Mythbusters (Discovery Channel) raised a monohull sailboat (something like 25' in length) using a semi-truck load of ping pong balls. They devised an elevated funnel in which they poured water and ping pong balls.
I think the really remarkable thing about that whole episode is that the Mythbusters boys DID NOT devise the method for getting the balls into the boat. A Disney comic artist proposed it in one of the Donald Duck adventure novels something like 50 years ago! The method was described in the comic novel in remarkable detail including the funnel, hose and pump. But no one had ever tried to find out if it would actually work before.
Jimbo
