You know you want a remote control boat, but you don’t know which one. While your first instinct may be to purchase the biggest, fastest, most technologically advanced boat you can find, you may find yourself sorely disappointed if you’re unable to operate the boat right away because you don’t have enough experience.
In this case, it’s better to choose a boat that is more aimed at your experience level rather than investing in remote control boats that you can’t comfortably operate. To help you out here, let me introdcue you to my top five remote control boats for beginners!
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1. 23″ Balaenoptera Musculus Radio Remote Control Racing Boat
This remote control boat is perfect for the beginner adult or child who is looking to invest in a fast, powerful product. This particular RC boat can run for roughly 30 minutes on a single charge at a 300 foot operating range and can reach a speed of 25 miles per hour. Its twin motors and propellers mean power, and users note that it can make fast, tight turns with the best maneuverability.
Something that parents may enjoy – a safety feature which stops the propellers and twin motors from working if the racing boat is not in the water. Owners note that, despite the power of this boat, it is absolutely safe for younger children to use. Additionally, users appreciate that extra propellers are included. Although the propellers that come attached to the boat are durable, accidents do happen. If you find yourself tangled up, simply install the provided replacement propellers and zip on your way.
Just be aware, there are no batteries included in the remote transmitter of the boat, which uses eight AA batteries. The boat itself also takes roughly two hours to charge.
2. K-Marine RC Dash Racing Boat Radio Servo Control Mini Mosquito Craft
This particular remote control boat is priced lower than other top-rated products. It has a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour and can run up to 15 minutes on a single charge. Although the manufacturer’s recommended age is 14 and up, several users have reported purchasing the boat for children as young as four due to the child safety features. This is essentially that it is configured to not run unless it is in the water.
Its charging time will fall between four to six hours for a full charge and for its size, the boat is a great value for the money.
However, the downside is that its run time of only around 15 minutes, is not very long for an impatient child looking for hours of racing time. Also, some users report that in some cases the battery has been prone to overheating.
3.”Radio Ranger” 34″ Remote Control Fishing Boat
This Radio Ranger boat has style and functionality. Not only can you enjoy many hours of fun by your local lake, pond or pool, but you can also use it to catch fish. A great boat for fishermen who may find themselves wanting to try something a little bit different.
Users note that it can operate up to 300 feet and can reach speeds of 20 miles per hour. Its attached fishing pole means that you can search for dinner while you race. Whether you’re after small fish in close or you want to try for bigger fish further out, this boat is for both the real remote control boat enthusiast and the avid fisherman. Simply tow the fishing line to where you want and watch the line disconnect from the boat when a fish bites.
Just be aware that this boat lacks a child protection mechanism, where as some other boats come with a special safety feature where they will only function when they are in contact with water. Just as a side note it is however interesting to note that other RC vehicles such as RC Trucks or even planes often don’t feature any type of automatic cut off mechanisms whatsoever.
4. Aquacraft SuperVee 27R Brushless FE 2.4GHz Boat
The Aquacraft SuperVee features a brushless motor that users find means a smoother drive and less maintenance. It is good looking, impressively fast and a lot of fun to operate. While it is easy to operate for the beginner and has a brushless, water-cooled engine, it’s probably still not great for younger kids.
Brushless motors like featured in the Aquacraft are becoming increasingly popular in remote control boats as they provide increased durability and speed and often don’t require as much maintenance as other motors. Brushless motors are also very popular these days in RC cars. Users also note that water seeping into the boat shouldn’t be a problem except in harsh or extreme environments as the boat is well constructed.
No assembly is required for this great boat, and you are all set to go the minute you open the box. Just be aware however that it is made of durable fiberglass which is fantastic as it makes it lighter than other top-rated remote control boats, but also means because of this it may be more prone to capsizing in choppy waters due to its very peppy nature and the speeds it can reach.
5. Joysway Caribbean RTR RC Sailboat
This boat sits in the middle price range. The manufacturer’s recommended age is between 14 and 15, although adults just stepping foot into the world of remote control boats may find this particular product to be quite enjoyable as well.
Most impressive, the Joysway Caribbean RTR RC Sailboat does not use a motor at all – it’s a genuine miniature sail boat. This does of course mean you must learn how to use the remote control to move the sails and steer. While this may seem like a drawback, users find that not having to worry about the added expense and hassle of batteries (and time spend charging them) is a definite bonus.
As with any sailing boat you of course have to be more conscious of the wind and weather conditions when you’re using it. This particular boat functions best in common breezes of five miles per hour and struggles in stronger wind gusts. Still, this is as good a micro yacht as beginners can hope to find.
Get a Boat for Beginners
Once you feel comfortable handling remote control boats aimed for beginners, you can definitely consider upgrading to products that are more suited for your new skill level. However, many remote control enthusiasts find that the simpler, more basic remote control boats are just as fun and engaging as the higher-end products, so you really can’t go wrong with what you choose.
Im looking
For 2 boats for my grand boys age 3 and 6. They have a large pond with ducks and geese.
Any advice you can give will be reserched! Thank you!
Hi Cheryl,
Great to hear from you! No problem to give you my thoughts on this. There are a few boats out there aimed at kids but some of them are a lot better than others. A boat like the 12″ NC is a good place to start (http://www.amazon.com/Inches-Beautiful-Looking-Channels-RC/dp/B00535ZYJO?tag=myrc-text2-20). It has a safety function on it too so that the motor will only run when actually in water which is good to help avoid accidents for kids.
The other thing I’d say is that one problem with a lot of the more reasonably priced boats aimed at kids is that often you can’t switch frequencies meaning that if you buy two of the same boat you run the risk that they will both be designed to run on the same frequency and therefore you can’t have both grand kids using them at the same time as one controller will directly interfere with the other boat. Let me know if I’m not explaining that clearly 🙂
Also a lot of the decent boats might be a bit much for your 3 year old grandson to control. So rather than a pure remote control boat you might be better to aim for something more like a toy – but this will limit his ability to use it outdoors to the same extent with his brother (never simple is it). Something like Speedo Mini RC Boat (http://www.amazon.com/Speedo-Mini-Remote-Controlled-Speed/dp/B008NBPPSA) is a bit of a half way house that might let him use it outside but just won’t have the same kind of performance as the 12″NC. Take a look at those boats and see what you think and if you have any other questions don’t hesitate to let me know 🙂
David – My RCtopia