AeroBoat: An Inflatable Flying Boat

I watched an episode of MythBusters a few weeks ago where they filled an inflatable rubber boat with helium to see if it would fly. It didn't.

The AeroBoat takes a different approach to getting airborne. It's a motorized $21,000 hang-glider/inflatable fanboat that looks like the ideal way to earn a really embarrassing epitaph on your tombstone. This odd little flying machine features a 65 HP 2-stroke engine that can power it at a cruising speed of 45 mph, at a maximum altitude of 8,000 feet. And, for even more fun, you can detach the wings and race across your local lake like a fanboat.

My favourite part of the product description reads "all connections and cables are made with marine-quality parts." That's a great idea, except I'd feel a tad more comfortable with aircraft-quality parts holding the wings of my flying machine together.

Available from Hammacher Schlemmer (via Born Rich)