inflatable rafts

An inflatable raft is a lightweight boat constructed with its sides and bow made of flexible tubes and a flexible flat floor. Often the transom is rigid allowing a location and structure to fasten an outboard motor onto, and this type of inflatable is sometimes called a "Zodiac boat". Often, inflatable rafts are designed to be packed into in a small volume, so they can easily stored and transported to water when needed. This feature allows such boats to be used as liferafts for larger boats or aircraft, and for travel or recreational purposes. The modern RIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) is a development of the inflatable boat using a solid or sectionally rigid floor and capable of taking a high powered transom mounted outboard engine suitable for high speed operations well up into the ski boat speed ranges. A growing use for inflatables is for white water rafting and kayaking, as well as in river, lake and ocean touring. Professional-level rafts and kayaks have existed for many years; since the late 1990s, more affordable inflatable rafts, kayaks (including sea kayaks) and canoes have been developed by European and North American companies. Typically these inflatable rafts contain no rigid frame members, so they can be deflated, folded and stored in compact bags. China is the leading producer of inflatable rafts.