A sailboat is disclosed wherein the sailboat includes a three
degree-of-freedom pivot assembly, sail-mounted ballast, and sail control
system. These three features increase sailing efficiency and reduce both
hydrodynamic and aerodynamic drag on the sailboat. This sailboat
incorporates a rigid sail with sail-mounted ballast to balance the
rolling moment and pitching moment produced on the sail by the wind. The
rigid self-supported sail increases sailing efficiency by eliminating the
need for supporting wires and structures and by taking advantage of the
superior aerodynamic characteristics of rigid sails over flexible sails.
Finally, the sail control system controls the sail's orientation by
rotating the components of the three degree-of-freedom pivot assembly to
maximize the sail's aerodynamic efficiency.