Sea Phantom Finally Getting Real Cred

Rumors of the Sea Phantom, albeit in varying degrees of truthiness, have been circulating for a while now, but the concept vehicle has just struck the engineering world's pot o gold this month as they're featured in the revered Popular Science. The vehicle is, as PopSci writer Gregory Mone puts it, "Half powerboat, half plane, and all agility, this craft dodges waves by hydroplaning above them." At speeds exceeding 100mph, it's claimed to get you, in complete comfort, to your destination as fast as a helicopter, but with the ease of operation of an offshore speedboat. Could this be a nod at the long-whispered blue highway? Check out pics of the 2006 sea trials after the break.