History of Float tubes?

I ran across this information quite accidentally

 On the subject of all things water, the Dutch also invented a curious [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] – complete with rubber boots! Used for fishing and hunting, it was inflatable and utterly fabulous.
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It says 17th century but one of the articles mentions 1915. Does anyone have a clearer reference?

Here in the US i think it was in the 1940's not sure about that crazy but cool looking rubber tube.

17th century is extremely doubtful since Goodyear invented rubber in 1849.

Actually, the 17th century reference was to Cornelis Drebbel’s submarine, not the "Booted Rubber Boat" which is credited to 1915.

FWIW, Goodyear invented the vulcanization process for treating rubber, but natural rubber aka latex rubber is basically tree sap and has been known since the Olmec culture from 1500 BCE. However, it was first introduced to Europeans around the mid 18th century.

Latex rubber is sticky (and good for rubbing out pencil marks, hence the name) and tends to get hard in the cold and melt in the heat and so it wasn't until Goodyear invented his vulcanization process that rubber started to be used significantly in industrial and consumer products. Goodyear certainly didn't invent rubber, but it was his process that made it infinitely more useful and forever changed it from being a curiosity into something we use every day.

Ornery Bob wrote:Actually, the 17th century reference was to Cornelis Drebbel’s submarine, not the "Booted Rubber Boat" which is credited to 1915.

FWIW, Goodyear invented the vulcanization process for treating rubber, but natural rubber aka latex rubber is basically tree sap and has been known since the Olmec culture from 1500 BCE. However, it was first introduced to Europeans around the mid 18th century.

Latex rubber is sticky (and good for rubbing out pencil marks, hence the name) and tends to get hard in the cold and melt in the heat and so it wasn't until Goodyear invented his vulcanization process that rubber started to be used significantly in industrial and consumer products. Goodyear certainly didn't invent rubber, but it was his process that made it infinitely more useful and forever changed it from being a curiosity into something we use every day.

See, you learn something everyday!!! I always thought the early day rubber was lambskin