Inflatable Boats, A Viable Alternative

By: Victor Epand

Inflatable boats have been around since the early 1900's. Of
course back then they were not nearly as strong and reliable as
they are now. Due to advances in technology, inflatable boats
have become a good alternative for certain boating needs.

Inflatable boats are lightweight boats that are constructed with
the sides and bow made of flexible tubes containing pressurized
gas. On smaller boats, the floor and hull beneath it is often
flexible. On boats longer than 3 meters (10 feet), the floors
usually consists of three to five rigid plywood or aluminium
sheets that are fixed between the tubes but not joined rigidly
together. Often the transom is rigid, which provides the
location and structure for mounting an outboard motor.
Inflatable boats can have rubber floors, either plain or
inflatable, or they may include steel, wood or aluminium sheets
for rigidity.

Uses for inflatable boats

Over the past few decades people have found that inflatable
boats sometimes serve their boating needs just as well if not
better than regular boats. This is especially true when it comes
to marine patrol agencies and rescue teams. Marine patrol
requires frequent contact with other vessels, for example, when
pulling up alongside to conduct a search, providing assistance
or making an arrest. If a traditional hard-sided watercraft is
used, an agency or department often risks being sued if someone
is injured. That is why so many agencies are now increasingly
looking to add Rigid-hull Inflatable Boats (RIBs) to their
marine patrol fleets. RIBs will typically have an aluminum hull
that is topped and surrounded with an inflatable collar.

Inflatables are commonly between 6 to 21 feet (2 and 7 meters)
in length and are propelled by outboard motors of 5 to 80
horsepower (4 to 60 kW). Because of their speed, portability and
weight, inflatable boats are used for: racing commercial or
recreational fishing tenders for larger boats and ships in port
and at sea recreational water skiing dive boats for scuba diving.

Due to advanced technology over the last 20 years, inflatable
boats have become a very viable alternative. Many of these boats
now come with very generous warranties and product guarantees.
Getting these boats to the water is easy as they inflate and
deflate very quickly and can be stored in the trunk of a car. If
you choose to have a very small horsepower motor, that will add
even more to the simplicity of using these boats.

About the author:
Victor Epand is an expert consultant about model boats, boat
parts, and model submarines. You will find the best shopping at
these sites for model
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used boat parts, and href="http://www.sellmodelsubmarines.com">model submarines.

Buying Inflatable Boats

As you are probably already aware of, inflatable
boats are very popular today. Each distinct group
of inflatable boat is designed for a specific use
and therefore equipped with different components
and equipment.

If your looking for a small boat to get you from
your ship to the shore, a typical inflatable boat
is the best answer. If you are looking for a
medium sized boat for diving or swimming, there
are many choices in that area as well. For recreation
or rescue work, there are large inflatable boats
available as well.

Dealers
The location of a reputable dealer is very important,
as you don't want to travel too far to get an
inflatable boat. Whether you need parts, repairs,
or just technical support - a close dealer can also
be a close friend. As a new boat owner, you may
also have questions, need to claim your warranty,
or just need regular servicing. No matter how
you look at it, a close dealer is always better
than having to travel.

Prices
Many years ago, inflatable boats were the most
expensive types of boats and only a small amount
of people could even afford them. The reason for
this, was the use of exotic materials and the
numerous hours of hand labor that went into their
construction.

Today, there are machines that do a majority of
the construction work. Zodiac and SeaEagle, are the leading low cost producers
today thanks to technology. You can even finance
an inflatable boat if you need to, making them
available to almost everyone now.

Warranty
You may have heard claims from all competitors,
with each one promising they have the best or even
the longest warranty. A few years ago, a company
offered a lifetime warranty - although they soon
disappeared shortly thereafter. Many manufacturers
will use an attractive warranty to substitute for
quality or even proper boat design.

In the back of your mind, you should be sure that
the company you buy from will be around long enough
to deliver on their warranty. SeaEagle has been
building inflatable boats for over 50 years, and
offer a limited 5 year warranty on their inflatable
boats. Therefore, SeaEagle is one of the best you
can buy today.

With all inflatable boats, you should know which
type you want before you purchase. You can always
look around and see what each dealer offer, then
plan your purchase accordingly. An inflatable
boat is great to have, especially for those who
own big ships and vessels. You can't go wrong with
these boats either - as they serve many different
useful purposes.