The device includes a sling with four flexible support strands, including a pair of rear strands, each of which is attached by a bottom end to one of two lifting points provided in the lateral end portions of the transom stern, and a top end of which is linked to at least one attachment member, for engaging with a hook suspended beneath a helicopter, and two strands, each forming a loop capable of passing around the outer lower contours of the two lateral floats and beneath the keel of the boat, and of which each of the two ends is attached to the attachment member, one of the two looped strands, referred to as the middle strand, surrounding the boat at the central portion of the latter, and the other looped strand, referred to as the front strand, surrounding the boat at the bow of the boat.

A pedal assembly and steering assembly are disclosed for converting an inflatable, drop stitch paddle watercraft into a pedal watercraft. The pedal assembly includes a mounting plate and mounting bracket for supporting a geared drive shaft in an opening extending through the floor of the watercraft. The steering assembly includes a rudder connected to a tiller through push pull cables.

Implementations of an inflatable raft that has a figure-eight shape are provided. The figure-eight shape serves to stabilize the inflatable raft and allows it to be paddled and maneuvered by a single paddler. In some implementations, the inflatable raft comprises a figure-eight shaped buoyant member, the figure-eight shaped buoyant member defines a front lobe that is connected to a rear lobe by a narrow central section. The inflatable raft also comprises a floor that is connected to the underside of the figure-eight shaped buoyant member. In some implementations, the inflatable raft may further comprise a substantially rigid deck insert configured to rest on the floor and to interlock with the figure-eight shaped buoyant member of the inflatable raft. The deck insert is configured to provide a substantially stable platform for a person using the inflatable raft, and to increase buoyancy and the overall rigidity of the inflatable raft.

A watercraft is made of at least two inflatable members, each being made of a drop-stitch which provides strength and stiffness comparable to a solid material. Air pressures of twenty to thirty pounds are possible with drop-stitch material. Using near net shape structures, a cockpit is formed by stacking one inflatable member on top of the other. The two members are separately inflatable and bound together adhesively or with heat welding or tacking. Advantageously, the watercraft can function as both a board type watercraft or as a boat, capable of being paddled while standing up, or motored with an outboard motor.

The device includes a sling with four flexible support strands, including a pair of rear strands, each of which is attached by a bottom end to one of two lifting points provided in the lateral end portions of the transom stern, and a top end of which is linked to at least one attachment member, for engaging with a hook suspended beneath a helicopter, and two strands, each forming a loop capable of passing around the outer lower contours of the two lateral floats and beneath the keel of the boat, and of which each of the two ends is attached to the attachment member, one of the two looped strands, referred to as the middle strand, surrounding the boat at the central portion of the latter, and the other looped strand, referred to as the front strand, surrounding the boat at the bow of the boat.

A watercraft is made of at least two inflatable members, each being made of a drop-stitch which provides strength and stiffness comparable to a solid material. Air pressures of twenty to thirty pounds are possible with drop-stitch material. Using near net shape structures, a cockpit is formed by stacking one inflatable member on top of the other. The two members are separately inflatable and bound together adhesively or with heat welding or tacking. Advantageously, the watercraft can function as both a board type watercraft or as a boat, capable of being paddled while standing up, or motored with an outboard motor.

An inflatable boat for use with a motor having a jet intake or propeller, including: an inflatable body having a stern; a drop stitch inflatable bottom forming part of the inflatable body, the drop stitch inflatable bottom including one or more sections of high pressure drop stitch material and having a top side and bottom side; a cutout in the drop stitch inflatable bottom near the stern; and a cover covering the cutout and sealed to the top side of the drop stitch inflatable bottom; wherein the cutout and cover form a channel that facilitates a flow of water to the jet intake or propeller of the motor.

A fish skiff includes an inflatable floor made of high pressure drop stitch material; inflatable sides made of high-pressure drop stitch material formed at port and starboard sides of the inflatable floor, respectively; and a rigid transom formed at a rear portion of the fish skiff. The rigid transom is formed between the inflatable sides configured to have an outboard motor mounted thereon.

An inflatable boat with a motor mount for use in low water conditions. The inflatable boat with the motor mount has a U-shaped hull in plan view, which is formed by open outline of inflatable boards and nose, as well as a transom installed on the boat stern and an inflatable bottom attached to the hull from below, and which bottom has an axissymmetric groove laying longitudinally from the stern end. The groove is V-shaped in cross-section. The depth of the groove is reduced uniformly in direction to the bottom nose. The inflatable boat according to the present invention allows expansion of usage specifications of the inflatable boats with motor mount, provides an additional guard for the outboard motors installed on them against possible mechanical damages and lowers fuel consumption in comparison with the boats of similar design.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an inflatable craft and to the inflatable craft thus obtained. The craft being of the canoe type and including at least one float that includes an inflatable portion providing flotation and a textile envelope. The textile envelope receives the inflatable portion and provides the shape and the mechanical strength of the float.