Halkett made a waterproof cloak. It was created from an early form of Macintosh cloth. This cloth was made of cotton combined with India rubber. The inside of the cloak was an airtight and watertight inflatable ovoid. It was made of four different airtight sections. If one section was damaged and could not hold air, the others would still keep the boat floating. The cloak had a pocket that held a paddle blade and a small bellows. The person wearing the cloak would carry a walking stick. This stick was also used as the handle for the paddle. There was also a large umbrella which was used as a sail for the boat. The cloak weighed about . It took three to four minutes to inflate the boat. Once the boat was inflated, it could carry six to eight people.