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US 5,884,575 AGranted
Nautical balance system
OwnerMario Talasimovinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A nautical balance system for installation on small sailboats. The system improves the ability of a helmsman to counter the heeling force of the wind on the sails by providing a swinging seat supported by semicircular rail for supporting the weight of the helmsman outboard of the sailboat. The system enables the helmsman to easily use his weight to limit the heel of the sailboat. The system is independent of mast location and provides for tacking under a low boom.
Claims16
A nautical balance system comprising:
- an outrigger having a pivot end and an outboard end;
- a pivot bearing supporting the pivot end of said outrigger, said outrigger rotatable about said pivot bearing;
- a rail assembly supporting said outrigger between the pivot end and the outboard end, said rail assembly including a rail having two ends;
- and
- support means for supporting a weight, said support means connected to said outrigger proximate the outboard end;
- said outrigger includes:
- a first roller disposed above said rail for supporting said outrigger on said rail, said first roller permitting said outrigger to slide along said rail;
- and
- a second roller disposed below said rail for maintaining said outrigger proximate, said rail.
6 more elements
A sailboat comprising:
- a hull and deck structure including a deck and having a longitudinal centerline;
- a pivot bearing attached to said hull and deck structure;
- an outrigger having a pivot end and an outboard end, the pivot end supported by said pivot bearing, said outrigger rotatable about said pivot bearing in a plane substantially parallel to said deck;
- a generally semicircular rail assembly extending across substantially the entire deck and supporting said outrigger between the pivot end and the outboard end, said outrigger slidable along said rail assembly, said rail assembly attached to said hull and deck structure;
- and
- support means for supporting a weight, said support means connected to said outrigger proximate the outboard end.
3 more elements
A sailboat comprising:
- a deck covering a hull to form an floating assembly having a longitudinal centerline;
- a mast fastened to said deck on the longitudinal centerline, said mast for supporting at least one sail;
- a boom attached to said mast;
- a pivot bearing attached to said deck on the centerline at a location independent of said mast;
- a rail assembly including,
- a upper support rail raised above said deck, said support rail having two ends,
- a lower connection rail fastened to said deck,
- a plurality of rail supports extending between said support rail and said connection rail, and
- a pair of stops fastened to said support rail a substantial distance from the ends of said support rail, said
- rail assembly having a generally semicircular shape centered about said pivot bearing and extending across said deck;
- an outrigger having a pivot end and an outboard end, the pivot end supported by said pivot bearing, said outrigger including a roller assembly enabling said outrigger to slide along said upper support rail of said rail assembly, said roller assembly including,
- an upper roller disposed above said support rail for supporting said outrigger on said support rail, and
- a lower roller disposed below said support rail for maintaining said outrigger proximate said rail assembly;
- an adjustable seat attached to said outrigger proximate the outboard end, said seat movable along said outrigger, said seat located aft of said boom when both said boom and said outrigger are aligned along the centerline.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.