In the 1990s, Hobie made the Trifoiler, a delicate-looking twin-mast sailing hydrofoil that could make 35 knots.  This would take you from Los Angeles to Catalina Island in 40 minutes, if the boat survived the swell.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxRRlrOqqK8&hl=en&fs=1]
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Shane Chen of Washington State designs and sells amazing small vehicles from his own website, including a human-powered hydrofoil.

Pedal-powered hydrofoil and bicycle speed records.

One relatively unexplored direction in human-powered boats is the hydrofoil, in which the hull rides atop aircraft-style wings beneath the water.  Above a certain speed, the entire hull is lifted above the water, reducing drag to almost nothing, and permitting very high speed.  Foilkayak created the Flyak around this idea.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U95UReP4mdo&hl=en&fs=1]

Greenland kayaks, the massive productivity gains of specialized tools, and a proposed new design direction.

Kayaking across the Tasman Sea, or dying in the process.

Controllable risks. How to survive motorcycling. How not to survive parachuting.

Two underemployed gents calling themselves Expedition 360 pedaled their kayak-like homebuilt boat across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in the mid-1990s.  Here are photos of their crossing from Monterey, California to Hilo, Hawaii.  Yes, they pedaled across the Pacific Ocean.
Interesting combination of wind and solar generators for onboard power.

Self-taught minimalism through bicycle touring.

Go on a personal odyssey, and amaze and impress your friends without taking any real risk:  bicycle solo across Europe, North America or other large land mass.
This is easier than it looks.  Unlike a marathon, kayak crossing or other iconic physical achievement, a person of healthy weight and minimal physical conditioning need not train or [...]