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