(19) &   

(11) EP 2 284 075 A1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION published in accordance with Art. 153(4) EPC

(43) Date of publication: (51) Int Cl.: 16.02.2011 Bulletin 2011/07 B63H 9/10 (2006.01) B63B 15/00 (2006.01)

(21) Application number: 09742175.4 (86) International application number: PCT/ES2009/000231 (22) Date of filing: 30.04.2009 (87) International publication number: WO 2009/135969 (12.11.2009 Gazette 2009/46)

(84) Designated Contracting States: (71) Applicant: Inversail, S.A. AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR 28023 Aravaca (ES) HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR (72) Inventor: FERNANDEZ PUENTES, Gonzalo Designated Extension States: E-28023 Madrid (ES) AL BA RS

(30) Priority: 05.05.2008 ES 200801271

(54) TUNNEL

(57) Said inventions represent an improvement in the backstay and forestay to be capable of download self-supporting rotary rigging and, more specifically, the movement. There is a base crosstree, likewise securely type thereof that has a circular platform adjacent to the connected to the platform, perpendicular to the stays, deck of the vessel, which makes it possible to control the and to the ends thereof are fastened the shrouds, ena- rotation of the rigging and to install rotary stays and bling the latter to work at a suitable angle. In addition, shrouds, which assists in stabilizing the rigging. The in- there is a tunnel, in principle across the lower part of the venting is characterized by the existence of a small , which allows passage from one side of the rigging common boom securely joined to the base platform and to the other. to which are fastened the backstay and forestay, all the aforesaid making the rigging very secure and enabling EP 2 284 075 A1

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Description main area. [0007] This solution would allow us to solve the struc- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION tural fragility of the hinged connection of the previous patent but, would not allow us to variate the distance to [0001] This invention aims to be another improvement 5 the deck and the inclination of the mainsail foot. In order in the field of "Self-Supported Rotating Rigs", calling by to solve this problem, we propose to add a mainsail boom this name those sailing rigs in which the mainsail boom (7), connected to the common boom in the area of the extends in front of the mast, bending a self- tacking to mast and in its posterior part (21). Actually what we have this common boom (5), rotating the whole set of: mast is a short common boom to which a mainsail boom is (1), boom and simultaneously around a sensibly 10 connected. The mainsail is bent to this mainsail’s boom, vertical axis, and being the whole rig supported by a ro- and the said movements allow us to increase or reduce tating rig connection (6) to the boat’s hull without having the mainsail vertical tension, and indirectly, the tensions to use shrouds or stays (Figure 1). of the jib’s luff through the top of the mast (Figure 6). [0002] Among others, this type of rigs has been already [0008] There is also a jib’s boom (8), with a similar used in 1975 by K.R. May under the name of Boomsprit 15 function to the mainsail’s boom with special accent on a and later by Carbospars Ltd under the name Aero-Rig. possible telescopic sliding, in order to permit the use of [0003] In 1999 we, Inversail, S.A., presented a new with shorter o longer luff.(Figure 6) rig, much improved according to us, under the name of [0009] Another point that we want to improve is the Spindle-Rig, claiming the corresponding patent: "Im- rotating shrouds connection to the base platform. In our provements to rotary gear for sailing boats" (WO20 previous patent (Figure 4), the rotating shrouds were di- 0104000).