Simple but effective sail handling system that allows sail control to be carried out single-handed from the safety of the cockpit

Abstract

Sail handling system and associated methods for sail raising, dousing, reefing, and stowing when operating sail-powered craft. The present invention allows these operations to be carried out single-handed from the safety of the cockpit in a wide range of wind and water conditions. The sail shape can be controlled continuously at any position as the sail is raised and lowered, offering a much wider range of sail configurations to suit wind conditions. The sail can self-fold/pleat neatly on top of the boom when lowered, ready to be covered. Preferred embodiments of the system incorporate one or more self-adjusting lazy jacks.

1 . A sail handling system, comprising at least one control line routed along a leech and a head of a sail in a manner such that a tension on the at least one control line helps to support the leech and exerts a downward force on the sail head.  
   
   
       2 . The sail handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a block is coupled to the sail head in a manner such that the block moves up and down with the sail head, and wherein the at least one control line is routed through the block.  
   
   
       3 . The sail handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of blocks are coupled to the sail head in a manner such that the blocks moves up and down with the sail head, and wherein the at least one control line is routed through the blocks.  
   
   
       4 . The sail handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bridge coupled to the sail head in a manner such that the bridge moves up and down with the sail head sail head, wherein the bridge has a first end and a second end, and wherein a luff block is coupled to the first end and a leech block is coupled to the second end, and wherein the at least one control line is routed through the luff and leech blocks.  
   
   
       5 . The sail handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bridge coupled to the sail head in a manner such that the bridge moves up and down with the sail head, wherein the bridge has a first end and a second end, and wherein a block is coupled to at least one of the first and second ends and at least one block is coupled to the bridge in a position generally intermediate between the first and second ends, and wherein the at least one control line is routed through the blocks.  
   
   
       6 . The sail handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one control line constitutes a component of at least one lazy jack.  
   
   
       7 . The sail handling system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one lazy jack is self-adjusting.  
   
   
       8 . The sail handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a rope basket line having first and second ends attached to a rig incorporating the sail and at least one rope basket block attached to the rope basket line, and wherein the at least one control line is routed between the at least one rope basket block and the sail head.  
   
   
       9 . The sail handling system of  claim 8 , further comprising a boom block positioned proximal to an aft end of a boom, and wherein the at least one control line is routed between the at least one rope basket block and the boom block.  
   
   
       10 . The sail handling system of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one control line is routed along the leech between the boom block and a block coupled to the sail head.  
   
   
       11 . The sail handling system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one control line is routed along the leech between a block attached to a boom and a block coupled to the sail head.  
   
   
       12 . The sail handling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bi-directional, auto-stopping winch, and wherein the at least one control line is routed from a cockpit to a rig incorporating the sail through the winch.  
   
   
       13 . A sail head bridge, comprising 
 a) at least one bar member;    b) at least one block attached to the bar member, wherein the bridge is attached to a head of a sail in a manner such that the bridge moves up and down with the sail head.    
   
   
       14 . The sail head bridge of  claim 13 , further comprising one or more additional blocks attached to the bar member, wherein at least one of the blocks is coupled to the bridge proximal to an end of the bar member.  
   
   
       15 . A method of sail handling comprising the step of using the sail handling system of  claim 1  to lower a sail.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the sail is partially lowered and the method further comprises the step of reefing the sail.