Safety device for rendering a boat unsinkable

A safety device in combination with a boat which comprises a hull, a cabin, a cabin floor, means defining a bunk or bench seat having an upwardly facing horizontal surface on the starboard side of the cabin and means defining a bunk or bench seat having an upwardly facing horizontal surface on the port side of the cabin, said bunks defining a centre passageway which extends from said horizontal surfaces down to said floor, said device comprising at least three inflatable envelopes two of which envelopes are placed on said two surfaces whereas the third envelope is placed in said passageway on the floor transversely centrally of said hull, inflating gas supply means, passage means putting the supply means in communication with the envelopes and actuating means associated with the gas supply means for inflating the envelopes when desired, said inflatable envelopes being folded in the manner of an accordeon when deflated and located in parts of the cabin which are devoid of obstacles liable to oppose the inflation of the envelopes, said two envelopes being disposed in positions of the hull of the boat which are substantially symmetrical relative to a longitudinal axis of the boat, rigid means for fixing said third envelope in an undetachable manner to said floor as close as possible to the centre of gravity of the boat, said two envelopes constituting boat righting and stabilising movable envelopes, releasable means for connecting said two envelopes to the horizontal surfaces of the respective bunks, and guide means for guidingly connecting said two envelopes to said hull and allowing said two envelopes a limited movement away from said horizontal surfaces alongside said hull.