In a previous post, it was mentioned that you cannot run out of fuel because the gate's power your vehicle. So if you leave the island, your skeeter will turn into a submersible. Guess that answers that question.
Hehe I'd like to see some n00b flying a galaxy full of people accidentaly fly out of range of the island, causing his galaxy to become an amphibious assault craft.
it would lag up the game having so much ocean etc.. so it is purely continental fighting. No over ocean stuff. That's why ship warfare is very unlikely.
Each continent is ona separate "load"(I don't know the real word for it) so they just put that in. Yes, that is a reason why major ship battles are unlikely. They may put in some coastal craft but not much more than that.
They wanted have the least amount of load time possible to make a fast paced game...it might turn into Morrowind. ahh the loads on that were annoying as hell.