Efficient Self-Turning Sailboat via Adaptive Center of Gravity Adjustment System

Due to the advantages of utilizing wind energy as propulsion power with extended endurance and environmental friendliness, unmanned sailboats have increasingly become a research hotspot in marine unmanned vehicles. A common problem is that their motion often exhibits incomplete controllability because of the high dependence on wind field conditions. In particular, sailing across the upwind situation, the propulsion is limited, making it difficult to turn and even stall, resulting in steering failure. This paper proposes a novel catamaran structure with sliding rail-based center of gravity adjustment, which enhances steering performance by modifying the steering strategy through center of gravity displacement. This approach increases the steering torque and extends the lever arm. We established a kinematic model and conducted simulation experiments based on the improved strategy. Results demonstrate that compared with traditional steering methods, the proposed gravity-adjusted strategy has less steering time and achieves a smaller turning radius, indicating superior steering performance. This study contributes to resolving upwind steering limitations for unmanned sailboats, providing new insights for subsequent theoretical and engineering investigations in this field.