That’s $US10 million for a mast. Granted, it’s part of a massive structure that’s twice the size of a 747’s wing, but that’s still $US10 million for a mast. The Ellison-owned team has two more in reserve, so it’s understandable how the helmsman can call the harrowing event “minor” when speaking to we plebeians.

The cause of the mishap is unknown. Weather and stray surfing gadget blog editors have been ruled out, and the team hopes to figure out the real cause and get back to training so they can meet and defeat Alinghi of Switzerland on February 8. [NBC Bay Area]

Specifically Japanese whalers. The same Japanese whalers made famous by the camera-happy efforts of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. You know, the group whose anti-whaling, conservationist exploits on the high seas can be seen on a reality TV show near you, right now?

Now, the paint job and wild design aren’t just for aesthetics. Nay, they also turn this sleek trimaran into a radar-deflecting stealth boat. Presumably, this will allow the Earthrace to sidle up to unsuspecting whaling ships, where it will then “protest” peaceably.

The boat leaves Perth on December 7 on a three-month journey alongside the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s Steve Irwin to protest Japan’s industrial whaling program. Good luck, and be careful. Stealth or not, last I checked matte black wasn’t harpoon-proof. [LIFE via Boing Boing]

Royal Caribbean named this affront to god the “Oasis of the Seas,” which, yeah, is a super cheesy name, but it’s not like there’s anything subtle about a god damn 1200-foot-long boat. It’ll operate out of Miami and begin offering cruises in December. The Oasis of the Seas has a maximum capacity of around 6,000 people, which for the record is larger than the population of MY ENTIRE HOMETOWN. It’s about 50% bigger than the current frontrunner in the “Titanic 2/Icarus” competition, the Queen Mary II, so now you can all feel free to hop on board that ship, since the Oasis of the Seas (really, you guys had to brag about the several seas in which this ship will be an oasis? It’s really annoying, grammatically) is sure to be the one to sink in a blaze of indoor amphitheatres and miles of buffet lines. [Oasis of the Sea via BBC via The Awl]

Actually, that’s four hours on a 3-phase 400V/32 source. It takes 28 hours on a standard, European 220V outlet. To put the benefits of an electric-powered boat in perspective, consider this: a full charge only runs about five euros (about $8). The boat may be priced 30 or 40 per cent higher than an equivalent diesel powered craft, but you could save money over the 10-year life of the battery on fuel costs.

Sounds great, but if you have the means it might be worth waiting a bit longer for Nimbus to improve the technology. Apparently, a new generation of batteries that can double the range will be available “soon”. That would make it a serious competitor will diesel boats in terms of performance while offering you more juice to rig up a way to electrocute fish. [Nimbus via Luxist]

The entire driving force of the Ankida concept, aside from beautiful looks, is to have ideal placement for every part and get the most out of your escapes. Whether you prefer to move under only one sail, or test the performance of them all, you can easily do it with a hell of a lot of style. And while it’s a still just a concept design, I’m already lost in daydreams of adventure and pirates. [Super Yacht Times via BornRich]

On top of the low-fire charcoal grill and Kumbaya-friendly seating arrangement, there’s an optional 500-watt speaker system complete with satellite radio. I mean, if you’re going to pay $US24,000 for a glorified bumper boat, it had better come with satellite radio.

Every bone in my body tells me I shouldn’t want one, but this picture really, really makes me want one:

Just look at how awesome that is! Get 10 of those on the same lake, slap some tyres on the sides, and you’ve got a real party. [Product Page via Uncrate]

We’ve seen initial prototypes before, but this final version looks amazing. It’s likely built on a Dodge Ram base, but as you can see, the custom fibreglass body has a tail styled like a Corvette. Better yet, it actually uses an aluminium Corvette LS engine on land too. A rear Dominator jet handles amphibious duties.

Certain to draw all kinds of attention (bikini-clad and otherwise), WaterCar is selling the Corvette-powered, fully assembled Python for a cool $US200,000. [WaterCar via Jalopnik]

The “boat” is meant to inspire, says creator/product designer Joey Ruiter.

Power Boat: For very small people or no place to sit. You decide.

The Power Boat is also great for posing.

Designed by luxury fashion company Hermes and ship-builder Wally, the $US142 million WHY 58×38 is more floating mansion than yacht. Those figures stand for its peculiar 58 by 38 meter dimensions, which is unlike any other vessel in the world. It features solar panels that will save 200 tons of diesel fuel per year, as well as 300 square metres of windows designed to bathe its interior with natural light.

According to Luca Bassini, founder of Wally, “I think the best part of this boat is the stern. It’s not like the usual stern of a boat, it’s more like the real beach of an island; a beach which is protected from the wind and the waves, where you can really relax.” You are so damn right, Luca. If you are reading this, please give me a call when it’s done, so I can lease one of its six suites for a year or two (and be a pal and make that the 200 square metre master suite). [Daily Mail]

Just like a real steam boat, this six-inch version moves because of expanding steam pushing away from water. Mimicking the real thing further, there’s a compact boiler and motor made of copper pipes and even a heat shield. You get things started by lighting a small “lamp” filled with olive oil and watching the steam come out before the boat zips across the bathtub.

The instructions provide the in depth details on the physics and go step-by-step from cutting and building the hull to putting together the boiler. All that’s missing is a guide on how to whistle like Mickey Mouse. [Duckworks via Make]