Anti-Heeling Apparatus for Sailboats

Abstract

An apparatus for a sailboat which can be used to oppose heeling caused by the wind on the sail. The apparatus includes hydrofoils which are substantially aligned with the leeway angle. In one embodiment, the hydrofoils can be withdrawn from holders and re-inserted or shifted in position when the boat tacks and the wind comes from the other side. In another embodiment, the hydrofoils can automatically assume a position substantially parallel to the leeway angle when the boat is sailing.

1 . An apparatus for a sailboat comprising:
 a. at least two hydrofoil holders, one on the starboard side of the boat and one on the port side, each of which is configured to adjustably hold a hydrofoil in at least two positions; and   b. the hydrofoils holders and hydrofoils are configured such that the hydrofoils can be retained in the hydrofoil holders substantially parallel to the leeway angle and oriented to extend at least in part away from the hull.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , where the apparatus is configured to resist heeling of the sailboat. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the holders are configured to adjustably hold the hydrofoils in either a positive lift position or negative lift position. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one holder is configured to adjustably hold a hydrofoil in a positive lift position and another holder is configured to adjustably hold and a hydrofoil in a negative lift position. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoils are curved and the hydrofoil holders are configured to hold the hydrofoils, so that the center of curvature of the hydrofoils is at or near deck level. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoils are straight and the hydrofoil holders are configured to hold the hydrofoils so that the hydrofoil makes an angle of greater than 30 degrees to a plane defined by the surface of the water. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoil holder and hydrofoils are configured such that the hydrofoils can be retained in the hydrofoil holders parallel to the leeway angle. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the holders are mounted on the starboard and port gunwales of the hull of the sailboat. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the holders are integral with the hull. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoils are curved. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoils are straight. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoils are configured to be manually withdrawn and set in a different position when the boat tacks. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the holders are configured to allow the altitude of the hydrofoils to be altered for either starboard or port operation by partially withdrawing the hydrofoils from the holders. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoil holder is hollow to allow water to pass through it fore to aft, and there is a single slot on the top of the hydrofoil holder and single slot in the bottom, to position the hydrofoils for starboard and port tack operation. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein there are a pair of slots in each hydrofoil holder which define the orientation of the hydrofoil, thereby requiring the hydrofoils to be completely removed from their holders when tacking from starboard to port or from port to starboard. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein there are three possible hydrofoil positions allowing for starboard, port and running operation of the boat. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoil holders are spring loaded so that when the boat is beached, the hydrofoils rotate to the level of the sand. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein there is a lifting hydrofoil on the boat's rudder to provide stability when the boat is riding on its hydrofoils above the plane of the water. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoil holders can be detached from the hull. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrofoil holders are configured to enable the hydrofoils to automatically adjust to an angle substantially parallel to the leeway angle. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the hydrofoil holders are attached to the boat by a gudgeon and pintle and the gudgeon and pintle allow automatic adjustment of the hydrofoils to an angle substantially parallel to the leeway angle. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the hydrofoil holders on the starboard and port sides of the boat are connected and the hydrofoils are constrained to assumed the same leeway angle by the connector. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the hydrofoil holders are configured to adjustably hold the hydrofoils in either a positive lift position or negative lift position. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein one hydrofoil holder is configured to adjustably hold the hydrofoil in a positive lift position and another hydrofoil holder is configured to adjustably hold the hydrofoil in a negative lift position. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the hydrofoil holders adjustably hold the hydrofoils in either a positive lift position or negative lift position through use of an attack angle adjustment assembly. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the gudgeon and pintle enables the hydrofoil holder apparatus to be detached from the boat for operation in light wind or for storage. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein “L” shaped hydrofoils are used. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein curved hydrofoils are used. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein inverted “T” shaped hydrofoils are used. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein hydrofoils with straight vertical sections and curved lower sections are used. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the starboard and port hydrofoil holders are connected so that the hydrofoils both assume the same leeway angle. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein hydrofoil holders are connected by a connecting rod that is detachable to facilitate storage. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the hydrofoil holders are spring loaded such that the hydrofoils automatically rotate when the boat rides up on the beach.