Patent ID: 7305931

Claim:
A multi-passenger boat comprising a rigid boat hull having a center longitudinal axis with a forward region, a rearward region and port and starboard lateral regions, the boat hull further comprising a perimeter region where the perimeter region has a plurality of sealed rigid chambers separated by baffles where an outer concave surface is positioned laterally outward from the plurality of sealed rigid chambers; a perimeter inflatable member having an interior surface adapted to approximately conform to the outer concave surface, where the perimeter inflatable member or the plurality of sealed non-flexible chambers independently provide a sufficient amount of buoyant force to maintain the rigid boat hull afloat and the perimeter inflatable member is adapted to be deflated to reduce the overall lateral width of the multi-passenger boat and the multi-passenger boat is adapted to be deployed and float when the perimeter inflatable member is deflated whereby the perimeter inflatable member reduces in size in the lateral direction greater than 50% when deflated compared to the fully inflated state and a protective bra having an impact region comprised of impact resilient material is positioned in a forward region of the perimeter inflatable member where a fold over seal comprises a portion of the impact region.