Although not necessarily a local boat, I still wanted to bring your attention to the newest ship in the US Navy's fleet, the USS Independence (LCS 2), commissioned just this past January. Known as a "littoral" ship (meaning used mostly for near-shore operations) she is a radical departure from your typical naval ship. Her unique trimaran design will allow this 400-foot ship to reach speeds of 50-knots with a range of 10,000 miles. She carries a crew of 40 and with 11,000 cubic meters of payload space, can accomplish a near endless variety of missions depending upon what equipment she is deployed with, from helicopters to HumVee's. For a full rundown visit: www.ussindependenceship.org.