Subject of the Invention

The subject of the invention is the design and construction of a forward cockpit in a manner that the cockpit also serves as an area for socializing.

Technical Problem

The main technical problem is how to design and construct a forward cockpit, namely the area located forward of the mast in the direction of the bow of the sailboat so that it makes the area safe for people. Today, sailboats are constructed for larger crews than in the past. The demand for comfort inside, as well as outside the sailboat, is constantly increasing. Larger and comfortable indoor areas are built at the expense of safe areas for socialising outside on the deck.

Open "technical" decks do not provide sufficient safety. Cushioned deckchairs for sunbathing, that some manufactures place on this section, often fly off the deck, due to wind or waves. Thus, a requirement for designing the forward cockpit has been demonstrated in a manner that would enable better utilisation of the area, and also greater safety for people and equipment.

Prior Art

On sailboats and other boats that are being constructed today, the main cockpit is the only area for socializing that is located on the deck. Usually it is located at the stern or in the direction towards the centre of the sailboat. The front area forward of the mast remains unutilized. This section is namely primarily treated as the "technical area", and is mainly used for setting up mechanisms for handling the sails. The use of this area for leisure activities is thus highly limited and from the aspect of safety it is limited only to the time when the boat is docked at the marina. While sailing, the forward area namely provides no protection against the open sea and the operation of the mechanisms; at the same time the mechanisms also do not provide any comfort. In this area, the need for installing mechanisms and the need for comfort are mutually exclusive.

Solution to the Technical Problem

The above technical problem has been solved with the process of designing the entire forward cockpit according to the enclosed invention and is presented in more detail in figures showing: Figure 1: view of the forward cockpit with a railing and cover hatches Figure 2: detail of the railing with a groove and a holder.

The present invention refers to the design and construction process of the sailboat forward cockpit. The invention envisages a transferring of mechanisms for handling the sails under the deck into special canals that are designed and constructed with the help of glass fibres and epoxy resin, which gives the ducts suitable strength. The system of pulleys and ropes for tensioning the sails has been transferred into the duct.

The maintenance duct is only accessible from the deck and is designed to be level with the deck. This is achieved with magnetic couplers that fasten the covers onto the ducts.

The protective railing is designed so that it takes into account the best aerodynamic efficiency of the shape of a cut-out section of a circumference with a radius that is equal to three-times the length of the sailboat. The height of the railing above deck equals to 2 % of the length of the radius. The railing is made from glass fibres and epoxy resin which provides suitable firmness and safety as well as enables the modelling of a specific groove. The groove makes it possible to fasten specially designed deckchairs for sunbathing, which are not affected by the wind.

The design and construction process of the sailboat forward cockpit encompasses the following operations: transferring of mechanisms for handling the sails from below deck by designing separate ducts for the mechanisms, thus the mechanisms are accessible only from the deck. For this purpose, hatches with a magnetic coupler are designed on the deck that cover the ducts for mechanisms, so that the hatches are levelled with the deck, namely flush with the deck's surface;

designing protective railings in the shape of a cut-out section of a circle with a large radius and the manufacture of protective railings with a combination of glass fibres and epoxy resin. The railing's shape enables the best aerodynamic efficiency;

making a groove and holder in the protective railing for fastening and securing sunbathing deckchairs against the wind.

The first operation when designing the forward cockpit is to move the mechanisms for handling the sails from below deck in order to obtain room. In order to do so, two requirements have to be met, namely the operation of the mechanisms must remain uninterrupted and maintenance access has to be provided to the mechanisms, in the event of malfunctions.

Mechanisms 3 that run from the electric winch on the stern to the mast 6 are directed through special ducts 4 that are not accessible from the inside of the sailboat, and only allow access from the deck. Ducts 4 are made of glass fibres and epoxy resin, because the walls of the ducts must provide suitable firmness, since the duct walls contain pulleys for routing ropes that must withstand the forces that develop when manipulating the sails.

The ducts 4, where the mechanisms 3 for manipulating the sails are located, are covered by cover hatch 5. Because the aesthetic appearance of sailboats is one of the most important aspects, the forward cockpit must be designed as uniformly and consistently as possible. The suitably designed hatch 5 also provides more space. Therefore, hatches 5 that cover the ducts 4 for mechanisms 3 are in the upper part designed in such a way that they are levelled with the deck 1. This provides greater comfort and aesthetic perfection. The handle 8 for lifting the hatch 5 in order to gain maintenance access is designed in the centre of the cover hatch 5 next to its edge. With the help of magnetic couplers that are fastened on the lower side of the hatches 5 and on the duct wall 4, and are not shown on the figure, the deck hatches 5 can simply be lifted with the handle 8, without any tools.

By transferring the mechanisms 3 in the forward cockpit below deck 1, an area 2 is made available in front of the mast 6 that is additionally protected with a protective railing 7, which makes the area 2 safe for accommodating people. Thus, two protective railings 7 are designed in the forward cockpit left and right of the mast 6 and run right next to the cabin between the outer railing and the cabin. The protective railings 7 ensure safety against lateral thrusts, provide additional firmness and are designed so that they do not affect the aerodynamic properties of the vessel, namely the design provides the best aerodynamic efficiency.

The railing 7 is arc shaped and represents a circular arc from a circle with a large radius that is cut out at the level of the deck 1. The railing starts at the arc on the stern side and ends forward of the mast 6 so that approximately a section of the railing 7 reaches forward of the mast 6. The maximum height of the railing 7 above the deck 1 and the radius of the circle that defines the curvature of the railing 7 are defined so that the sailboat's aerodynamic efficiency is at the maximum possible, namely such that the circle's radius is three times the sailboat's length and the maximum height of the railing 7, i.e. the maximum distance of the circumference from the deck 1, is 2 % of the radius. Protection against wind, lateral thrusts and firmness are achieved by making the railing from glass fibres that ensure suitable strength.

On the inside of the railing 7, directly below the lower edge of the railing 7, in the section located in the forward cockpit, a groove 9 is defined into which the holder 10 is fastened. The holder 10 is also made from glass fibres and epoxy resin and is inseparably linked with groove 9. This allows maximum strength and compactness to be achieved. Groove 9 with the holder 10 makes it possible to fasten the specially designed sunbathing deckchairs into the holder 10, thus preventing the negative pressure from the wind from lifting them up during sailing.