Device for transporting an inflatable boat in operational configuration in a sling beneath a helicopter, and assembly comprising same

Device for transporting an inflatable boat (1) in operational configuration in a sling beneath a helicopter, the inflatable boat (1) being of the general known type comprising two lateral floats (2), each comprising at least one inflatable tube, and which are separated from one another at the rear portion of the lateral floats (2), at the stern of the boat, by a rigid transom (3) able to support at least one motor for propulsion, the two floats (2) converging towards one another at the front, towards the longitudinal central axis of the boat, at the bow of the boat, which also comprises a keel (4) connecting the lower portions of the two lateral floats (2) and a bottom (5) extending between the two lateral floats (2), the transport device comprising a sling (10) with four flexible support lines including a pair of lines (11) each of which can be attached by a so-called “lower” end (11a) to a respective one of two lifting points (15) and a so-called “upper” end (11b) of each of said lines (11) is connected to at least one attachment member (17), suitable for engaging with a hook suspended beneath a helicopter, and two flexible support lines (12, 13) each forming a loop to pass around the external and lower lateral contours and under the keel (4) of the boat (1), and of which each of the two ends (12a, 13a) is attached to said at least one attachment member (17), one (13) of the two looped lines, referred to as the “front” line, being able to surround the boat (1) at the bow of the boat, wherein the other looped line, referred to as the “middle” line (12), is able to surround the boat (1) at the central portion of the boat, and wherein said lines (11) able to be connected to the two lifting points (15) are rear lines (11) each able to be attached to a lifting point arranged in one of the respective two lateral end portions of the transom (3), the device further comprising a forward lower line (25) which connects the loop of the front line to the front of the boat and is able to prevent said front line (13) from moving closer towards the middle line (12), said forward lower line (25) being a flat nose strap, of which a so-called “front” end (25b) can be detachably fixed to an attachment point on the nose of the boat (1), and of which the other so-called “back” end (25a) is integral with the middle of the front line (13) and is positioned substantially at the point of the keel (4) in the usage position of the device.