The Best RC Boats for Pools

1. GismoVine T02 - The best RC boat for swimming pool

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One more great little RC boat, this time from GismoVine. With a length of 14” this speedboat performs pretty well on smooth or slightly rippled water.

Like most boats nowadays, it has a safety sensor that doesn’t allow the propeller to spin outside the water, so it’s safe even for younger children.

The stick transmitter is pretty bulky, but performs well, giving T02 a good 500ft of range, which is probably way further than you would take this little speedboat.

The motor is packing good power and has a water-cooled system to keep it cool. As for the battery, it’ll give you at least 12 mins before a charge is needed.

One of the few problems was the manual which is rather difficult to read and follow.

This boat is undoubtedly one of the best RC boats on the market right now.

Technical Features:

• Capsize recovery
• Two batteries (600mAh)
• Low battery alarm
• Water-cooled motor

Pros

• Great range
• Good battery life

Cons

• The instruction manual is written badly

2. FunTech Vector 28

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The last boat is from FunTech, a company that has given us many great radio-controlled models in the past. Vector 28 is fast and fun to drive around. With a length of just 11” this little devil has a top speed of 18mph and can turn pretty sharp thanks to its low mass.

Even though it’s one of the smallest boats in the market I wouldn’t recommend it for small kids. It’s too fast and lacks a safety water sensor, which means that the propeller can spin even if the boat is not in the water. The pistol grip transmitter does a great job, as for the price—it’s just great.

Technical Features:

• Water-cooled
• Two batteries
• 2.4GHz Pistol grip transmitter
• 30ft Range
• Capsize recovery

Pros

• Fast
• Great price

Cons

• No water sensor

3. Intey H105

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This is a 17” long speedboat from Intey, bigger than most boats on this review. This, in turn, means that it needs bigger 1500mAh batteries which don’t last more though since the 390 brushed motor is energy-hungry. On the good side, it’s powerful enough to give it a top speed of 15mph or more—not bad.

The H105 prefers bigger ponds and lakes to small swimming pools where it can unfold its top speed. It can surely make tight turns but there are more suitable boats for small pools in this review. The price is great, so you can even get two and race with your friends.

Technical Features:

• Double hatch
• Two batteries
• 2.4GHz with LCD screen
• 330ft Range
• Capsize recovery

Pros

• Good water sealing
• Price

Cons

• None

4. Force 1 Velocity H102

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This is a great little powerboat from Force 1. It’s small enough for pools and ponds, and easy to use. The Velocity is powered by a vivid water-cooled motor that drives a two-blade propeller, giving it a speed of over 20mph. It also has a big rudder making it nimble and quick on the controls.

The 600mAh battery (two of them are included) lasts for around 8 minutes. The 2.4 GHz transmitter is really good, with 400ft of range and an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) with battery indicator and an out-of-range alarm. Another useful feature is, that in case of capsizing you can get the boat to flip over by pressing the stick forth and back; using the motor torque to rock the bottom back to its keel.

The hatch’s seals can hold water out of the boat most of the time, but you might find a few drops that need to be swept from time to time. Lastly, like all boats of this category, this boat is not suitable for saltwater and should never be placed in the sea.

Technical Features:

• Double hatch
• Boat stand
• Power indicator and range alarm
• Water-cooled motor
• Capsize recovery

Pros

• Fast and nimble
• Two Batteries

Cons

• Seal may leak a bit

5. Altair Aqua

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The Altair Aqua is a beautiful RC boat with very sleek lines and a red hull that makes it stand out. Its top speed is 20mph and the juicy 1500mAh LiPo battery can keep it going for almost twenty minutes. The smooth hull cuts through the water with ease and the bow stays on target unless the water is too choppy.

The Altair has a steering pistol grip transmitter (2.4 GHz) instead of a classic stick one, which works great. The range is around 330ft, more than enough for a boat of this size. There are two batteries in the box as well as a stand that you can put the boat on while working through the top hatch, which has a double cover and is sealed.

The rudder is placed on the right of the stern, perhaps a bit too offset from the center, giving the boat a difference at the rate of turn between left and right, which is quite noticeable. This is a design taken from racing where boats move clockwise and turn right, but this is not the case with pool boats.

