DEVICE FOR PROTECTING FURLING EXTRUSION
A silencing device for an in-mast furling system is used to prevent contact between the furling extrusion and the interior wall of the hollow mast when a mainsail has been removed (such as for winter storage). The silencing device is hoisted onto the hollow mast and furled (or placed) onto the extrusion after the mainsail has been removed. In one configuration, the silencing device comprises a padding of several feet in length that is wrapped in sailcloth. The padding thus covers the extrusion and functions to limit the movement of the extrusion within the mast, eliminating contact between a “bare” extrusion and the interior of the mast, and significantly reducing the potential of fatigue failure for the extrusion itself.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/618,247, filed Jan. 17, 2018 and herein incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates to an improved configuration for an in-mast mainsail furling system extrusion and, more particularly, to a protective (preferably padded) covering that is disposed in place over the extrusion after removal of the mainsail from the extrusion, preventing unwanted contact between the extrusion and the surrounding mast.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSailboat manufacturers have developed newer and easier sail handling systems. One of the most popular of these systems is “in-mast” furling mainsails. In particular, these systems are comprised of a furling extrusion that is mounted within the interior, central region of the mast, where the mainsail is furled onto the extrusion using one of several different mechanisms (rack-and-pinion winch-driven, extended extrusion with a spiral-wrapped furling line, etc.). Regardless of the particular mechanism for attaching the mainsail to the extrusion, it is common for the extrusion itself to be mounted in the center of the mast, running from the gooseneck or boom attachment to the masthead. The extrusion is held in place at the masthead and also at the gooseneck. To allow plenty of furling room for the mainsail, there are no intermediate means of support between the mast and the centrally-disposed extrusion.
When the mainsail is installed, it is fed into an extrusion opening and hoisted with the main halyard. The mainsail thus remains hoisted during the sailing season. When furled, the mainsail covers the extrusion, which serves to increase the rigidity of the extrusion itself, as well as providing a degree of padding which functions to fill the space between the extrusion and the interior wall of the mast. This padding provided by the furled mainsail eliminates the possibility of noise (otherwise occurring when the extrusion is free to move and forth and contacts the interior wall of the mast), as well as fatigue of the extrusion component related to its freedom of movement within the mast. It is to be understood that while sailing, the tension from the sail shape holds the extrusion in place at the mast slot, thereby eliminating the possible of back and forth movement of the extrusion within the mast and preventing “extrusion-mast wall” impacts.
The problem occurs when the mainsail is removed, which most commonly takes place at the end of the sailing season (or when certain maintenance procedures are required). Mainsails are very expensive and should be removed and protected from the constant freezing/thawing cycle that occurs during a normal winter. When the mainsail is removed, the extrusion becomes free to swing back and forth within the mast, thereby coming into contact with the interior wall of the mast, and causing a loud, banging noise walls (which is likely to be amplified by virtue of the hollow design of the mast). The movement of the extrusion works on the upper and lower supports, as well as the extrusion segment connections. As a result, it is likely that the extrusion movement will result in fatigue of the extrusion sections and weakening of the connection points. Any time the boat is moving with the mainsail removed (whether swaying at anchor or mooring ball, under way, or simply tied in her slip), the extrusion is free to move back and forth so as to contact the interior wall of the mast and thus create damage to both the extrusion and the mast.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention addresses and overcomes problems associated with fatigue of a mast's furling extrusion by the provision of a silencing device that is hoisted in the mast and furled (or placed) onto the extrusion once the mainsail has been removed. In one configuration, the silencing device comprises a padding of several feet in length that is wrapped in sail cloth. The padding thus covers the extrusion and functions to limit the movement of the extrusion within the mast, eliminating the possibility of a “bare” extrusion banging against the mast, while also significantly reducing the potential of fatigue failure for the extrusion itself. In another configuration, the silencing device comprises a plurality of padded disks (e.g., foam) disposed along the extrusion in a spaced-apart arrangement.
