Abstract: The plate release binding for winter sports devices comprises a mobile binding plate (1) of oblong basic outline with a widened mid-section and a vertical central bore (28). The entire engagement and disengagement mechanism, mainly comprising pressure springs (12) and pressure pistons (13) is built into the compact plate into a minimum of space below the area of the boot sole. The binding plate is engaged with the fixed mounted hub (2) on the snowboard by a downward and turning movement of the foot. The hub acts as the only anchoring device for each binding and at the same time also as the central rotational, pivotal and guiding axis for the multi-directionally turning , tilting and lifting movements of the plate.

Abstract: The sail rig comprises a quadrangular sail. A mast sleeve is arranged through the sail area from head to the foot and a flexible mast of flat cross section is inserted therein. A wishbone or a single-boom is connected at the fore to the luff clew and at the rear to the aft leech clew. Owing to the curvature or camber of the sail, its periphery is subject to higher tension than the remaining surface. Therefore, even after rigging up, the sail will not only curve horizontally, but also vertically. When exposed to wind, the sail will form a harmonic compound shape having its concave side to windward. The mast connected to the sail by the mast sleeve bends in the same direction as the sail. The tension around the periphery produces a triangulation effect in conjunction with the mast, similar to that of stays, thereby preventing the mast head from deflecting to leeward. The tension forces of the sail acting upon the mast are balanced and negligible. It is thus possible to build a lighter and more flexible mast.

Abstract: Mast (1) having essentially a rectangular cross-section with rounded narrow sides, preferably made in sandwich-type construction from integrally fiberglass-reinforced polyurethane structural foam (7) as core material with fiberglass laminates (8) as stressed skins bonded to both wide sides. The depth measured between the two narrow sides is greatest in the vicinity of the attachment area of the wishbone-type boom (12), and it decreases from there towards at least the top end, whereby the average depth of the mast cross-section shall measure at least twice as much as the mast width. The mast (1) for a sail-board is connected with the wishbone-type boom (12) via an articulated attachment (13) thus permitting the mast to pivot freely within the limits of the wishbone boom and to point its narrow leading edge against the wind. The mast (1) is essentially submitted only to a stress resulting from the tractional force of the sail (14) attached behind the narrow backside of the mast.