Abstract: Equipment for entering and exiting boats is addressed. Generally, the equipment is in the form of “divers' doors” for inflatable or similar boats. However, unlike existing inflatable doors, the doors discussed herein need not necessarily inflate. Instead, they may be formed as flaps moveable between closed and open positions. Ramped rub strakes or other aspects of the boats may assist in diverting water away from any gaps present when the flaps are closed but the boats are travelling at significant speeds.

Abstract: Watercraft flooring including both inflatable and non-inflatable elements is detailed. Such flooring may be designed to support substantial loads while maintaining its lightweight nature and contributing to its longitudinal and lateral rigidity. Some versions of the flooring have an inflatable core with slats positioned both above the upper surface of the core and below the lower surface of the core at regular intervals along its length. The slats extend laterally across substantially the width of the core, effectively sandwiching portions of the core between them.

Abstract: Armored protective panels for inflatable (and other) boats are detailed. The panels themselves may be inflated, either separately or together, for deployment and hence need not normally impede navigation or performance of the boats. If relatively flexible anti-ballistic materials are selected as components, the panels may be designed to collapse into rolls when not inflated. Alternative panels may include stealth or other non-anti-ballistic materials or be designed for use with objects or vehicles other than boats.

Abstract: Collar assemblies for use with watercraft including rigid-hulled boats are disclosed. Collars of the assemblies may surround or envelope all or most of the perimeters of boats and provide increased buoyancy at least at their sterns. The collars typically are split, rather than continuous, both to facilitate installation and to reduce risk of damage during the installation process.

Abstract: Alternative collar assemblies for use with watercraft including rigid-hulled boats are described. The collars may include both foam materials and one or more inflatable compartments, thereby offering multiple advantages over existing foam or inflatable collars. Optionally included in or on the collars are reinforcing material (such as but not limited to Kevlar) and an abrasion-resistant coating surrounding the foam and inflatable compartments.

Abstract: An automatically inflatable boat including at least two separate compartments which are connected to one another by an intercommunicating valve which can be opened to connect adjacent compartments or closed to isolate adjacent compartments. The inflatable boat is provided with a gas pump permanently mounted on the boat and in fluid communication with a connection for receiving pressurized gas of at least one of the inflatable compartments. The pump can be actuated in order to automatically inflate the inflatable compartments of the boat to a preset pressure. Also shown is an inflatable enclosure which can be deflated and inflated and to house an adult and a commode to provide privacy.

Abstract: A foam collar system for boats which is affixed to the external surface of the boat hull. The foam collar system is formed from a molded polymeric foam material, a reinforcement coating on the outer surface of the polymeric foam and a surface coating on at least a portion of the reinforcement coating. The foam collar acts as a fender for the boat during boarding of other craft or mooring. In this manner, a durable, highly attractive foam fender system for high speed boats with planing hulls is provided. Also disclosed is a method for making the foam collar and a boat including the foam collar. The foam fender does not require inflation, it can be fabricated in an aesthetically pleasing manner, it is durable and it is inexpensive to make and maintain.

Abstract: A diver's door which provides easy access to and from an inflatable boat for a diver and which can be replaced to minimize water leakage into the deck of the boat, is described. The diver's door is a removable tube element provided with a flexible flange which fits into a slot along the top edge of the hull. The removable tube element includes at least one peripheral hoop flange at one end for maintaining the removable tube element in position when fully inflated. Also disclosed are an inflatable boat including the diver's door of the present invention and a method for providing access to an inflatable boat using the diver's door of the present invention.

Abstract: A device for joining an inflatable tube to the hull and deck of an inflatable boat. The device includes an outwardly extending deck flange having a trough therein and an outwardly extending hull flange positioned adjacent to the deck flange. The inflatable tube is provided with a tube connector member which is adapted to fit into the trough in the deck flange. An attachment member engages the outward edges of the deck flange and hull flange and includes an attachment flange adapted to extend over a portion of the trough to create a channel in which the tube connector element is received whereby the tube connector element is retained in the trough.

Abstract: A diver's door which provides easy access to and from an inflatable boat for a diver and which can be replaced to minimize water leakage into the deck of the boat, is described. The diver's door includes a removable support section including a device for releasably attaching the support section to the deck of a boat and a corresponding removable tube element attached to the removable support section to form a single unit removable from the deck of a boat. Also disclosed are an inflatable boat including the diver's door of the present invention and a method for providing access to an inflatable boat using the diver's door of the present invention.