Abstract: An inflatable towable vehicle including an inflatable bladder and a protective shell having a rigid lower portion and a flexible upper portion. The bladder includes an inflation valve that is positioned to underlie a closeable access opening in the flexible upper portion of the shell, and hand grips and a towing strap are attached to the upper portion of the shell. The rigid lower portion of the shell is made of a durable material that effectively protects the bladder in abrasive environments that are present when the vehicle is used on ice or snow.

Abstract: A braking system for an inflatable vehicle, including a rigid housing attached to the deck of the vehicle and a braking lever pivotally attached to the housing. The lever is frictionally held in an inactivated position where the drag arm forming the lower portion of the lever is positioned above the lower panel of the deck. When the hand grip that forms the upper portion of the lever is pulled up, it overcomes the frictional force and moves the drag arm down below the lower panel of the deck to provide a braking force. In one embodiment, the brake system housing is matingly received and frictionally secured in an open cavity extending between the top and bottom panels of the deck. In another embodiment, the top and bottom panels of the deck are sealingly attached to the housing. A pair of housings with associated braking levers may be transversely spaced on the deck to provide braking and selective steering of the inflatable vehicle.