative to said strut about a second axis,
• second drive means for rotating said flap about said second axis for providing a moment tending to hold said yacht at a desired attitude,
• each of said first and second drive means being operable independently from the operation of the other,
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull and extending downwardly therefrom for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht.

In a sailing yacht including

• a keelless sailing hull having a bow and stern, and a centerline at midships, port and starboard sides, a mast with at least one sail, and a solid ballast, the improvements comprising, in combination:
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull and extending downwardly therefrom for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht,
• an adjustable flap,
• means for mounting said flap generally below said hull for movement about a first axis, said first axis being movable about a second axis lying fore and aft on said centerline,
• first control means for rotating said first axis about said second axis,
• second control means for rotating said flap about said first axis for providing a moment tending to hold said yacht at a desired angle of heel independent of steering control of said yacht.

A sailing yacht comprising

• a sailing hull with a bow and stern extending along a centerline at midships, port and starboard sides, and a mast with at least one sail, comprising:
• a ballast,
• an elongated strut having one end connected to said ballast for supporting the same
• means including a hollow shaft for mounting said strut to depend from said hull for supporting said ballast generally below said hull for countering heeling thereof under sail and for providing movement of said strut about the longitudinal axis of said shaft,
• means connected to said strut for shifting said ballast to port or to starboard from a generally mid position while said yacht is underway,
• an adjustable flap,
• a hinge interconnected between a leading edge of the flap and a trailing edge of the strut to permit rotation of the flap relative to the strut about a second axis generally orthogonal to said shaft axis,
• means connected to said flap for rotating the same about
• said second axis alternately from a generally neutral position to opposed limit positions thereof and for securing said flap at any position therebetween while said yacht is underway,
• said means for rotating the flap including a linkage having an input member extending through said shaft and an output member, said input and output members each having first and second ends,
• first means for mechanically coupling the first end of said output member and the second end of said input member,
• second means for mechanically coupling the second end of said output member and said flap,
• said first and second means being constructed and arranged so that application of a command input to the first end of said input member causes actuation of said output member and induces rotation of said flap about said second axis for providing a moment tending to hold said yacht at a desired angle of heel,
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull and extending downwardly therefrom for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht.

In a keelless sailing yacht including

• a sailing hull having a bow and a stern extending along a centerline at midships, port and starboard sides, a mast with at least one sail, and a cantable solid ballast suspended from the underside of the hull by a strut for countering heeling thereof under sail by moving said strut and shifting said ballast while said yacht is underway, the improvements comprising:
• an adjustable flap,
• means for connecting said flap to said strut and for providing movement of said flap relative to said strut,
• control means connected to said flap for rotating the same alternately from a generally neutral position to opposed limit positions thereof and for securing said flap at any position therebetween while said yacht is underway for providing a moment tending to hold said yacht at a desired angle of heel,
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull and extending downwardly therefrom for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht.

A sailing yacht comprising

• a sailing hull having a bow and a stern extending along a centerline at midships, and port and starboard sides,
• said hull having lower and upper portions, said hull portions being merged at a waterline of said yacht,
• said lower hull portion having sections that lie on a generally circular shape and which laterally converge toward the bow, and
• said upper hull portion having a lateral extent greater than that of said lower hull portion and including means for defining at least one substantially planar surface on the underside of said upper hull portion for contacting the surface of water over which said yacht is moving and assisting said hull toward planing when said yacht is at a desired angle of heel,
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull and extending downwardly therefrom for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht,
• a ballast,
• an elongated strut having one end connected to said ballast for supporting the same,
• means for mounting said strut to depend from said hull for supporting said ballast generally below said hull and for providing movement of said ballast about a first axis lying fore and aft on said centerline for countering heeling thereof under sail,
• means defining a control surface on said strut, said control surface being movable relative to said ballast about a second axis, and
• means for moving said control surface about said second axis for providing a moment tending to hold said yacht at a desired attitude.

In a keelless sailing yacht,

• a sailing hull having a bow and a stern extending along a centerline at midships, and port and starboard sides, and a mast with at least one sail,
• said hull having lower and upper portions,
• said lower hull portion having sections that lie on a generally circular shape and which laterally converge toward the bow, and
• said upper hull portion having a lateral extent greater that of said lower hull portion to jointly define laterally spaced topsides outboard of said lower hull portion and for increased stability when heeled,
• said upper hull portion having a pair of laterally opposed substantially planar surfaces on the underside thereof for contacting the surface of water over which said yacht is moving and assisting said hull toward planing when said yacht is at a desired angle of heel,
• said hull sections being merged at a waterline of said yacht to define a pair of downwardly opening channels which extend longitudinally of said hull intermediate said lower hull portion and said planing surfaces for directing waves encountered by the bow of said hull to apply a lift force for lowering the waterline and reducing drag on the hull,
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull and extending downwardly therefrom for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht.

