The Decavitator is an old MIT project from the late 80′s and early 90′s. The goal of the project was to build the fastest human powered watercraft in history. The team was pursuing the $25k DuPont prize, which they won in 1993.

The Decavitator avoids the problem of propeller cavitation that affects other boats at high speed because it’s propelled by a giant fan. Furthermore, you could (allegedly) lose your head if you stood too close to said giant fan – hence the name “Decavitator”.

Anyway, the point is:
1. I want one.
2. Please
3. can I have one

The more likely it is that some giant toy will end up in a flaming wreckage or cause irreparable bodily harm, the more some dude is going to want it. It may not be as dangerous as the name suggests, but I’m sure it doesn’t feel great to stick your hand into the Decavitator’s giant rotating blades. Safety issues aside, this would be a hell of a lot of fun to fly around over your local pond. And you could also overtake those smug rowers. They think they are so fast.

Here’s a link to the Decavitator project page. Follow it for more information (including lots of pictures) about the Decavitator project.

http://lancet.mit.edu/decavitator/Decavitator.html

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