United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,809,926 Kelsey (45) Date of Patent: Sep
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USOO5809926A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,809,926 Kelsey (45) Date of Patent: Sep. 22, 1998 54) LIFTING FIN FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 76 Inventor: Kevin Kelsey, 11538 Riviera PINE, 2563177 10/1985 France ................................... 114/274 Seattle, Wash.98125-5921 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Morwood, John “Hydrofoil Craft”. AYRS#19, Amatuer 21 Appl. No.: 501,414 Yacht Research Society, Jun. 1958, pp. 24-25. 22 Filed: Jul. 12, 1995 Grogono, James “Icarus, The Boat that Flies' Adlard Coles Ltd, London 1987 pp. 111-112. (51) Int. Cl. .................................................. B63B 1/24 “Now Your Sailboard Can Fly' Popular Mechanics Maga 52 U.S. Cl. ......................... 114/274; 114/280; 114/39.2: zine, Jun. 1983, pp. 72-74. 441/79 Garrett, R, “Sulu-Mosquito Trimaran Mk 11’ Letter Sailing 58 Field of Search ..................................... 114/274, 280, Hydrofoils. AYRS #74 Hermitage-Berks, 1970, pp. 197-202 114/39.2; 441/74, 75, 79 in book by Amatuer Yact Research Society Members. 56) References Cited Primary Examiner Jesus D. Sotelo U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 57 ABSTRACT 3,459,146 8/1969 Prior ....................................... 114/66.5 A sloped hydrofoil (22) is mounted to the bottom of a 3,747,138 7/1973 Morgan . ... 9/310 E Sailboard or Surfboard vertical strut (26) using a hinge joint 4,320,546 3/1982 Knox ......................................... 441/74 (24). Hinge joint (24) allows reversal of sloped hydrofoil 4,508,046 4/1985 Coulter et al. ............................ 114/39 4,686,922 8/1987 Burroughs ... ... 114/124 (22) slope in response to a hull (30) side slip. Efficient sloped 4,715,304 12/1987 Steinberg ... ... 114/39.2 hydrofoil (22) Supports a portion of craft weight to reduce 4,811,674 3/1989 Stewart ........ ... 114/39.2 hull (30) drag. 5,062,378 11/1991 Bateman . ... 114/274 5,309,859 5/1994 Miller ...................................... 114/274 17 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Sep. 22, 1998 Sheet 1 of 11 5,809,926 U.S. Patent Sep. 22, 1998 Sheet 3 of 11 5,809,926 FIG 3 U.S. Patent Sep. 22, 1998 Sheet 4 of 11 5,809,926 5 ZZ2 ZZ2 66 - %2 (12.66 3O /5-||Naa 26 -1.E-6B U.S. Patent Sep. 22, 1998 Sheet S of 11 5,809,926 64N NYNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN U.S. Patent Sep. 22, 1998 Sheet 7 of 11 5,809,926 /4// N FIG 7 U.S. Patent Sep. 22, 1998 Sheet 9 of 11 5,809,926 U.S. Patent Sep. 22, 1998 Sheet 10 of 11 5,809,926 U.S. Patent Sep. 22, 1998 Sheet 11 of 11 5,809,926 FIG, 12 5,809,926 1 2 LIFTING FIN FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of the top of a sailboard or Surfboard hull with a lifting fin. BACKGROUND-FIELD OF INVENTION FIG.2 shows an end view of a sailboard or Surfboard hull This invention relates to Sailboats, to Sailboards, to with a lifting fin. Surfboards, and to hydrofoil arrangements which can be FIG. 3 shows a side view of a sailboard or Surfboard hull used to improve the efficiency and Speed. with a lifting fin. FIG. 4 shows an end view of a sailboard or Surfboard hull BACKGROUND-DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART with an alternate embodiment of the lifting fin. Nearly all prior art for hydrofoil equipped Sailboats, 1O FIG. 5 shows a side view of a sailboard or Surfboard hull sailboards and Surfboards have sought to raise the hull from with an alternate embodiment of the lifting fin. the water. This approach Suffers a number of disadvantages: FIG. 6 shows an end view of a sailboard or Surfboard hull (a) Close proximity of the hydrofoil to the waters surface with an alternate embodiment of the lifting fin without a and piercing of the waterS Surface increases the occur Vertical Strut. rence of ventilation. 15 FIG. 7 shows a side view of a sailboard or Surfboard hull (b) Close proximity of the hydrofoil to the waters surface with an alternate embodiment of the lifting fin without a increases the occurrence of the foil broaching the Vertical Strut. Surface in waves which may cause instability. FIG. 8 shows an end view of a sailboard or Surfboard hull (c) Close proximity of the hydrofoil to the waters surface with an alternate embodiment of the lifting fin with two reduces the efficiency of the hydrofoil. hinge joint . (d) The number of hydrofoil elements required for pitch FIG. 9 shows a side view of a sailboard or Surfboard hull and roll stability once the hull is removed from the with an alternate embodiment of the lifting fin with two water