Patent ID: 8739724

Claim:
An inflatable dry-dock comprising: a. an inflatable perimeter float having a port side, a starboard side, and an aft side; b. a malleable diaphragm sealed to the port side, starboard side, and aft side of the perimeter float to form a watertight boundary between a watercraft having a hull and the water in which the dry-dock and watercraft float; c. the watertight boundary having an inner surface substantially conforming to the hull of the watercraft before and after evacuation of water from the watertight boundary; d. wherein the inflatable perimeter when inflated, and diaphragm in combination are less dense than water, and therefore float; e. the aft side of the perimeter float forming a gate portion which is selectively deflated so as to be more dense than water, and therefore sinks; f. wherein the gate remains attached to the perimeter float when deflated, and allows water to at least partially fill the watertight boundary such that a watercraft may enter the watertight boundary through the gate; g. a water pump in fluid communication with the inner surface of the watertight boundary so as to evacuate water from between the inner surface and the watercraft: and h. a source of pressurized air provided within the vessel; i. a disconnect fitting coupled to the inflatable gate portion; and j. an interoperating fitting coupled to the source of pressurized air and selectively coupled to the disconnect fitting so as to allow quick and easy attachment of the source of pressurized air to the gate portion from the vessel.