You’re comparing two platforms late at night, a spec sheet open in each tab. One says “20 cm single-layer drop-stitch, Kevlar-reinforced PVC, Air Toggle connection, ballast dump”. The other says “double-wall, 1,300 gsm Hypalon, Halkey Roberts valve, 12/24 V inflation”. Both sound good, and neither explains itself. This glossary explains the words used in inflatable platform listings, one plain sentence each, grouped so related terms sit together.
In short: most platform jargon falls into five groups: how the platform is built (drop-stitch, coatings, seams), how it’s specified (psi, capacity, depth), the hardware that holds it in place (ballast, connectors, valves, anchors), the product names (swim platform, sea pool, beach club) and the commercial and work terms (work barge, rescue path, causeway). For the bigger picture, see how inflatable platforms work.
Construction and materials
- Drop-stitch: two woven fabric skins joined by thousands of polyester or nylon threads, so the chamber stays flat and stiff when pumped up instead of ballooning (full explainer).
- Double-wall: another name some makers use for drop-stitch construction; Henshaw, for example, describes a 100 mm double-wall drop-stitch top on its jet-ski docks.
- Single-layer drop-stitch: a drop-stitch panel with one layer of coated fabric on each skin, as Jobe and Aquaglide list for some platforms; double-layer builds add a second layer.
- Fusion or pre-laminated drop-stitch: drop-stitch whose layers are bonded in the factory by heat rather than glued by hand.
- PVC: the vinyl coating on most platforms, usually over a polyester base fabric.
- Duratex: Aquaglide’s name for its PVC-coated fabric; its Cx3 grade is listed at 0.9 mm (31 oz).
- Hypalon (CSM): a chlorosulfonated polyethylene synthetic rubber coating known for resisting chemicals, temperature extremes and UV, used on some heavy-duty tubes such as Henshaw’s.
- TPU: thermoplastic polyurethane, an alternative coating that is lighter with better UV life than PVC but costs more.
- Kevlar reinforcement: aramid fiber built into the skin, which NautiBuoy lists on its yacht platforms.
- Denier: a measure of fiber thickness in the base fabric; FunAir lists 1000-denier PVC for its work platform.
- gsm and oz: fabric weight in grams per square meter or ounces per square yard, such as Henshaw’s 1,300 gsm tube fabric or Aquaglide’s 31 oz Duratex.
- Welded seams: seams joined by heat so the materials fuse, used by Aquaglide and FreeStyle among others.
- Glued seams: seams joined with adhesive, the traditional method for many inflatables.
- FR and UV rated: fabric treated to resist fire and sunlight damage, as FunAir lists for its work platform.
- EVA deck: a textured closed-cell foam pad glued on top for grip and comfort, such as Jobe’s 5 mm deck.
- Teak or diamond finish: a teak-look or diamond-pattern non-slip top used on yacht platforms from NautiBuoy and SeaRaft.
Specifications and sizes
- PSI: pounds per square inch, the unit makers use for inflation pressure, from about 3.5 psi on some lounges to 18 psi on fitness mats.
- Bar and mbar: metric pressure units; 1 bar is about 14.5 psi, and 1,000 mbar make 1 bar (Buitink rates one platform at 350 mbar).
- Thickness: the inflated height of the deck, commonly 8, 10, 15 or 20 cm (about 3, 4, 6 or 8 in).
- Capacity, max load or payload: the weight or number of people a maker rates a platform for, never standardized between makers.
- Rated working load: the load a work or rescue platform is rated to carry in use, including tools and materials; ask for it in writing.
- Minimum water depth: the shallowest water the maker allows under the platform, for example 1.2 m (4 ft) for RAVE’s Aqua Dock 10.
- Anchor points: the reinforced spots where anchor lines attach, from one on Aquaglide’s Solarium to four on its Ohana.
- Anchor weight: the minimum total anchor mass a maker specifies, such as 2,000 kg for Aquaglide’s Ohana.
- 375, 525, 675, 800: European yacht platform sizes coded by area: 2.5 x 1.5, 3.5 x 1.5, 4.5 x 1.5 and 4 x 2 m.
- T-, L- and M-shape: common layouts made by linking rectangular yacht platforms.
Hardware, valves and anchoring
- Ballast bag: a bag under the platform that fills with water to keep it level and harder to flip.
- Ballast dump: NautiBuoy’s system for emptying ballast bags quickly when packing up.
- Air Toggle: NautiBuoy’s connector between platforms, an inflatable drop-stitch beam with no hard parts.
- Vario-Lock: Aquaglide’s strap system for linking its lounges and park pieces.
