Description
A free-standing (un-stayed) rotating, carbon fiber mast is fixed to the boat (at the same location as on a standard boat) by a ball at the bottom and a roller bearing at deck level.
An airfoil shaped wing formed from conventional sailcloth and full battens is wrapped around the mast.
The wing is attached to the mast (at about 25%-30% of the airfoil's chord length) by sliding "spreaders".
The lower wing's leading edge is attached to the lower spreader (which is the only spreader fixed to the mast) and the wing's trailing edges are attached to the boom.
The sliding spreaders keep the right distance of the wing's port side panel from the starboard panel and hold the leading edge battens as well as the trailing edges battens. This maintains the shape of the airfoil.
Once hoisted, the mast and the wing rotate (weather-cock) into the wind.
A small electric or hydraulic ram induces the wing's camber by changing the angle between the mast and the boom. Since the upper wing has a solid airfoil shape and the camber is induced at the bottom, the wing's trailing edge is spontaneously twisted.
By slightly sheeting-on the main sheet to 10 degrees angle of attack, you are off... |
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omer wing sail – the soft and variable wing sail
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