Specific embodiments include a silencing device for protecting a furling extrusion within a sailboat mast, comprising a padded element hoisted along the mast so as to surround at least a portion of the empty furling extrusion, the padded element having a diameter sufficient to reduce a gap between an interior surface of the mast and the empty furling extrusion, preventing physical contact between the furling extrusion and the mast when the mainsail is removed.
One exemplary silencing device takes the form of a triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material including opposing head and tack locations along one end termination and a clew termination at an opposing apex of the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material. The cushioning material is furled around the extrusion within the mast (after the mainsail has been removed) to prevent physical contact between the furling extrusion and the inner surface of the mast.
Another exemplary silencing device comprises a plurality of annular disks of resilient, shock-absorbent material disposed in a spaced-apart arrangement along the empty furling extrusion.
Other and further aspects and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following discussion and by reference to the associated drawings.
Referring now to the drawings, where like numerals represent like parts in several views:
As mentioned above, mainsails are very expensive and should be removed and protected from the constant freezing/thawing cycle that occurs during a normal winter. When mainsail S is removed, extrusion 12 becomes free to swing back and forth within mast 10, thereby coming into contact with the interior surface 11 of mast 10, creating a loud, banging noise (which is likely to be amplified by virtue of the hollow design of the mast).
Moreover, it is likely that the movement of extrusion 12 will result in fatigue of the extrusion sections and weakening of its connection points along mast 10. Any time the boat is moving with the mainsail removed (whether swaying at anchor or mooring ball, under way, or simply tied in her slip), extrusion 12 is free to move back and forth so as to contact interior surface 11 of the mast 10, with the potential to create damage to both the extrusion and the mast.
In an exemplary embodiment, silencing device 20 may simply comprise a relatively inexpensive base sailcloth material 22. Alternatively, this material may be padded (or quilted) in whole or in part to further fill the gap between extrusion 12 and mast 10 when silencing device 20 is furled. It is to be noted that in any case, the thickness of material 22 forming silencing device 20 needs to be less than the opening of longitudinal slot 14, in order for efficient furling to take place.
Silencing device 20 is shown in
It is to be understood that the size of a given silencing device formed in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, as well as the specific materials used to form the silencing device, are all design considerations of the user and are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the length X of silencing device 20 will be based on the dimensions of the mast and the extrusion (i.e., on the gap spacing between these two elements).
The above description details various embodiments of an exemplary silencer configuration. It is to be understood that other configurations will depend upon mast and furling system construction and may consist of only foam padding, rubber ball cushions, polymer rigid supports (for example) and the like, required to optimize the silencer for the particular mast/furling system construction. All of these variations are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1. A device for protecting an empty furling extrusion within a sailboat mast during times when a mainsail has been removed, the device comprising
- a padded element hoisted along the mast so as to surround at least a portion of the empty furling extrusion, the padded element having a diameter sufficient to reduce a gap between an interior surface of the mast and the empty furling extrusion, preventing physical contact between the furling extrusion and the mast when the mainsail is removed.
2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the padded element comprises
- a triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material including opposing head and tack locations along one end termination and a clew termination at an opposing apex of the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material, wherein the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material is furled around the empty furling extrusion within the mast to prevent physical contact between the furling extrusion and the mast when the mainsail is removed.
3. The device as defined in claim 2 wherein the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material includes a piece of sailcloth material.
4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein the piece of sailcloth material comprises a piece of quilted sailcloth material.
5. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material further comprises a section of foam padding attached to the piece of sailcloth material.
6. The device as defined in claim 2 wherein the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material further comprises a clew end section of UV-resistant material.
7. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the padded element comprises
- a plurality of annular disks of resilient, shock-absorbent material disposed in a spaced-apart arrangement along the empty furling extrusion.
8. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein the plurality of annular disks comprises a plurality of foam disks.
9. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein the padded element further comprises a support line passing through each disk, the support line attached to opposing end terminations of the mast.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 8, 2019
Publication Date: Jul 18, 2019
Inventor: Anthony B Tumas (Lincoln University, PA)
Application Number: 16/242,323