Super-Boats and Super-Ships

[ouroboros]

Continuing with my thoughts about the use of vessels in fantasy-fiction:

There are lots of fantasy heroes who pilot outer-space ships.

There are a lot of mundane heroes who operate either archaic sailing-ships or modern boats (like in Coast Guard stories).

But I can't think of a single example of a super-boat or super-ship that travels ONLY on the water, except for the Bat-boat.

Thoughts?

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Well, how about under the water, as in the USOS Seaview from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea?

That's all I got.

[codystarbuck]

Well, how about the Nautilus, for a start. Green Arrow had an Arrow Boat, back in the day. Aquaman had a kind of skeedoo, in the cartoons. I don't recall seeing it in the comics, though I could have missed it. There was a modular submarine in the Man From Atlantis series, with 3 or 4 spheres linked together. There's also Seaquest DSV, Stingray (Gerry Anderson show, with a sub), Atragon (from Toho), the Mighty Jack sub (as seen on MST3K), the Nautilus, Black Manta's manta ship, the Avengers submarine (which they were in when they discovered Cap), the submarine ship on Gerry Anderson's UFO, Captain Fathom's submarine (Cambria cartoon; the people who did Clutch Cargo, New Three Stooges, and Space Angel), the undersea craft and complex on Sealab 202 (before it was turned into Sealab 2021, on Adult Swim). Spy Smahser's Gyrosub, and the Red Torpedo's craft.

[ouroboros]

I should have been more specific that my criterion on being "on the water" didn't include being "under the water." I was trying to think of above-the-surface craft.

Nevertheless, Cody's thorough list suggests that there's something innately appealing about super-subs, and that there just aren't that many enhanced boats and ships. Probably the long shadow of Verne hangs over most fantastic nautical fiction.

[codystarbuck]

I should have been more specific that my criterion on being "on the water" didn't include being "under the water." I was trying to think of above-the-surface craft.

Nevertheless, Cody's thorough list suggests that there's something innately appealing about super-subs, and that there just aren't that many enhanced boats and ships. Probably the long shadow of Verne hangs over most fantastic nautical fiction.

Boats sink; submarines resurface. Besides, a periscope is way cooler. That said, having been onboard a submarine overnight, as a midshipman, I wouldn't want to serve on one. Close quarters is putting it mildly. Some guys even alternated sharing a rack (bunk).

[ouroboros]

Has anyone here read Robin Hobb's "Liveship" series? From what I've heard this might be one example of a "super-ship" in an otherworldy fantasy setting.