Boats might be the simplest form of motorized radio-controlled models, but they do offer hobbyists high speeds and big thrills. No race tracks, no RC airfields, any lake or big body of water is more than enough for some of these beasts to reach speeds beyond 60mph. Sounds tempting? This is a list of the best remote control boats for lake use.
| Image | Product | |
|---|---|---|
Fast  | Pro Boat Stealthwake 23”
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Vivid design  | Sharkool H106
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Fully Waterproof  | Cheerwing Arrow
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Extremely Fast  | Funtech SR-65 (PNP)
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 | Stotoy Gallop
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Traxxas quality  | Traxxas Blast
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Racing design  | Pro Boat Blackjack 24”
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Aggressive look  | Black Marlin (Brushless Edition)
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 | Top Race TR-1200
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Best for beginners  | HappyGrill Vector 30
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1. Pro Boat Stealthwake 23” - The best RC boat for a lake
Stealthwake is a deep-V powerboat with a great ability to ride waves, which makes it one of the best RC boats for lakes.
It has a brushed motor, something you don’t expect on this price range but it actually performs well, even paired with the old technology 2400mAh NiMh battery.
The latter can be replaced with a 4S LiPo battery, something that would upgrade Stealthwake’s performance significantly.
On the water, Stealthwake performs like a much bigger boat and is extremely fun on rippled surfaces, thanks to its height.
Because of the high center of gravity, it does tend to roll a bit, always remaining under control though. The Stealthwake comes ready to run and includes a 2-channel pistol-grip transmitter.
Overall, for this money, it’s one of the most complete boats out there.
Technical Features:
- Deep-V ABS hull
- 60A LiPo ready ESC
- 550 Brushed motor
- 2.4 GHz Transmitter
2. Sharkool H106
A nimble little RC boat from Sharkool, the H106 may be on the small side, but it’s much more capable than it looks.
The distinguishable lime green hull is visible from a long distance, and the 2.4 GHz transmitter guarantees that you will never run out of range.
The quality of the stick controller is excellent and the LCD is always a welcome feature.
Naturally, at this price range, the H106 doesn’t come with a brushless motor, but it’s still fast enough and has a decent top speed of 15mph.
In the case of capsizing, the hull can flip back to its keel by simply moving the left stick forth and back. It’s a great little boat, especially if you don’t want to break the bank.
Technical Features:
- 370 Water-cooled motor
- Capsize recovery
- 2.4 GHz Transmitter with LCD screen
- Double Hatch
- 2 Li-Ion 600mAh Batteries
3. Cheerwing Arrow
One more 25” long hull with a brushless motor, the Arrow is a speed boat that doesn’t excel in any category but is pretty good all-around.
The lively brushless motor responds well to the throttle and gives the Arrow a 30mph top speed. The 2200mAh battery has enough juice too and can keep it running for around 6 minutes.
The radio controller is a classic pistol grip with sound warnings for low battery and poor signal.
As for the white ABS hull, it’s sturdy, featuring a double hatch and can even recover from capsizing making sure that you won’t have to get your feet wet.
A few drops of water may find their way to the inside occasionally, but nothing extreme. Overall, a good boat at a very good price.
Technical Features:
- 3554A Brushless motor
- ABS Hull
- 2.4 GHz Radio transmitter
- 11.1V 2200mAh LiPo Battery
4. Funtech SR-65 (PNP)
This is a great RC boat from Funtech with a 25-inch long body and a vivid 2600KV brushless motor.
The SR-65 is at home in lakes where it will amaze you with its stability and a top speed of almost 35mph.
This plug n’ play edition has everything except for a two-channel radio transmitter and battery (up to 4S) that you have to provide.
The battery position is in front of the motor, giving the SR-65 a perfect balance. It’s a fun lake boat, its only drawback being the rather steep price considering it’s a PNP edition.
Technical Features:
- 2600KV Brushless motor with 20A ESC
- ABS Hull
- Water-cooling system
- Anti-capsize
5. Stotoy Gallop
One of the cheapest RC boats with a brushless motor, the Gallop is a great little performer and comes at a very good price.
The bright hull stands out immediately with its sleek lines and the double hatch system keeps water away from the interior and electronics effectively.
