Sail-powered vehicle

Abstract

A sail-powered vehicle having a mobile base including at least one mast to which at least one sail support is connected including an upper end fastened at a top point of the mast and a lower end fastened near the mobile base, where the lower end of the sail support is towards the outside of the longitudinal median axis of the vehicle, and towards the bottom.

1 . A sail-powered vehicle comprising:
 a mobile base including a keel or drift,   at least one mast to which at least one rigid sail support is connected comprising an upper end fastened at a top of the mast and a lower end fastened near the mobile base separated from the median axis of the vehicle on a side under the wind, the separation being adjustable,   wherein the lower end of the sail support can be lowered in relation to the deck of the vehicle, said lowering being adjustable.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , equipped with a transverse rail along which a wagon can move supporting the lower end of the sail support, wherein the end of said rail goes outside a hull of the vehicle, and below a plane of the deck. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle according to  claim 2 , wherein the rail can itself be moved towards an outside of the vehicle, on the side under the wind. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle according to  claim 2 , wherein support of the rail can move by sliding along another rail itself, said other rail being fastened to the vehicle, or sliding on another rail. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicle according to  claim 4 , wherein the support of the rail can move due to the fact that it can pivot owing to one or several pivoting supports. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle according to  claim 2 , wherein the rail can be folded towards an inside of the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower end of the sail support can be moved using an arm made up of at least two bars hinged to each other, each of the bars being able to be telescopic, and being able to pivot on itself. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle according to  claim 9 , wherein one of the bars making up the arm can bear on a wagon sliding on a rail fastened on a structure of the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle according to  claim 7 , wherein one of the bars making up the arm can bear on a U-bolt or oarlock fastened on a structure of the vehicle, intended to receive the arm(s), and serve as support and guide for the latter. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is provided, on each side, with an arm whereof one end is fastened to a structure of the vehicle by a hinge, and another end is provided with a clip or hook or any other catching means, such that the lower end of the sail support is supported sometimes by the clip of one of the two arms, and sometimes by the clip of the other arm. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the sail support is attached to a top point of the mast using a fastener at said top point, allowing movement of the sail support in relation to said top point. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the sail support is provided with a slide on part of a length, wherein the slide is fastened on the mast towards the top such that the slide, fastened to the sail support, is mobile, and the slide that is fixed in relation to the mast. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , provided with at least one sail with a sheet, wherein, associated with the sail spaced away from a longitudinal median axis and/or lowered in relation to the deck, is at least one sheet passage outside a hull of the vehicle, a distance between the longitudinal median axis and said sheet passage is larger than a distance separating the lower end of the sail support from the longitudinal median axis and can be adjusted, and a height position in relation to the hull of the vehicle of the sheet passage can also be adjustable. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle according to  claim 13 , wherein the sheet passage of a jib is supported by or connected to an arm that supports a mainsail support. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the sail is provided with a sail return, which is a piece of fabric, or any other material connected along a lower edge of the sail and coming back towards an inside of the vehicle, serving to channel air. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the sail is provided with a one or several anti-drift(s), which is one or several submerged surface(s) opposing a drift movement, having a shape, incline and position such that a force resulting from a pressure of water on the anti-drift creates a heel moment less than that of a traditional drift, which can be decreased, cancelled, or reversed, or controlled depending on a shape and/or incline and positioning of said surface. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is provided with a pivoting anti-drift supported by an arm, or several fastened to an end of a support whereof one end is fastened to the anti-drift, the other to the vehicle using a hinge pivoting around a horizontal axis in a plane of symmetry of the vehicle, around which the support pivots while making the anti-drift pass under the vehicle, from one side to the other. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicle according to  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is provided with (at least) two pivoting anti-drifts, one on each side of the vehicle, each pivoting around an axis, which can be horizontal and parallel to a plane of symmetry of the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The vehicle according to  claim 18 , wherein the anti-drift also has a foil effect.