Zodiac Inflatable
The Zodiac solved a problem that had existed since the invention of boats: how do you get a boat somewhere there isn't a boat ramp? You deflate it, pack it in a bag, carry it, inflate it, and go.
Pierre Debroutelle founded Zodiac as an airship company in 1896. They pivoted to inflatable boats in the 1930s. Jacques Cousteau used Zodiacs on the Calypso for dive operations.
Navy SEALs use them for covert insertions. Marine biologists use them to approach whales. Your uncle uses one to get to his fishing spot. The rigid inflatable boat (RIB) variant — inflatable tubes on a solid hull — became the standard for military, rescue, and professional marine operations worldwide.
Zodiac didn't invent the inflatable boat, but they made it a serious vessel instead of a pool toy.
1934-present · utility
