A small folding boat

I saw a small folding boat on the internet.Someone knows what the material is? and is the strength of materials OK ?Thanks.

 

Probably some kind of plastic polymer. The portabote is cut from polybutylene sheets and fastened with staples. Staples are by far the weakest point, poly part is indestructible but may weaken in 15 years of intense, DIRECT sun. I have one, stored away somewhere which is not used because of inflatables being superior in the same applications..

Porta

 

Boats built this way tend to have low torsional rigidity. It would be rather floppy when trying to row. Would take a good bit of skill in fact. They wouldn't be too light either. I've tried this sort of thing in cardboard canoe races, but for adults, I find kayak designs do better. I saw a cardboard one of these do spectacularly well in the kids division, though. I would try to improve it by clamping the three pleats in order to take the load off the buttons, improve stiffness, and eliminate the shear being passed through the folds (Velcro would work). I expect the load would be limited to something like 3 times the hull weight. Do keep a couple spare buttons handy.

I'm not sure how you are supposed to store a heavy, slippery, floppy, flat 6X10 sheet that won't stand on an edge. Do you carry a crate around for it?