Inflatable boat
An inflatable boat is a kind of boat which is made from rubber. It is filled with air. In some boats is possible to install outboard motor. Inflatable boats are usually made to fit into small places so they can be moved easily. Some inflatable boats are rigid. They have a hard floor, and the tubes of the walls are strong so they can be inflated to high pressure and become stiff.
Vulcanization of rubber became commonplace in the 1840s and was used for inflatable objects including boats. British explorers in the Arctic used Peter Halkett's boats. Since then, they have been used for many purposes.
Inflatable Boat Media
A PVC inflatable boat on a beach
A modern, specialized rigid inflatable boat
A rubber coated fabric bridge pontoon
The Nonpareil inflatable boat
A two-man Halkett boat, with and without its canvas cover
An inflatable rubber boat, c. 1855
German soldiers crossing the Meuse in an inflatable assault boat during the Second World War
A modern Hypalon inflatable boat with rigid wooden floorboards, a transom and an inflatable keel, powered by a 12 volt electric trolling motor.
PVC inflatable with small electric trolling motor
Inflatable boats have been used by refugees to cross the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece.
