Portofino Afternoons: The Inflatable Yacht Lounge

The Ligurian coast softens as October arrives. The heavy summer traffic leaves the bays around Portofino, leaving clear, quiet water and a lower, warmer light that spreads across the anchorage. The headlands block the cooling breeze, keeping the bay comfortable late into the afternoon. This is the time of year when a mediterranean yacht charter autumn feels entirely different from the busy peak season. Rather than heading ashore to noisy bars, many owners and guests prefer to stay on board for an evening drink. Setting up an inflatable yacht lounge right on the water offers a private space to sit as the sun drops behind the hills.

You can create this temporary terrace quickly while the yacht sits at anchor. A few modular pieces turn the bare area behind the transom into a proper seating arrangement.

Building a floating platform lounge

A floating platform provides the foundation for the evening. Moored alongside the swim platform, the Premium Teak Platform 4.10 m measures 410 by 205 cm, giving you a generous footprint to work with. It features a non-slip, teak-look surface. It is a teak look only, not real wood, so it needs no oiling or sanding to maintain its appearance. You simply unroll the platform on a clear deck and inflate it to the pressure stated in the product instructions.

Once inflated, the platform is remarkably rigid. It is built using drop-stitch fabric and 0.9 mm PVC, where an internal array of threads holds the top and bottom surfaces flat and parallel. You can walk across it as easily as you walk across the aft deck. This stability makes it the ideal base for transom seating yacht style, where guests can step straight from the boat onto the floating deck with their drinks in hand.

Arranging the relax corner floating seat

With the platform secured to strong, suitable fixing points on the yacht, you can add comfortable seating. The Relax Corner acts as an inviting focal point for the space. Measuring 160 by 65 cm, this curved seating module creates a contained space for conversation. You can position it near the edge of the platform so guests can trail a foot in the sea while watching the light fade.

For those who want to stretch out entirely, the Single Luxe Daybed adds 160 by 80 cm of personal space. By combining these pieces from our air sofas and chairs collection, you build a temporary terrace that feels like a natural extension of the yacht. The furniture sits low to the water, giving you a quiet vantage point to watch the other yachts swing at anchor and the town lights slowly come on across the harbour.

Making the most of the autumn hours

Setting up the lounge takes very little time, allowing the crew to prepare the space just before aperitivo hour. The Air Pump 500W is compact and light, making quick work of the smaller seating pieces. Larger platforms can be filled efficiently using the more powerful 1200 W version. You can find detailed advice on inflation and setup in our guide. Before anyone steps down to the water, check that the yacht's engines and thrusters are switched off. Always supervise swimmers, especially children, even if they are only sitting near the edge.

This sort of floating arrangement is intended for calm, sheltered water, making a protected bay like Portofino the perfect location. When the evening cools and guests move back up to the main saloon for dinner, the pieces are simple to pack away. Rinse them thoroughly with fresh water after contact with salt water and let the fabric air-dry. Make sure each piece is completely dry before you deflate, fold and pack it away. Stored dry and out of prolonged direct sunlight, the lounge will be ready to unroll again the next time you find a quiet bay.