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There are few things more pleasurable than a relaxing Sunday on your own boat, slowly meandering your way around the local lake or water hole. And lately the increasing number of electric boats are making that experience even more relaxing by removing the noisy and troublesome gas engines from the mix. But electric boats have often been prohibitively expensive… until now!

That’s because I’ve found the coolest way to get your affordable electric boating game on, as long as you don’t mind a slightly avian flair to your pleasure cruiser. This $1,500 duck boat isn’t your typical army-surplus amphibious tour bus – it’s an actual duck. And it checks all the boxes necessary to make it the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week!

A cheap electric duck boat

Some might call that a bug, but I think it’s a feature.

Who wouldn’t want to sail the seas on their own bright yellow bathtub toy?

There are some real features here. You’re brightly colored for safety, you’ve got seating for a “crew” of six, and you’ve even got a giant duck head on one end, just in case you forget which end of the boat is which.

The cute little sloop may be a bit unique, but therein lies its charm.

Among all the Carolina Skiffs, you’ll be the coolest duck out there.

Pack up your rod and reel for a day on the water and perhaps you’ll even sneak up on that giant snook without it realizing you’re a fisherman. You’ve heard of a Trojan horse, right? Well this Trojan duck might be the fisherman’s best friend. Nothing says “I’m one of you guys” like a 200 kg (440 lb) fiberglass duck costume.

The quiet electric motor will make you even more stealthy as you cruise up to your favorite fishing hole.

Or just use the boat for a fun afternoon on the water with the family. The small motor means the boat won’t be overly powerful, making it great for kids.

Though “small” might be generous. The motor is only rated for 300W of power, or just under one-half horsepower. (How many duckpower does that translate into? WolframAlpha, don’t fail me now!)

After checking out the video below, I was a bit surprised by just how slow the boat is. I think it might be faster to just ride an actual duck.

But then again, this is a pleasure cruiser, not a speed boat. I’m not going to be outrunning a DEA helicopter off the coast of Miami with a cabin full of cocaine. It’s more likely that I’ll be lazily floating in circles in a country pond while trying not to drunkenly stumble over the gunwale.

And for that kind of experience, the price is right at a cool $1,556, plus whatever international shipping is for a duck-shaped boat (strangely it didn’t pop up in the table I checked).

The only problem is that just like most fun toys, batteries aren’t included. They recommend a 100Ah to 200Ah battery. On the boat’s 24V system, that translates into 2.4 to 4.8 kWh of battery. Jeez, with that much capacity and the boat’s top speed of “meh”, I could just about make it from Cuba to Key West with a tailwind and a prayer.

In the worst case scenario if I did run out of battery, at least it wouldn’t take them long to find me. I’d be in the only giant rubber ducky floating out there in mother nature’s bathtub.

electric duck boat

I must admit that even though I have absolutely no need for this boat, I still want it anyways and am fighting the urge to order one.

Just in case I’m not strong enough to resist, I better think of a good name for this cute little duck boat before I club her over the head with a bottle of champagne. I’m thinking: No ducks left to give.


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Rolex stolen from Keanu Reeves’s LA home found in Chile, according to police

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Rolex stolen from Keanu Reeves's LA home found in Chile, according to police

A Rolex stolen from John Wick star Keanu Reeves has been found in Chile, according to police in the South American country.

The watch, which is believed to have been taken from the Hollywood actor in Los Angeles in December 2023, was discovered after an arrest linked to crimes in the nation’s capital Santiago.

Pictures posted online by the Investigations Police of Chile show an engraving on the back of the Rolex Submariner, which says: “The John Wick Five. Keanu Thank You JW4 2021.”

Rolex Submariners were reportedly given to members of the team that filmed the fourth instalment of the franchise, including stuntmen.

Police said jewels, valuable watches and other items were seized including “a watch from a famous film actor, victim of a robbery in Los Angeles (USA) in December 2023”.

A police official confirmed the Rolex belonged to The Matrix star Reeves in a television interview with Chilean broadcaster TVN and said they were working with Los Angeles police to get it back to him.

Los Angeles police told Sky News’ US bureau that the burglary investigation is ongoing and that there were no further updates.

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Reeves’s representatives have also been contacted for comment.

Read more from Sky News:
Jolie and Pitt agree divorce deal
Veteran radio star dies aged 79

His Los Angeles home was targeted by masked burglars in December 2023 while he was not there, according to TMZ.

The celebrity news site reported a firearm was taken, but it was not clear if anything else was stolen in the raid.

In February 2023, Reeves was granted a restraining order against a man who allegedly made a number of unwanted visits to his home – including going to sleep in his back garden.

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt reach divorce settlement after eight years

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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt reach divorce settlement after eight years

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a settlement after eight years in one of the longest and most bitter divorces in Hollywood history.

In a statement, Jolie’s attorney James Simon said: “More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr Pitt.

“She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family.

“This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago.

“Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.”

No court documents have been filed yet, and a judge will need to sign off on the agreement.

Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, were one of Hollywood’s most prominent couples for 12 years. The two Oscar winners have six children together.

The Maleficent star filed for divorce in 2016, following a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt was abusive towards her and their children.

In 2019, a judge declared them divorced and single, but the settling of their assets and child custody had to be decided separately.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Liam Payne: Five charged in connection with death of One Direction star, as judge details his final moments

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Liam Payne: Five charged in connection with death of One Direction star, as judge details his final moments

Five people have been charged in connection with the death of One Direction star Liam Payne in Argentina.

Three people have been charged with negligent homicide and two have been charged with supplying drugs, the Argentinian Public Prosecutor’s Office said.

The 31-year-old pop star died after he fell from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires on 16 October.

Negligent homicide – similar to gross negligent manslaughter in the UK – carries a sentence of one to five years, while supplying drugs carries a sentence of up to 15 years.

Roger Nores, described as a “representative” of Payne, was one of those charged with negligent homicide, alongside hotel manager Gilda Martin and receptionist Esteban Grassi.

A hotel employee, Ezequiel Pereyra, and waiter, Braian Paiz, have been charged with supplying drugs on two occasions.

All five have been summoned to appear in court.

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A statement from the judge and public prosecutor today said Payne had been “demanding” drugs and alcohol during his stay at the hotel.

On the 16 December, Payne was in the hotel lobby and “unable to stand” due to the “consumption of various substances”, the court document said.

The receptionist and two others “dragged” the singer to his room, and the manager allowed this to happen “at least by omission”.

Given Payne’s “altered” consciousness and the access to a balcony from the room, the “proper thing to do was to leave him in a safe place and with company until a doctor arrived”, according to the judge.

They also accused Payne’s representative, Nores, of leaving Payne on his own in the hotel in a “state of vulnerability”, despite knowing about Payne’s previous addiction problems and that the fact Nores could “not trust that the rest of the hotel staff would act appropriately”.

The judge described Payne’s death as “foreseeable”.

The prosecutor’s office previously ruled out self-harm as a factor in the One Direction star’s death, and said he did not adopt a reflex posture to protect himself from the fall, meaning it can be inferred he may have fallen “in a state of semi or total unconsciousness”.

The new document today reiterated the hypothesis that Payne had “tried to leave the room through the balcony and thus fell”.

The results of toxicology tests revealed that before his death, Payne had traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his body.

According to the post-mortem examination, Payne died from “multiple” injuries and internal and external bleeding.

Argentine investigators found what appeared to be narcotics and alcohol strewn around broken objects and furniture in Payne’s hotel room, leading the public prosecution to surmise he had suffered a substance abuse-induced breakdown around the time of his fall.

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