Small watercraft with fin and sail

Abstract

This invention is an improvement of a prior invention which is a small watercraft propelled by a vertical fin-like device and/or a sail. The prior invention has a vertical shaft located in the front portion of the watercraft. Multiple foot-operated arms are secured to the upper portion of the shaft. A fin is secured to a hinge which is located at the trailing end of an elongated member. The leading end of the elongated member is removably secured to a joint device at the lower end of the shaft. The arms, shaft, elongated member, and fin can rotate 360 degrees about the shaft axis. An opening between the shaft and the operator is provided to allow the elongated member together with the fin to be secured and removed during operation. A post is secured to the upper end of the shaft. The post allows a sail mast to telescope on and the turning of the post does not affect the mast or vice versa. The prior invention also has a hand-controlled rudder at the rear end of the watercraft. The improvement is related to the introduction of a rotatable airfoil means which covers the elongated member for reducing the drag caused by the elongated member. A lock/release mechanism installed on the elongated member can keep the airfoil from rotating and thus makes the airfoil a foot-controlled rudder during sailing. A vertical fixed fin is also added to the rear end of each float. The introduction of the airfoil means, the lock/release mechanism, and the fixed fin removes the need for the hand-controlled rudder, increases the potential moving speed, and simplifies the watercraft operation of the prior invention.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An elongated member for a small watercraft with fin and sail being covered by an airfoil means; said airfoil means being rotatable about the longitudinal centerline of the portion of the elongated member being covered.  
     
     
         2 . A watercraft according to  claim 1 , wherein a lock/release mechanism controlling the rotation of the airfoil means is installed on the elongated member.