| Inflatable boats, also called rubber boats or | | | | Some inflatable boats run 45 feet in length or |
| dinghies, have been around in one form or | | | | more and may include inboard steering, luxury |
| another for thousands of years. They now come | | | | features, and even full cabins. Inflatable boats |
| in many different sizes and models and include | | | | have evolved so much that today, the only thing |
| inflatable kayaks, sport boats, and inflatable | | | | inflatable on some boats is the collar around the |
| catamarans. Their versatility and relatively low | | | | perimeter gunwales of the deck.Hull Designs & |
| cost have contributed to their popularity, and | | | | Types of Inflatable BoatsInflatable boats come in |
| more and more water enthusiasts are discovering | | | | rigid hull design and soft-bottom style. |
| the advantages of owing an inflatable | | | | Soft-bottom boats have floors made of fabric |
| boat.Evolution of the Inflatable BoatHistorical | | | | and slats (usually wood) running across the beam. |
| records indicate that the first inflatable boats | | | | This design is generally found in smaller inflatables |
| were animal skins filled with air. Over the years, | | | | ranging from about 6 to 8 feet in length only.Rigid |
| many cultures have created various versions of | | | | hulls, or RIBs, were introduced in 1967 by Tony |
| inflatable watercraft, and in 1839, the Duke of | | | | Lee-Elliott and advanced by Admiral Hoare and the |
| Wellington tested the first inflatable pontoons. In | | | | Atlantic College in Wales. As opposed to |
| the decades that followed, many new designs | | | | soft-bottom boats, which have a fabric hull with |
| were introduced and some of them were utilized | | | | inflatable or wood keels, RIBs have hard fiberglass |
| by European military forces.The inflatable boats | | | | or aluminum hulls and large, inflatable tubes. This |
| were used to transport torpedoes and other | | | | allows for a combination of the best features |
| cargo. They also allowed troops to make discreet | | | | from both types of boats.Some RIBs incorporate |
| landings in shallow water, and their compact size | | | | the V-shaped bow similar to that of a traditional |
| and storability made them easy to bring with, | | | | boat. This design consists of a separate inflation |
| even on overland marches where it would not | | | | tube running the length of the boat beneath the |
| have been possible to bring a traditional boat.One | | | | floorboards. Once inflated, it pushes the floor |
| of the models, the Zodiac, grew to be very | | | | materials down to form the V-shape that helps in |
| popular with the military and contributed | | | | steering. The flotation collars on many RIBs are |
| significantly to the rise of the civilian inflatable boat | | | | removable, making them easier to store and to |
| industry, both in Europe and in the United States. | | | | clean.RIBs typically range from 10 to 30 feet in |
| After World War II, surplus inflatable boats were | | | | length and are propelled by either by an outboard |
| sold to the public and the general population had a | | | | motor or an inboard motor turning a water jet or |
| chance to experience how easy and enjoyable | | | | z-drive. They were first used as lifeboats in 1970, |
| these boats can be.Since then, inflatable kayaks, | | | | and later as dinghies or tenders on larger pleasure |
| sailing inflatables, inflatable canoes, sport boats, | | | | yachts. |
| and belly boats have been added to the mix. | | | | |