It is not the fastest boat around, but it sure is one of the most agile. The 2-channel pistol grip transmitter is excellent with great feel and acoustic alarms for low battery and out-of-range warnings.
The 600mAh battery is more than enough for the size of the Gallop, giving it a running time of about ten minutes, which is very good.
Technical Features:
- Anti-capsize hull
- Collision bumper
- Brushless motor
- 2.4 GHz Pistol grip transmitter
6. Traxxas Blast
This is, by far, the most beautiful boat of this review. Traxxas has gotten us used to amazing designs but the livery on this thing is nothing short of amazing.
The length of this powerboat is near 24” which I think is the sweet spot in lake boats. Not too big, not too small.
The brushless motor is good enough, but the 6-cell NiMh battery could be better.
It can keep the Blast going for twelve minutes but it lucks the kick of a good LiPo, and I don’t think that the boat’s ESC can take one.
The classic 2-channel TQ pistol controller is flawless.
Now, in the water, the Blast moves in a very steady and composed manner. It won’t set any records with its 20mph top speed, but it’s still very fun and suitable for beginners and younger users.
Technical Features:
- Brushless motor
- Nautica waterproof ESC
- Waterproof Servos
- Water Cooling System
- TQ 2.4GHz Transmitter
7. Pro Boat Blackjack 24”
This is an awesome catamaran from Pro Boat, with beautiful bulbous lines and striking red color. Let me say from the beginning that this thing really goes fast.
Actually, it is so fast that keeping its bow down and preventing the boat from flying at full speed is rather challenging. Fortunately, this little problem can be solved with a bit of ballast at the front of the hull.
The Spektrum STX radio system is not fancy but works like a charm, and provides enough range for the Blackjack to unfold its top speed which is around 30mph.
The receiver is waterproof and so are the servos. The only thing that you will need to add is four AA batteries for the controller and a 3S LiPo for the boat.
Overall, this boat is one of the best remote control boats available on the market and isn’t going to let you down.
Technical Features:
- Brushless motor
- Catamaran hull
- Spektrum STX Radio system
- Waterproof servo and receiver
8. Black Marlin (Brushless Edition)
This is a very economical 28” brushless boat with excellent performance. The long and narrow ABS hull cuts through the water like a razor and the stainless smart tabs and wings at the stern help the boat to balance and keep the bow where it is supposed to be.
The included pistol grip controller is nothing special, but does the job right and provides adequate range to control the Black Marlin around a lake.
The brushless motor is good although the top speed of 30mph might be a bit optimistic.
The included 3S battery pack is more than enough to power the Black Marlin for 6 minutes and the cooling system with the rudder intake keeps everything cool.
All around, it’s a very competitive boat and for the money, you can’t go wrong.
Technical Features:
- 3500KV Brushless Motor
- 20A ESC
- 3S LiPo Battery 1800mAh
- Water-cooling system
- Stainless steel tabs and fins
9. Top Race TR-1200
The TR-1200 packs a motor and battery similar to other boats in this review but with one difference—it’s just 18 inches long.
This means that it’s really fast and can run for a longer time because it’s light. On the other hand, it is not as stable as some of the bigger boats, especially when the surface of the water is a bit rippled.
It comes with a pistol-grip 2.4GHz transmitter and a LiPo 1800mAh with battery time being around 10 minutes.
The TR-1200 can recover from capsizing and features a double, sealed hatch to make it watertight.
Technical Features:
- Brushless motor
- 2.4 GHz transmitter
- Capsize Recovery
- 1800 mAh 3S LiPo battery
10. HappyGrill Vector 30
The smallest RC boat of this review might be a measly 12” in length but it surely is fast. The small brushed motor and 360mAh LiPo battery might not look impressive on paper, but they’re more than adequate to give the Vector 30 a fast rhythm.
The radio controller is very good and the range is more than 300ft; more than enough considering the size of this thing.
Like most boats in this category, the Vector can flip back to its keel in case of capsizing and is cheap enough for you to buy two of them and host a small race in a nearby pond or lake.
Technical Features:
- Auto flip recovery function
- Water-cooling system
- 2.4 GHz Transmitter
- 360mAh LiPo battery
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