Best RC Boats for Beginners

1. SZJJX RC Boat

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The top speed of 12mph might not be very impressive, but the long battery life and excellent maneuverability more than make up for it. The 2.4 GHz transmitter has an endless range and the LCD is great for showing the user battery life and trim adjustments.

The anti-capsize function works perfectly, retrieving the boat every time it flips on its top and making sure that you won’t have to go for a  swim. It’s a great little boat for beginners and suitable for kids too.

Technical Features:

• Anti-capsize system
• 2x 600mAh Li-Ion batteries
• Double Hatch
• 2.4 GHz Transmitter with LCS

Pros

• Long battery life
• Maneuverability

Cons

• Low top speed

2. Force 1 Velocity H102

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A very nice deep-V boat from Force 1 with a sleek hull and strong motor. For a fairly good price you get 20 mph top speed, a 2.4 GHz transmitter, and capsize recovery. That’s all you are going to need for a quick spin around the nearest pond. Stay away from salty water though.

The two 600mAh batteries will give you enough playtime before needing a recharge which only takes a couple of hours.

On the water, Velocity is fast and nimble but easy to control. It doesn’t capsize easily, and even if it does, the recovery system is always there in case you need it.

The classic stick transmitter has an LCD showing battery life, signal strength, as well as trim adjustments. Pretty impressive for the price.

The double hatch works well but not perfectly; you have to inspect the interior for water drops from time to time. Other than that, it’s a great RC boat for beginners.

Technical Features:

• Capsize recovery
• 2x 600 mAh Li-Ion battery
• Water-cooled motor
• Power indicator and range alarm

Pros

• Fast
• Agile
• Two Batteries

Cons

• Hatch sealing could be better

3. GizmoVine H106 (2019 Version)

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The new version of GizmoVine H106 packs a perky 390 brushed motor which provides better acceleration and top speed. The water cooling system and anti-flip function have remained unchanged, and so has the streamlined hull and the excellent 2.4 GHz transmitter with the LCD.

Gizmovine provides two batteries in the box, which is great.

Inside, the servo is waterproof which is always a welcome feature in this price range. The big rudder gives the light hull great agility, allowing it to change direction at the split of a second, and keeping the H106 under control at all speeds.

The double hatch is effective in keeping the boat dry and the prop safety system doesn’t allow the motor to spin unless the hull is inside the water.

Technical Features:

• Capsize recovery
• Two 600mAh LiPo batteries
• 390 Water-cooled motor
• Double Hatch
• 2.4 GHz Transmitter with LCD

Pros

• Very Agile
• Good Price
• Two Batteries

Cons

• None

4. Altair Wave

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Altair’s Wave is a great little boat suitable for beginners and younger kids. The bright yellow hull is made from ABS and has double hatches sealing it from water. The motor is strong enough to propel the Wave to speeds up to 18mph, and the two 600mAh batteries give it 15 minutes of playtime combined.

Wave features an anti-capsizing function and a child-safe propeller system which makes it suitable for kids.

The pistol-grip transmitter has a nice feel to it and features acoustic alarms for low battery and signal warnings. The 300ft range is more than enough for a boat of this size. Wave is a very stable and easy to control RC boat with great features and excellent quality of build.

A minor thing to complain about is its price, which is slightly higher than the category’s average, but as I said, the quality is there.

Technical Features:

• 2.4 GHz transmitter
• 2 Batteries
• Child safe propeller
• Capsize recovery

Pros

• Good maneuverability
• Long battery life
• Two Batteries

Cons

• The price is slightly high

5. ABCO H102

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Very fast and pretty nimble, the H102 is a great choice for your first RC boat. Its powerful brushed motor can propel this boat to 20mph, making it ideal for ponds and lakes where the powerful transmitter and its 500ft of range come in handy. The 600mAh LiPo battery is good enough for 7 to 8 minutes.

The H102 has a capsize recovery function that can flip the boat in case of capsizing by using motor torque. The classic stick controller is excellent and so is the LCD on it which provides useful info like battery life.

For the price, this is one of the best RC boats in the market and doesn’t even need much maintenance save for axis lubrication once in a week.

Technical Features:

• Capsize recovery
• Double hatch
• Water-cooled motor
• 2.4 GHz Transmitter
• Power indicator and range alarm

Pros

• Fast
• Agile

Cons

• It might leak a bit

6. USA TOYZ UDI 001

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Measuring just 12”, the UDI 001 is much quicker than it looks. This little devil can accelerate all the way to 15mph and turns on a dime. The smaller size makes it less stable on rippled water but gives it a huge advantage in smaller ponds and pools, where a boat of bigger size could be a problem.

The included Li-Ion batteries (there’s two of them) can last for about 10mins each, and the 2.4GHz trigger-grip controller except for being comfortable to the hand has adequate range and a sound alarm for low battery. Overall, it’s a great little boat.