- D-ring: a D-shaped metal ring on the platform’s edge for lines, anchors and linking.
- Halkey Roberts valve: a style of recessed inflation valve, named after the valve maker Halkey-Roberts, that drop-stitch listings name as a spec; check your pump has the matching adapter.
- Boston valve: a two-part screw valve common on lower-pressure inflatables such as lounges and floats.
- Relief valve: a valve that releases air above a set pressure, built into Paratech’s rescue path.
- Isolation valve: a valve that seals one chamber off from the others if it’s damaged, as on I.C. Brindle’s Fast Path.
- Mushroom anchor: a bowl-shaped anchor sold for small craft on sandy, muddy or weedy bottoms in protected inland waters.
- Scope: the ratio of anchor line length to water depth; BoatUS gives 7:1, or 5:1 in good conditions with a light load (anchoring guide).
- 12/24 V pump and ship’s airline: ways yacht crews inflate large platforms from the boat’s own power or compressed air, as Henshaw lists.
- BA cylinder: a breathing-apparatus air cylinder carried by fire crews, used to inflate rescue paths in minutes.
Product names
- Inflatable platform: any firm, flat floating deck made of air-filled fabric (Start Here).
- Swim platform: a platform for swimming from, either built into a boat’s stern or floating beside it (boat swim platforms).
- Swim platform extension: an inflatable deck tied to a boat’s stern to enlarge its swim platform.
- Transom extension: another name for a stern extension, the transom being the flat back of a boat’s hull.
- Beach club: the waterline lounge area at the stern of larger yachts, often extended with inflatable platforms (yacht platforms).
- Floating island: a large inflatable lounge for a group, often with seats or backrests.
- Water mat or floating mat: a long, thin floating pad for walking and lounging, made of foam or drop-stitch (floating mats).
- Lily pad: a popular name for a foam floating mat.
- Sea pool or jellyfish pool: an inflatable frame with a net hanging below, making a protected swimming area in open water (sea pools).
- Water trampoline: an inflatable ring with a jump surface held by metal springs.
- Water bouncer: a water trampoline without springs, its jump surface laced to the tube (trampolines and parks).
- Aquapark: linked inflatable play pieces such as slides, logs and jump decks, from home sets to commercial courses.
- Jet-ski or PWC dock: a floating platform a personal watercraft can drive onto.
- C-Dock and e-foil dock: NautiBuoy’s docks sized for a Seabob and for an electric hydrofoil board.
- Fitness mat or aquatic yoga board: a single-person drop-stitch board for exercise on water (fitness and yoga).
- Fishing SUP: a wide paddle board fitted for fishing, the main kind of floating fishing platform on sale (fishing platforms).
Commercial, work and rescue terms
- Work platform: a floating platform sold and rated for crews and equipment rather than leisure (work platforms).
- Maintenance raft: a platform crews tie alongside a hull for cleaning and repairs (hull maintenance).
- Work barge: a flat floating work vessel for equipment and crews, usually rigid steel or plastic sections, available to buy or rent from firms such as Flexifloat.
- Tank work platform: an inflatable floor that clamps inside a tank or pressure vessel by air pressure, made by Buitink, not for open water.
- Rescue path, walkway or bridge: a long, linkable inflatable path rescue crews lay over ice, mud or water (rescue platforms).
- Causeway: a raised roadway across water; the U.S. Army evaluated one on inflatable tubes (LMCS) from 2008 for ship-to-shore access.
- Modular system: platforms designed to link into bigger layouts within one brand (modular platforms).
- Commercial grade: a marketing phrase with no standard behind it; ask for the rating and warranty instead.
- CE certified: a European conformity marking; Buitink uses it for its platforms without naming the standards, so ask which apply.
- Quote only: a product sold by individual quotation rather than at a list price; send details through Request more information.
Glossary questions
Is double-wall the same as drop-stitch?
In listings, usually yes: “double-wall” is another way of describing two skins joined by internal threads. Ask the maker if the spec sheet is unclear.
How do I convert bar to psi?
Multiply bar by about 14.5. So 1 bar is about 14.5 psi, and 350 mbar (0.35 bar) is about 5 psi.
What’s the difference between a sea pool and a swim platform?
A swim platform is a deck to stand and lie on; a sea pool is a frame with a net below, so you swim inside a protected area.
Which terms matter most when buying?
Capacity as the maker states it, minimum water depth, anchor points and weight, working pressure and the warranty class. The FAQ covers each.
Keep exploring: how inflatable platforms work, the FAQ, platform types and Start Here.