Awesomely Weird Alibaba EV of the Week: $1,500 electric duck boat

Published

3 years ago

September 12, 2021

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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.

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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Entertainment

Bernard Hill: Lord Of The Rings and Titanic actor dies aged 79

Published

8 hours ago

May 5, 2024

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Bernard Hill: Lord Of The Rings and Titanic actor dies aged 79

Actor Bernard Hill, who played roles in Lord Of The Rings and Titanic, has died aged 79, his agent has confirmed.

Hill also featured as Yosser Hughes in the iconic drama series Boys In The Blackstuff.

He was given a number of awards for his role as King Theoden in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and played Captain Edward Smith in the 1997 Oscar-winning film Titanic.

The actor was born in Blackley, Manchester, in 1944 and graduated with a diploma in theatre in 1970.

He was married to fellow actor Marianna Hill, with whom he shared a son. His agent Lou Coulson said he died in the early hours of Sunday.

Hill will return to TV on Sunday night starring in the second series of Martin Freeman’s The Responder.

Fans have already started to pay tribute to him on social media.

Scottish musician Barbara Dickson wrote of their time working together: “It’s with great sadness that I note the death of Bernard Hill. We worked together in John Paul George Ringo and Bert, Willy Russell marvellous show 1974-1975.

“A really marvellous actor. It was a privilege to have crossed paths with him. RIP Benny x.”

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Entertainment

Madonna plays biggest-ever show to 1.6 million fans on Rio’s Copacabana beach

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2024

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Madonna plays biggest-ever show to 1.6 million fans on Rio's Copacabana beach

Madonna has played her biggest-ever gig to an estimated 1.6 million people on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.

It was the last show in her Celebration tour and she performed hits such Like A Prayer, Vogue, Hung Up, Into The Groove and Like A Virgin.

The Brazil city was buzzing ahead of Saturday’s free two-hour show, with hotels and Airbnb’s packed and about 170 extra flights expected into the city.

Helicopters and drones buzzed over the beach as the Queen of Pop took to the stage at 10:37pm, nearly 50 minutes late.

“Here we are in the most beautiful place in the world,” Madonna told the crowd as she pointed out Rio’s famous mountains and Christ the Redeemer statue.

The 65-year-old opened up with Nothing Really Matters from 1998’s Ray of Light album.

Eighteen speaker towers were dotted along the beach to ensure everyone could hear the US star’s vocals.

Brazilian musicians and people from local samba schools were involved in the show – with many fans dressing up in Madonna-themed outfits.

“Since Madonna arrived here, I’ve been coming every day with this outfit to welcome my idol, my diva, my pop queen,” said Rosemary de Oliveira Bohrer, 69, who wore a version of Madonna’s iconic gold cone bra.

Many fans had staked out a spot many hours – or even days – before the show, while others took in the spectacle from yachts or apartment balconies.

Madonna’s website said it was the biggest she had ever done – more than 10 times the 130,000 she played to in Paris in 1987.

However, Rio is used to huge shows – The Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart have played to similar-size crowds there.

Thousands of police were on duty for Saturday’s show, which city authorities estimated drew a crowd of 1.6 million and would earn the local economy about 293 million reals (£46m).

For Madonna, it was the culmination of an 81-date retrospective tour that began in London in October and moved across Europe and North and South America.

The singer embarked upon the tour a few months after being admitted to intensive care with a serious bacterial inaction in June 2023.

Entertainment

Olly Alexander addresses ‘extreme’ remarks from fans on Israel’s Eurovision inclusion

Published

12 hours ago

May 5, 2024

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Olly Alexander addresses 'extreme' remarks from fans on Israel's Eurovision inclusion

The UK’s Eurovision Song Contest representative has addressed “extreme” remarks from fans over Israel’s inclusion in the competition.

Olly Alexander was selected as this year’s representative for the UK for the popular singing competition.

It’s set to take place in Malmo, Sweden, next week but tens of thousands are expected to protest Israel’s involvement and its ongoing war in Gaza.

Alexander, the Years & Years singer, has found himself facing criticism from some who called for him to withdraw amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

Queers for Palestine circulated a letter, signed by thousands including actors Indya Moore, Brigette Lundy-Paine, and Maxine Peake calling for the It’s A Sin actor to pull out of the show.

In March, along with Irish hopeful Bambie Thug, Danish entrant Saba and other Eurovision artists, Alexander released a joint statement, backing “an immediate and lasting ceasefire” but refusing to boycott the event.

Now, speaking out in a new documentary which has followed the 33-year-old as he prepares for the show, he has described some of the comments he and other participants have faced as “very extreme”.

He said: “A lot of the contestants and myself have been having a lot of comments that are like ‘You are complicit in a genocide by taking part in Eurovision’ which is quite extreme. It’s very extreme.

“I understand where that sentiment is coming from but I think it’s not correct.

“It’s an incredibly complicated political situation, one that I’m not qualified to speak on.

“The backdrop to this is actual immense suffering. It’s a humanitarian crisis, a war.

“It just so happens there’s a song contest going on at the same time that I’m a part of.”

Speaking in the BBC’s documentary titled Olly Alexander’s Road To Eurovision ’24, he continued saying that people should boycott Eurovision if they didn’t feel comfortable watching and he respected their decision – but would be taking part himself.

He added: “My plan is to just focus on putting on a good performance in Malmo.

“My team, everyone’s worked so hard, and we’re in the final stretch now.”

Earlier in the week, Alexander broke down crying during an interview with The Times when discussing the pressure he had come under for participating in Eurovision.

He told the paper he knew a number of signatories of the petition against him, and none had reached out to him.

He said: “This is so much bigger than me and Eurovision, it really is. But, obviously, I wish there wasn’t a war or this insane humanitarian crisis.

“I wish for peace and I have found this experience, at times, extremely … I’ve just felt really sad and distressed.”

Speaking on Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, deputy director general of the European Broadcasting Union who organises Eurovision, Jean Philip De Tender, defended Israel’s inclusion in the competition.

He said: “We do understand the concerns and deeply held views around the war in the Middle East.

“The song contest is a music event organised and co-produced by 37 public broadcasters, it’s not a competition between nations or governments.

“Our governing bodies reviewed the participation of Kan [Israel’s public broadcasting corporation] and found that they met all of the competing rules.”

Phillips pointed out incidences when Kan came under fire for their broadcasting.

This included, he said, when Kan published a video of children singing, in the public broadcaster’s own words, for the “annihilation of Gaza” and when one of their presenters was seen writing “I want to send the people of Gaza artillery shells”.

Mr De Tender said they had been in contact with Kan about the content they published and their editorial output, and had expressed concern on occasion.

He added that Eurovision had competition rules which they had to follow, and taking action beyond these rules to exclude Kan would have been a “political decision as such which we cannot take”.