(Figures 2, 3 and 4). Characteristics of this rig rectly connected to the base platform (2), this made them were: A platform (2) at the base of the rig, next to the work very badly because their inclination was too great ship’s deck, which allowed the rig’s rotation control, and and because their connection to the platform was not rotating shrouds (15) which from the said platform per- locally reinforced. In order to solve this, and to avoid at mitted the stabilization of the mast. Another important 25 the same time having an excessively wide platform, with feature of this rig was the use of two wishbone-type all the implied drawbacks, we now propose (Figure 7) a booms (16), one for the mainsails (3) and another one base crosstree (10), solidly connected to the platform. for the jib (4), being these booms hinged connected (28) This base crosstree curves upwards at its ends up to the to a first crosstree (12) placed above people’s heads, height of the life lines, or even more, so as not to damage whichpermitted the independent up and down movement 30 the crews shins. At the ends of this crosstree the rotating of the mainsail boom, and also that the sails could come shrouds are connected (15). It should be as wide as pos- down even to deck level, thus lowering the centre of effort sible as long as people can walk between this crosstree and making the sails more accessible. and the stanchions (for example if the beam of the boat [0004] Nevertheless, when we started the develop- at the base area is 4 metres wide, the first crosstree could ment and building of this rig we realized that the wishbone 35 be up to 3 metres long) (Figure 7). booms and their hinged connection to the first crosstree [0010] There are also two transversal reinforcements was not a good solution because the enormous horizon- (11), that go from each end of the base crosstree to the tal rotating torques created by the wind in both booms mast, their job is to absorb the great heeling torques cre- had to be absorbed through this delicate connection. Also ated by the wind on the sails. access to the said booms was rather difficult when reefing 40 [0011] We have got now what we could call a Cross and especially in emergency situations. Rig. (Figure 8). [0012] As the sails are so near to the deck, not only on DESCRPTION OF THE INVENTION this rig but also on the previous one, we are forced to go behind the mainsail or in front of the jib to be able to go [0005] In order to avoid these problems, we now pro- 45 from one side to the other of the rig. Moreover, unless pose the replacement of the two wishbone booms by a we lift or shorten in excess at its forward end the jib’s single common boom (5) monolithic and directly connect- boom,when the rig has rotated 90° it becomes impossible ed to the base platform. This boom increases its distance to go to the bow, unless we crawl.(Figure 6). to the deck as it goes away from the mast (Figure 5). [0013] Because of this, it seems necessary to have in [0006] The common boom should be wide in order to 50 the proximities of the mast a path allowing a person to be capable of absorbing the great horizontal torques cre- go from one side to the other of the rig without having to ated by the sails and in order to allow them to reach the go all the way round or having to crawl. Actually this not deck. There are as well longitudinal reinforcements (9) only permits working near the mast but also serves as a between said boom and mast for the absorption of the refuge where to shelter from the rotation of the rig. vertical tension created by the sails. These reinforce- 55 [0014] Apparently the easiest solution (Figure 8) would ments are laterally separated in order to allow for the be to have this path between the mast (1) and the jib’s sails to come down even to platform level, and there are clew (20). Nevertheless, it would only be possible to cross four reinforcements, two for the jib area and two for the with the jib well open, being also necessary for the jib’s

