An Electric, Winged Speedboat? Oh, Absolutely!

Picture this: You’re stuck on a lumbering ferry, watching seagulls effortlessly overtake you while the onboard buffet heroically fails to produce anything resembling edible food. Now imagine slicing through the sea at a blistering 300 km/h in a machine that can float, glide, and—brace yourself—fly. Welcome to the world of the Viceroy Seaglider, an electric contraption that makes traditional ferries look about as cutting-edge as a Viking longboat.

This creation, courtesy of American startup Regent Craft, is a 12-passenger, high-speed, eco-friendly miracle that hovers a mere nine metres above the water. Yes, nine metres—just high enough to make you feel like you’re in a Bond film, but low enough to keep your heart firmly lodged in your throat.

What’s the Trick?
Regent’s wizardry lies in something called the ground effect, which is a posh way of saying that when you fly close to a surface—like water—you generate a cushion of air that makes you faster and more efficient. The Soviets dabbled with this idea in the ‘60s, producing bizarre ‘ekranoplanes’ that were half-aircraft, half-speedboat, and wholly terrifying. Regent, on the other hand, has dragged the concept into the 21st century, replacing Soviet-era clunkiness with electric propulsion and cutting-edge avionics that, crucially, don’t look like they belong in a Cold War museum.

Just a Toy for Billionaires?
Far from it. This isn’t some ludicrous plaything for oligarchs who’ve run out of superyachts to buy. Regent has already raked in $9 billion in orders, with plans to deploy these speed demons in commercial transport, cargo logistics, and emergency response. Even the US Marines are eyeing them up as a potential game-changer for rapid, stealthy troop deployment. Imagine that—a practically silent, radar-dodging vessel that moves as fast as a small jet but only requires a puddle to operate.

Does It Actually Work?
Last week, the Viceroy Seaglider proved it’s not just another overhyped PowerPoint fantasy. A full-scale prototype—16.75 metres long with a wingspan just shy of 20 metres—took to the water, passengers included, and did precisely what it promised. Which, for an electric, winged, sea-hovering speed machine, is rather impressive.

Of course, all this cleverness doesn’t come cheap. Investors have already thrown $90 million at Regent, and they’re setting up a factory in Rhode Island to churn these things out at an industrial scale. That means we could soon be swapping soul-crushing ferry rides for a high-speed, low-altitude dash across the water.

Will We Ever See One?
If Regent pulls this off, slow ferries and dreary airport security queues could become relics of a bygone era. Instead, we’ll be whizzing over the sea in a futuristic flying boat that’s so quick, even propeller planes will be left looking like antiques.