British Pathe

The inflatable boat 'Redshank'. M/S of a car parked by the River Thames at Hampton Court. Three men get out of the car and go to the boot to take out three large green bags of equipment and empty them on the riverbank. Various pieces come out including oars in 2 pieces and the dinghy itself. The commentator...

The inflatable boat 'Redshank'. M/S of a car parked by the River Thames at Hampton Court. Three men get out of the car and go to the boot to take out three large green bags of equipment and empty them on the riverbank. Various pieces come out including oars in 2 pieces and the dinghy itself. The commentator says "It's estimated that you can be out of the car and under the sail in less than half an hour".

One of the men connects an air pump to the car battery which they use to inflate the boat. C/U of the oars lying on the ground, then one of the men fixes them together. M/S of the other men fitting two large bolster shapes into the boat, C/U as one is secured into position. M/S of the men attaching the sail and then picking up the boat and carrying it to the river where they launch it. Two of the men climb aboard and hoist the sail, then the third man shoves the boat out to the river and gets in.

M/S of one of the men on the tiller. M/Ss and C/Us from inside the boat and from the river of the men sailing. There doesn't seem to be much wind around so it drifts by slowly. C/U of a swan looking interested. M/S of the men fitting an outboard motor to the dinghy. C/U of the motor, then M/S towards the stern of the boat showing the three men as we speed along. They are all wearing thick jumpers - it looks quite cold! C/U point of view shot from the front of the boat, tilt down to show the waves made by the boat. C/Us of the man at the tiller, his hand on the tiller as he moves it, and the outboard motor. M/Ss of two of the men sitting at the front of the boat with the river bank ahead, then panning from the bank as the camera moves to follow the boat gliding along.

The commentator says "Where will it all end, this trend towards inflatable rubber? Imagine an inflatable house: add an outboard motor and you've got yourself an ocean going liner!"

Note; There is quite a lot of documentation on file, such as instructions for assembling the boat and correspondence from The Avon India Rubber Co Ltd who manufactured the boat.