2 3 EP 2 284 075 A1 4 sheet traveller (18) to be at level with the platform (2) and placing the platform (2) on top of a raised rigid structure, for it to be wide enough to allow people to go though. All or by increasing upwards the thickness of the said plat- this, together with the need of having the jib’s boom (8) form. connected to the platform (2), makes this solution too [0021] The rotating control of the platform could be complicated. 5 placed below decks. This would protect the gear from [0015] Thus it seems to be much better to separate the weather. the mainsail luff (19) from the mast (1) leaving a path [0022] A common boom at the top of the mast would between them in the proximities of the deck. Now the jib permit increasing the sailing area where the wind is (4) only needs to open to save the width of the mast. stronger. It would permit a jib wider at the top, even a (Figure 9). 10 rectangular one. It would also permit to move forward the [0016] Finally, if we shift the path forward (Figure 10), sail’s centre of effort, and as a consequence a shortening stealing room from the mast (1), we could reduce to a of the jib’s boom. This effect could also be achieved by minimum the distance between the jib’s crew (18) and inclining the mast forward. the main’s luff. It would be as if we made a tunnel (13) [0023] Middle stays (23) could be used to avoid the through the mast. In order not to weaken the structure of 15 mast bending on its middle part. In order to avoid rubbing the said mast, it is necessary to transversally reinforce the sails too much, the connections to the end of the its supports over the platform (2). common boom (21 & 22) and to the second crosstree [0017] We have got now what we could call Tunnel (25) should be separated from the plane of symmetry of Rig. (Figure 10). the rig. The second crosstree (24) should be reinforced. 20 The head intermediated stay could permit the installation ADVANTAGES of a smaller jib for a heavy weather. [0024] Another way to install intermediated stays, [0018] These improvements, not only allow us to bring would be the use of double base crosstrees and first the sails as low as we want and to have a better access crosstrees, X shaped, with double shrouds, as these to the sails and the booms, but also allow us: 25 shrouds would have a component of tension over the mast parallel to the booms. 1. To have a very sturdy connection (non punctual) [0025] Main and jib booms could be replaced by short- to absorb the great torques of the mainsail and jib, er or longer ones depending on the type of navigation not only thanks to the solid connection (below) be- that we want to do. They could be telescopic. tween the common boom and the platform, but also 30 [0026] As in our previous patent, fixed bow sails could thanks to the longitudinal reinforcements which con- be used for feeble winds. nect the said boom to the mast (above). 2. To be able to adjust the distance to the deck of PREFERRED EMBODIMENT the mains and jib’s boom. And to be able to vary instantly the vertical tension of the sails. 35 [0027] Next, a Cross and Tunnel Rig can be seen in 3. To efficiently absorb the heeling torques created detail. In this embodiment we incorporated the interme- by the sails on the mast, thanks to a wide and sturdy diate stays for the mainsail and jib. base crosstree and to the transversal reinforce- [0028] In Figure 11 we have an elevation vision of this ments. rig. There a person can be seen inside of the tunnel 4. Avoiding the necessity of having to go round the 40 (13)..The common boom (5) merges with the base plat- mainsail or the jib as it is possible to go though the form (2), and it is reinforced with longitudinal reinforce- rig near the mast. ments (9). The mainsail boom (7) is connected to the 5. Not to have to open the jib every time a person posterior extreme of the common boom (21) and to the wants to go from one side of the rig to the other, and mast (1), while the jib’s boom (8) is connected to its for- as a consequence, to be able to use smaller plat- 45 ward extreme (22). These connections permit the up and forms. down movement of the main and jib booms. The main 6. The tunnel through the mast minimizes the sepa- sail (3) is bent to a luff (19) with constant curvature and ration between mainsail and jib. to the main sail’s boom (7), while the jib (4) is bent to the head stay (25) and the jib’s traveller (18). The middle POSSIBLE OPTIONS. 50 stays (23) are attached below to the posterior part (21) and to the front part (22) of the common boom and above [0019] If the transversal reinforcements (11) are suffi- to the second crosstree (24) at a point separated from ciently separated from the mast and are joined to it higher the mast. It is shown in a schematic mode the connection enough and/or they have a curved shape, they can allow between the base crosstree (10) and the first crosstree us "a path bow-stern" on top of the platform. 55 (12), as well as the rotation control mechanism (27) and [0020] In bigger boats, let us say of more than 30 me- a backup mainsail sheet (29). tres in length, where the height of a person it is no longer [0029] In Figure 12 we can see a transversal elevation important, it would be possible to cross below the rig, by of the rig. There it can be seen that thanks to the base