A sailing yacht comprising a sailing hull having a bow and a stern extending along a centerline at midships, and having port and starboard sides,

• said hull having lower and upper portions, said hull portions being merged at a waterline of said yacht,
• said lower hull portion having sections that lie on a generally circular shape and which laterally converge toward the bow, and
• said upper hull portion having a lateral extent greater than that of said lower hull portion,
• means cooperating with said upper hull portion to define at least one substantially planar surface on the underside of said hull for contacting the surface of water over which said yacht is moving and assisting said hull toward planing when said yacht is at a desired angle of heel,
• a solid ballast,
• an elongated strut having one end connected to said ballast for supporting the same,
• means for mounting said strut to depend from said hull for supporting said ballast generally below said hull for countering heeling thereof under sail,
• means defining a control surface on said strut and rotatable relative thereto,
• means for rotating said control surface for providing a
• moment tending to hold said planing surface in contact with the water surface,
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull and extending downwardly therefrom for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht.

A keelless sailboat comprising

• a sailing hull having a bow and a stern extending along a centerline at midships, and having port and starboard sides,
• said hull having lower and upper portions, said hull portions being merged at a waterline of said yacht,
• said lower hull portion having sections that lie on a generally circular shape and which laterally converge toward the bow,
• said upper hull portion having a lateral extent greater than that of said lower hull portion to define a substantially planar surface on the underside of said hull for contacting the surface of water over which said yacht is moving and assisting said hull toward planing when said yacht is at a desired angle of heel,
• said hull, when moving over a body of water, causing bow and stern waves to develop fore and aft,
• a ballast,
• an elongated strut having one end connected to said ballast for supporting the same,
• means for mounting said strut to depend from said hull for supporting said ballast generally below said hull for countering heeling thereof under sail and for providing movement of said ballast about a first axis lying fore and aft on said centerline,
• an adjustable flap,
• means for mounting said flap on said strut for rotation
• about a second axis and relative thereto,
• control means for rotating said flap about said second axis for providing a moment tending to hold said hull at a desired angle of heel,
• fore and aft foils mounted to depend from said hull, extending downwardly and generally into said bow and stern waves for controlling the leeway made by said yacht,
• means for turning said foils for creating a yawing moment with respect to each other for steering said yacht.

A sailing yacht comprising

• a sailing hull with a bow and stern extending along a centerline at midships, port and starboard sides, and a mast with at least one sail, comprising:
• a ballast,
• an elongated strut having one end connected to said ballast for supporting the same,
• means for mounting said strut to depend from said hull for supporting said ballast generally below said hull and for providing movement of said strut about a first axis lying fore and aft on said centerline and shifting said ballast port or starboard from a generally mid position for countering heeling thereof under sail,
• first drive means for moving said strut about said first axis,
• an adjustable flap,
• means for mounting said flap to rotate relative to said strut about a second axis,
• second drive means for rotating said flap about said second axis for providing a moment tending to hold said yacht at a desired attitude,
• each of said first and second drive means being operable independently from the operation of the other,
• said second drive means including
• a linkage having an input member mounted in the hull and an output member, said input and output members each having first and second ends,
• means for mechanically coupling said output member and said input member and for mechanically coupling said output member and said flap,
• said coupling means being constructed and arranged so that application of a command input to said input member causes actuation of said output member and induces rotation of said flap about said second axis for providing a moment tending to hold said yacht at a desired angle of heel.

A sailing yacht comprising a sailing hull having a bow and a stern extending along a centerline at midships, and having port and starboard sides,

• said hull having lower and upper portions, said hull portions being merged at a waterline of said yacht,
• said lower hull portion having sections that lie on a generally circular shape and which laterally converge toward the bow, and
• said upper hull portion having a lateral extent greater than that of said lower hull portion,
• means cooperating with said upper hull portion to define at least one substantially planar surface on the underside of said hull for contacting the surface of water over which said yacht is moving and assisting said hull toward planing when said yacht is at a desired angle of heel,
• a solid ballast,
• an elongated strut having one end connected to said ballast for supporting the same,
• means for mounting said strut to depend from said hull for supporting said ballast generally below said hull for countering heeling thereof under sail,
• means defining a control surface on said strut and rotatable relative thereto,
• means for rotating said control surface for providing a
• moment tending to hold said planing surface in contact with the water surface, and
• a selectively openable portal in the planing surface of said upper hull portion for facilitating egress when the yacht is in a broached condition, said portal not normally being in contact with the water when said yacht is at zero heel.