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