| Article Index |
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| Shopping for an Inflatable Boat |
| Caring for Your Inflatable |
| Choosing the Right RIB |
| HBI |
| PROTECTOR |
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Determine your needs. Are your requirements limited to getting to and from your moored boat, or do you also want to be able to spend a day exploring outside of protected anchorages? Do you want to use your inflatable boat for fishing, spearfishing, snorkeling, diving, skiing or wakeboarding? Where will you be stowing your inflatable when it’s not in use? Depending on its size, type and intended use, your inflatable might be kept inflated and lashed on deck, deflated and stowed in a locker or lazarette, held above the transom by a set of davits, or towed behind the boat. A larger rigid inflatable boat (RIB) may need to be kept on a trailer when it’s not in use.
Many people are concerned that their new inflatable boat will be too heavy to hoist or too big to stow, and they end up buying one that’s too small. A model that’s ideal for a cruising couple might be inadequate when guests or kids (and the extra provisions required) are present, possibly requiring more than one trip from boat to shore. If you’re looking for a tender for a cruising boat, ask yourself how many people will you need to carry on a regular basis, and how much gear will you need to transport. In addition to having more passenger and cargo capacity, longer boats plane earlier, handle better and are less sensitive to steering inputs.
Fabrics
Most inflatable boats are constructed with either polyvinylchloride (PVC) coated polyurethane cloth or Hypalon, which is neoprene- coated nylon. Both are durable and very puncture-resistant, although Hypalon is less susceptible to degradation from ultraviolet rays. PVC is more airtight than Hypalon, and a boat made of the latter will require a periodic pumping up.
Types of Inflatable Dinghies
Inflatables are categorized by their floor construction, which determines the trade-off between rigidity (which delivers better performance when motoring or rowing) and portability (the ease with which the boat can be quickly assembled for use and disassembled for stowage). Inflatable boats that fold to a compact size are generally slower than those with stiffer floors, which take longer to set up and can’t be stowed in a small space.
Soft-stern Dinghies
The most basic inflatable boats, soft-stern dinghies are small (about 8 feet) and best suited for exploring protected waters, but they can also serve as tenders aboard a pocket cruiser. Their capacity is usually limited to two adults (three in a pinch) and a minimal amount of gear. They have inflatable floors that don’t need to be removed for storage, and they’ll fit in the cockpit lazarette of the average 22- to 24-foot sailboat. They usually come with oars (although they don’t row well), and sometimes a removable motor mount that will accommodate a small (2 horsepower or so) gasoline outboard engine or an electric trolling motor.
Roll Up Boats
Roll Up boats have a floor comprising wooden salts enclosed in fabric pockets. Like soft-stern dinghies, they can be unpacked, inflated and launched in a very short time, and they also stow easily. These boats have a solid transom (wood or fiberglass) and can be powered by a slightly larger outboard (up to 4 hp). Because they have flat bottoms, their use is generally limited to the protected waters of a harbor.
Sportboats
With a removable rigid floor system made up of plywood, plastic or aluminum floorboards held in position with aluminum extrusions, and stringers running fore and aft to hold the floorboards in alignment, sportboats are stiffer and faster than roll ups. They have an inflatable keel that gives the bottom a shallow V-shape for better tracking in turns and improved ability to handle choppy water.
High Pressure Inflatable Floor Boats (HPs)
Essentially sportboats with high-pressure inflatable floors instead of floorboards, HP inflatable floor boats combine good performance (and excellent planing ability) with light weight and compact stowability. The floor rolls up inside the boat and doesn’t need to be removed. Because of the higher air pressure required (11 psi; most hull tubes take about 3.5 psi), inflating an HP with an electric pump (12V DC or 120V AC) will be easier than with a foot pump.
High Pressure Inflatable V-Hull Boats (HP-Vs)
The newest type of inflatable boats on the market, HP-Vs evolved from HPs and offer better performance. Instead of an inflatable keel, HP-Vs have a V-shaped integral, semi-rigid one-piece inflatable floor that provides good shock absorption for a smooth ride, and a lower center of gravity for greater stability.
Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs)
RIBs combine the performance and strength of a conventional moderate or deep-V-hulled boat with the stability and buoyancy of inflatable tubes. With hulls and floors made of fiberglass, RIBs can handle rough water and carry lots of gear. Some of the larger models on the market have center consoles and large outboard engines or even jet drive systems. While many of the smaller RIBs are excellent tenders, the trade-off is that they cannot be disassembled, so they’re best suited to davit storage or towing.
Folding RIBs
Another recent innovation, folding rigid inflatable boats have a fiberglass of injection-molded polyester hull with a hinged folding transom, so they can be stowed more easily than a standard RIB. The floor is connected to the transom by a flexible fabric “hinge,” so that the transom will fold flat.