increases the complexity of the design. hinge joint. (e) The number of hydrofoil elements required for stabil 25 FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a sailboard hull with ity increases the weight of the design. a lifting fin and a Standard retracting centerboard. (f) The number of hydrofoil elements required for stabil FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a sailboard hull with ity make retrofit of a existing hull more complex. two lifting fin Spaced fore and aft. U.S. Pat. 4,811,674 to Stewart (1989) utilized hydrofoils to FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a standard dinghy provide lift without raising a sailboard hull from the water. hull with a lifting fin daggerboard. The hydrofoil elements were attached to the rail of the hull and were vulnerable to ventilation and low efficiency due to 2O ifting fin surface proximity. The hydrofoils required custom attach 22 sloped hydrofoil ment points on the hull or used two thruster finbox present 24 hinge joint only on a specialized wave riding Sailboard hull or Special 35 26 vertical strut ized Surfboard. 28 standard fin box 3O standard slalom style sailboard or surfboard hull 32 hinge bulb on sloped hydrofoil OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 34 hinge bulb on vertical strut 36 hinge pin Several objects of the lifting fin are: 40 40 cross pin (a) simplicity of hydrofoil configuration by using only a 42 bolt 44 cross piece slider Single unit, 46 hinge stop (b) allow quick and easy mounting and detachment of 48 inbox hinge piece hydrofoils by having only one attachment point; 50 standard sailboard retracting centerboard 45 60 oot strap (c) allow retrofit to standard sailboard and surfboard hulls 62 oot strap extension platform by using the finbox as the attachment point, 64 standard foot strap attachment screws 66 platform foot strap (d) reduce ventilation of the hydrofoil by deep submer 68 fiberglass cloth gence, 70 ifting fin daggerboard (e) give excellent rough water Stability by using an 50 72 conventional dinghy hull immersed hull; 74 daggerboard trunk (f) maximize hydrofoil efficiency by deep Submergence; 76 hold-down line (g) minimize interference drag by Separation of hull and hydrofoil; DESCRIPTION-FIGS. 1 TO 12 55 (h) provide automatic lift control to avoid hydrofoil In FIGS. 1A and 1B, a standard slalom style sailboard or broaching by use of sloped hydrofoil; Surfboard hull 30 has a standard finbox 28 and a trio of foot (i) reduce hull drag by reducing hull planing lift. strap 60. A lifting fin 20 has a vertical strut 26 which is Taken together, the above objects lead to the prime object inserted into finbox 28. A hinge joint 24 connects vertical to increase Sailboard and Surfboard Speed. 60 strut 26 to a sloped hydrofoil 22. Still further objects and advantages will become apparent FIGS. 2 and 3 show end and side view of hull 30 and from a consideration of the ensuing description and draw lifting fin 20. A hinge bulb 32 on sloped hydrofoil 22 and a IngS. hinge bulb 34 on vertical strut 26 are connected by a hinge DRAWING FIGURES pin 36. Vertical strut 26 is attached to finbox 28 using the 65 common methods with a crosspin 40, a bolt 42, and a croSS FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of the bottom of a piece slider 44. Sloped hydrofoil 22 is free to hinge side sailboard or Surfboard hull with a lifting fin. to-side relative to vertical strut 26. Hinge bulb 32 and 34 can 5,809,926 3 4 be cast or molded as part of Vertical Strut 26 and sloped FIGS. 2 and 3 show hinge stop 46 which limits the Swing hydrofoil 22. A hole is drilled through hinge bulb 32 and 34 of hinge joint 24. In practice, an angle from Vertical of 45 for hinge pin 36. The Swing of hinge joint 24 is limited by degrees has given best performance. The angle of attack of the contact on the inside edges of Vertical Strut 26 and a sloped hydrofoil 22 is set by a combination of hull side slip hinge Stop 46 projecting from hinge bulb 32. Hinge Stop 46 and hull pitch trim. Thus the angle of attack is less dependent can be cast or molded as part of hinge bulb 32. Rear foot upon either Sideslip or hull trim and reduces the occurrence strap 60 is connected to hull 30 by a pair of standard foot of Stalling from excessive hull pitch trim. Strap attachment ScrewS 64. FIGS. 4 and 5 show end and side view of hull 30 and an The upward lift generated by lifting fin 20 is far aft. alternate embodiment of lifting fin 20 to allow fiberglasss Upward lift is also far aft when the crew uses the sailing construction. Vertical strut 26 and sloped hydrofoil 22 are method called riding the fin which is used in Strong winds to constructed of fiberglass to reduce weight.