Abstract: A paddle for a kayak, a canoe or other small boat has a shaft with a handle portion which extends from one end of a blade and a tongue portion formed by cutting away a section of the sidewall of the shaft to provide a chamber which extends along a surface of the blade. A filler member extending longitudinally within the chamber is adhered to the tongue portion of the shaft and also to the surface of the blade. This provides a light weight, high strength paddle construction which is economical to manufacture as the blade need not be formed with a bulky molded socket for enabling attachment of a shaft.

Abstract: A folding boat assembly includes a hull assembly comprised of a pair of flexible hull panels joined at confronting keel edges by a flexible hinge that permits folding the hull panels together and rolling the hull panels into a storage package. An internal frame assembly for supporting the hull includes a pair of cam-action frame assemblies disposed generally amidship to define the hull curvature and apply tension to the hull between the gunwales. A cockpit coaming is supported at opposed ends by the cam-action frame assemblies and defines a passenger cockpit. A pair of longitudinal strut assemblies extend from the cockpit coaming fore and aft to engage the bow and stern to absorb longitudinal compression forces and transmit them to the cockpit coaming. A deck assembly extends across the gunwales from the bow and stern to the midship area, and may comprise a flexible waterproof fabric.

Abstract: A joint construction for a sectional boat arranged to be assembled from a plurality of hull sections, each of the hull sections having a transversely extending edge portion for abutting engagement with the edge portion of an adjacent hull section with flanges on each of the edge portions arranged for mutual overlapping engagement to define a cavity in which an inflatable bladder is disposed whereby inflation of the bladder returns the flanges in the overlapping relationship in the assembled condition of the hull sections to form a leak-proof joint between adjacent hull sections.