3 5 EP 2 284 075 A1 6 crosstree (10), the rig has a shrouds (15) separation sim- 5.- Common boom ilar to that of the monohull. It can also be seen: the mast 6.- Rig connection (1), the base platform (2), transversal reinforcements 7.- Main sail boom (11), first crosstree (12) and second crosstree (24) rotat- 8.- Jib boom ing shrouds (15) and little shrouds (26), and the connex- 5 9.- Longitudinal reinforcements ion between middle stays (23) and the second cross- 10.- Base crosstree trees. 11.- Transversal reinforcements [0030] In Figure 13 we have a plant vision of the rig. 12.- First crosstree There, the already defined elements can be seen: Mast 13.- Tunnel (1) (only the section above the tunnel), platform (2), com- 10 14.- Rotating Stays mon boom (5), mainsail boom (7), jib boom (8), as well 15.- Rotating Shrouds as longitudinal reinforcements (9) connected below to 16.- Wishbone booms the common boom (5) and above to the first crosstree 17.- Stanchions (12). 18.- Jib sheet traveller [0031] The middle stays (23) are connectedto the ends 15 19.- Main sail luff (21) and (22) of the common boom, while the transversal 20.- Jib clew reinfortments (11), not entirely shown in the figure, are 21.- Common boom posterior end connected below to the base crosstree (10) and above 22.- Common boom front end to the front part of the mast - tunnel. 23.- Middle stays [0032] As can be seen, the first and second crosstrees 20 24.- Second crosstree have been moved backwards in order to compensate the 25.- Head stay tensions of the head stays. These crosstrees and their 26.- Little shrouds corresponding shrouds and little shrouds are all on the 27.- Rotation control mechanism same plane. 28.- Articulated junction [0033] The jib sheet traveller (18) is a very short one, 25 29.- Backup main sail sheet because this jib does not need to open, as the whole rig rotates. [0034] We can clearly see the tunnel (13) situated be- Claims tween the base crosstree (10) and the jib sheet traveller (18), and placed below the first crosstree (12) and below 30 1. Improvements on the self-supported rotating rigs, the longitudinal reinforcements (9). namely, sailing rigs where the mainsail boom ex- [0035] And finally we want to make clear that because tends in front of the mast (1), having a self tacking of the 360° rotation of the rig, transferring the control to jib (4) bent to this common boom (5), rotating simul- the cockpit is more difficult. This problem could partially taneously this set of: mast (1), boom (5) and sails be resolved by one or some of the following solutions: 35 around a sensibly vertical theoretical axis, and being the whole rig supported by a rig connection (6) con- a) Coaxial transfer along the mast axis. nected directly to the boat’s hull, making this redun- b) Telemechanisms (For example to lower the main- dant the need for shrouds or stays. It is also an im- sail boom). provement on our Spindle Rig, "Improvements to ro- c) No transfer, leaving the most frequently used func- 40 tary gear for sailing boats" (WO 0104000), and hav- tions at the foot of the mast. ing as that one: a platform (2) at the base of the rig, d) Transfer through the mast to the part of the said next to the hull’s deck, which permits the control of mast situated inside of the boat’s cabin. the rig’s rotation, rotating shrouds (15) and rotating stays (14) and sails that can reach down even to the [0036] This would be of special interest for the typical 45 level of the deck. charter catamarans, where it is very easy to install the These improvements arecharacterised by the rigs control at the front part of the cabin. Even axial access common boom (5) being adjacent to the base plat- to the deck through the interior of a very thick mast could form (2), and strongly attached to it. There is a base be installed. crosstree (10) transversal to the sails plane, also ad- 50 jacent to the base platform (2) and strongly connect- GLOSARY OF TERMS ed to the said platform, Rotating shrouds (15) are attached to the extremes of this base crosstree. [0037] 2. Rotating rig as the previous claim characterised by 1.- Mast 55 having on top the base platform (2) and of the com- 2.- Base platform mon boom (5), between the jib’s crew (20) and the 3.- Main sail mainsail luff (19), and in the proximities of the mast 4.- Jib (1), a path that permits a person to go from one side

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to the other of the rig, even if the sails there reach the level of the platform (2).

3. Rotating rig as one or several of the previous claims characterised by the path being placed between 5 the mainsail luff (19) and the front part of the mast.

4. Rotating rig as one or several of the previous claims characterised by the existence of a mainsail boom (7) attached by its anterior part to the mast (1) and 10 attached by its middle part to the common boom (21). These connections are such that they permit to change the inclination and the distance to the deck of this main sail boom (7). 15 5. Rotating rig as one or several of the previous claims characterised by having between the common boom (5) and the mast (1), and at both sides on the boom, main (3) and jib (4), longitudinal reinforce- ments (9) whose job is to absorb the tension created 20 by the sails in the booms. These reinforcements (9) are placed laterally so that the sails can reach the deck.

6. Rotating rig as one or several of the previous claims 25 characterised by having also transversal reinforce- ments (11) between the mast (1) and the base cross- tree (10), whose mission is to absorb the heeling torques created by the wind on the sails. 30 7. Rotating rig as one or several of the previous claims characterised by the base crosstree (10) being as wide as possible, as long as it lets people pass be- tween the shrouds (15) and stanchions (17). 35

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REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader’s convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description

• WO 0104000 A [0003]

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