Variable camber wing sail

摘要

The present invention pertains to an apparatus to improve the efficiency and performance of an aerodynamic lift structure for use on sailing devices. A two-sided, spaced apart sail structure is provided with resiliently deformable struts for each side, attached at one end to a beam, fixed to the mast of the sailing device, the mast being rotatable about its vertical axis in either direction relative to vertical planes along the longitudinal axes of the sailing device and the boom in a manner whereby a cam action is produced by the beam to deform or bend the struts in a manner so as to vary the camber of the wing sail, the amount of camber of one side of the wing sail being greater than the concave curvature of the opposed side thus producing an airfoil configuration. Provisions are made to permit translation of the two main surfaces of the wing sail as well as the surfaces at the clew corner while maintaining proper tension in the surfaces, and an aerodynamic seal is provided along the trailing edge of the wing sail. A horizontal control bar is attached to the mast to control the pivotal movement of the mast by a block and tackle attached between each end of the bar and the boom.