Inflatable boat
There are ancient carved images of animal skins filled with air being used as one-man floats to cross rivers.
[citation needed] The discovery of the process to vulcanize rubber was made by Charles Goodyear in 1838, and was granted a US patent in 1844.
In 1852, while traveling in England, Charles Goodyear discovered that Thomas Hancock's company was producing vulcanized rubber and sued.
In 1844–1845, British naval officer Lieutenant Peter Halkett developed two types of inflatable boats intended for use by Arctic explorers.
When inflated, it could carry two men paddling on either side, and when deflated it served as a waterproof blanket for camping on wet ground.
[1][2] The Admiralty was sceptical about potential uses for Halkett's designs; on 8 May 1845, Lord Herbert, First Secretary to the Admiralty, wrote to Halkett that "My Lords are of an opinion that your invention is extremely clever and ingenious, and that it might be useful in Exploring and Surveying Expeditions, but they do not consider that it would be made applicable for general purposes in the Naval Service".
To lessen the danger of accidents to the boat, these were divided into four different compartments, and the interior was sufficiently large to contain five or six persons, and a considerable weight of baggage.In 1848, General George Cullum, the US Army Corps of Engineers, introduced a rubber coated fabric inflatable bridge pontoon, which was used in the Mexican–American War and later on to a limited extent during the American Civil War.
Reginald Foster Dagnall, English designer and founder of RFD, switched in 1919 to the development of inflatable boats, using the coated fabric from hydrogen airships.
The Air Ministry was impressed with trials of his boat on a lake near Guildford and began to give his firm contracts for the production of life-saving equipment.
Development continued after World War II with the discovery of new synthetic materials, such as neoprene and new adhesives, which allowed the boats to become sturdier and less prone to damage.
In the 1950s, the French Navy officer and biologist Alain Bombard was the first to combine the outboard engine, a rigid floor and a boat shaped inflatable.
In the 1960s, the British company Humber was the first to build Zodiac brand inflatable boats in the United Kingdom.
People increasingly use inflatables for personal recreational use on lakes, rivers, and oceans—and for white water rafting and kayaking, and for scuba divers to reach dive sites.
Users can deflate, fold, and store fabric bottom inflatable boats in compact bags, making them ideal for limited storage and quick, easy access.
In keeping with the portability of the inflatable hull, sail attachments fold or disassemble to fit in a compact bundle.
The external shape of the hull lets it cut through waves more easily giving a more comfortable ride when traveling fast in rough conditions.
[14][15] The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea publishes recommended regulations for inflatable boats used in rescue operations.
Because inflatable craft can be stored compactly they can also be transported on midget submarines such as those operated by the Advanced SEAL Delivery System.
They are used in a number of sporting events and for recreational purposes, such as whitewater rafting, inflatable rescue boat racing, water skiing and fishing.
