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Kelton Liston

David R Little

Carol E Olson

A pontoon comprising a seamless, non-woven, one-piece, inflatable vessel preferably formed by a process of rotational molding, from a resilient, semi-rigid polyolefin elastomer, preferably metalocene. The pontoon has shape memory characteristics, which make it partially self-inflating, and cause it to entrap air when partially deflated, to thereby resist complete deflation if punctured, allowing a user to more easily get to safety. Punctures in the pontoon may be easily eliminated by applying heat to the polymer material at the site of the puncture, such as with a hot knife or other metal implement, so as to fuse the polymer material together. The bottom of the pontoon is preferably thicker than the top, and the ends of the pontoon taper to a blunt point that is thicker still, to thereby resist damage from impact and to help maintain the desirable shape-memory characteristics of the pontoon. The pontoon is tolerant of significant relative pressure changes without substantial deformation or change in its shape.

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Brigham City, UT, United States of America

Kelton Liston