Patent ID: 6668744
Filing Date: 2003-12-30
Classification: B63B

Abstract:
A vessel floatation aid for vessels of the type including a water line and laterally spaced gunwales, said floatation aid comprising:(a) a means for temporarily providing increased buoyancy, said buoyancy means including a flexible substantially half pipe tubular shaped inflatable bladder oriented alone a longitudinal direction and extending substantially the entire length of a gunwale of a vessel; (b) said bladder formed out of at least two substantially longitudinally continuous flexible elements; including a half pipe shaped outer membrane attached to a planar backer strap, wherein the space between said outer membrane and said backer strap defining an inflatable portion; (c) means for releasably and temporarily attaching said buoyancy means below and adjacent substantially the entire length of a gunwale of a vessel, and just above the resting vessel waterline, wherein one side of said backer strap oriented adjacent to and conforming to the outer curvature of said vessel; and (d) means for inflating and deflating said bladder.