The single hatch could be sealed better, but if inspected regularly, it shouldn’t pose any problem.

Technical Features:

• Capsize recovery
• Water-cooled motor
• Two Li-Ion batteries (600mAh)
• 2.4 GHz Radio transmitter

Pros

• Great for smaller pools and ponds
• Price

Cons

• Sealing

7. SkyCo H100

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A very nice RC boat that comes at a good price too. The H100 packs a beefy 390 brushed motor which is more than enough to move the small hull at a fast pace. The rudder is placed exactly in the middle of H100’s stern which is the best configuration for non-racing boats, giving it an equal turning rate on both sides.

The stick transmitter features 2.4GHz technology and has 500ft of range which is way more than you will ever need for a boat of this size. The battery goes for about 7 minutes before running out of juice, but fortunately, SkyCo has included two of them in the box.

It’s a very fun little boat, great for beginners and people who want something simple, just to have fun.

Technical Features:

• Water-cooled motor
• Capsize recovery
• ABS Hull
• Two batteries (600mAh)
• Low battery indicator

Pros

• Good price
• Compact
• Nimble

Cons

• Water sealing

8. SZJJX 001

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The smallest boat in this list is this tiny catamaran (9”) from SZJJX and it’s great, especially for younger kids. It has two motors driving an equal number of propellers which also do the steering. The 001 is mostly suitable for pools and smaller bodies of water where its lack of capsizing recovery won’t be a problem.

Having said that, it’s almost impossible to flip it because of the relatively small top speed and the catamaran hull.

The pistol-grip controller works like a charm and the 650mAh battery is huge for a boat of this size, giving it a running time of over 15 minutes, probably the longest in this list. Last but not least, the 001 has a water sensor, making it safe for younger kids to handle.

Technical Features:

• Twin motors
• 650mAh Li-Ion battery
• Sealed hatch
• Pistol-grip controller

Pros

• Price
• Great for kids

Cons

• No capsize recovery function

9. Contixo T2

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One more RC speedboat with a deep-V hull and a double hatch system. The T2 by Contixo features a 390 brushed motor and measures almost 18” from bow to stern. In practice, it’s pretty fast and very maneuverable, but easy to handle even by the most inexperienced users.

The stick radio transmitter features an LCD which not only shows the battery life of the controller but the boat’s as well which is great. The capsize recovery and double sealed hatch system gives you peace of mind, making sure that you won’t have to go swimming or even worst recover a shipwreck.

Technical Features:

• Capsize recovery
• 2.4GHz Transmitter
• Double Hatch
• ABS body

Pros

• Fast
• Overall quality

Cons

• None

10. VolantexRC Vector XS

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Lightning-fast with small dimensions, the Vector XS is perfect for pool races. Just shy of 12”, this little devil will surprise you with its speed and maneuverability. Volantex has gotten us used to quality RC toys and this one is not an exception.

Equipped with two LiPo batteries, a very good pistol-grip controller, and capsize recovery function; the Vector comes ready to run and it is a perfect RC boat for beginners. Naturally, because of its compact size, it doesn’t cope well with rippled water, and like most RC boats, it’s not suitable for salty water either.

It’s a great radio-controlled boat for beginners though and even comes in two flashy colors: yellow and lime green.

Technical Features:

• Water-cooled motor
• Two 360mAh LiPo batteries
• 2.4 GHz Trigger grip transmitter
• Capsize recovery

Pros

• Price
• Great top speed

Cons

• None

Buying Guide

Swimming Pool or Lake?

Depending on what you have available nearby, you might want to get a bigger boat for lake use or something smaller to play in your house’s swimming pool. The former will need to cope with the waves and ripples that lakes often have, and the latter to be small enough to turn in a limited space.

I think that 14” is the middle ground here, with bigger boats being more suitable for lakes and big ponds, and the smaller ones for pools. Just keep in mind that a 20mph RC boat would probably be wasted in a 30ft pool.

Anti-flip Function and Propeller Safety sensors

Radio-controlled boats flip over from time to time, and that’s a fact. If it happens inside a pool, the solution is straightforward; if it happens in the middle of a lake though, you have a problem. That’s why boats with anti-capsize function have the edge, and is a crucial feature, especially for beginners. I

t’s not a complicated system. These boats are designed in such a way that by moving the throttle stick up and down, the motor produces enough torque reaction to rock the boat back to its keel.

The propeller safety sensor is also an essential feature for protecting the users, and especially kids, from potential accidents. It’s a rather simple design — a small sensor at the bottom of the hull detects when the boat is outside of water and cuts off the power to the motor, preventing the propeller from spinning and injuring the handler.

 Conclusion

Some of the RC boats featured in this list would sell for three times the money ten years ago, and this shows the progress manufacturers have made in the recent years, especially in offering amazing products for very low prices.

Most boats in the market today are fast, reliable, and waterproof. You can’t really go wrong with any of them, so choose what’s more right for you, and go have a blast with it.