Technical Features:

• Double cover sealed hatch
• Capsize recovery
• Two 1500mAh LiPo batteries
• Boat Stand
• Trigger grip 2.4 GHz transmitter

Pros

• Fast and agile
• Good run time

Cons

• The price is a tad high

6. USA TOYZ UDI 001

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The UDI is one of the smallest boats (12” long) of this review but will surprise you with its playful character and ease of use. Being small surely have its benefits, and with a good 15mph top speed you can play with it in smaller pools and ponds which may be the only available for you.

The battery is more than enough to keep it running for 10mins or more, and the trigger grip transmitter does the job just fine, even featuring sound alarms for low battery and signal strength warnings. The quality of the ABS hull is good, but you have to inspect the interior here and there for water that might have gotten through the hatch seal.

Technical Features:

• Capsize recovery
• Two batteries (600mAh)
• Trigger grip 2.4 GHz transmitter
• Water-cooled motor

Pros

• Suitable for smaller pools and ponds
• Price

Cons

• Sealing

7. Sharkool H106

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The Sharkool H106 is fast, but its most impressive characteristic is the very tight turning radius. This thing can turn on a dime! The lime green color of the hull is eye-catching, and as a bonus, it makes the boat visible from far.

It has a sealed double hatch system, which is designed very well, with a lip around the inner hatch sealing offering extra protection from water. The radio transmitter has an LCD with battery indicator and sound alarms for low battery and signal. A nice little boat for a good price.

Technical Features:

• 370 Water-cooled motor
• Double Hatch
• Capsize recovery
• Two batteries (600mAh)
• 2.4 GHz Transmitter with LCD screen

Pros

• Very Agile
• Great Price
• Nice hull and color

Cons

• None

8. Syma Q7

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One more deep-V hull speedboat this time from Syma. The Q7 is rather small in size, but it’s swift and maneuverable—perfect for swimming pools. The radio transmitter is rather basic but does the job fine. It features a low power sound alarm but not an indicator.

The boat has a usual for this category double hatch system, which seems to be working fine. The motor is perky but the water-cooled coil covers only half of it, which is probably why the company suggests twenty minutes intervals between each full battery-run. Speaking of it, the 600mAh battery gives you around 8 minutes of playtime. Not bad but not great either.

Technical Features:

• Double hatch
• Two batteries
• Low power alarm
• 330ft Range
• Capsize recovery

Pros

• Easy to control
• Maneuverable

Cons

• Cooling system could be better

9. SZJJX H100

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This RC boat has a weird name but an extraordinary price. For around $50 you get a pretty fast motorized boat for pool use, with 2-channel control, and a long-range 2.4GHz radio transmitter. It can even flip on the right side in case you manage to capsize it. What else can you ask?

The H100 is small enough for swimming pools, but you may not be able to reach top speed if they are shorter than 30ft. Of course, you can always cruise around at a slower pace. The boat is very easy to pilot, and the rudder big enough to steer it, even at moderate speeds. It comes with two batteries for extra playtime, and it will give you many hours of fun for a very small price.

Technical Features:

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

Pros

• Great price
• Quick and agile

Cons

• Water sealing is not great

10. JJRC S5 Baby Shark

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This may be the smallest and slowest RC boat of this review, but it still has great advantages. The Baby Shark is actually a toy mostly aimed at younger children and made to be played in smaller spaces which makes it the best mini boat for pools. You surely don’t want your kids messing around with a 20mph boat, especially if there are other kids in the pool as well.

The Baby Shark has two motors driving its two propellers, so it actually turns by propulsion control instead of the usual rudder. In practice this works fine, but has a single drawback—you can’t turn without throttle.

This could be a problem for a bigger and faster boat, but not so much for this one since it’ll probably spend most of its time in small pools and ponds. You can also use it in bigger bodies of water, like a lake, but be aware that its range is limited to 165ft.

Technical Features:

• Water sensor for safety
• Propulsion Steering
• Two motors
• ABS plastic body

Pros

• Cheap
• Great for kids and smaller pools
• Battery goes for long

Cons

• Has only one battery

RC boats are perhaps the simplest form of radio-controlled model there is. It’s just a hull with a motor powering the propeller and a servo turning the rudder, that’s it. No suspension and no intricate control surfaces. As long as it can keep the water out, then nothing can stop it.

They’re a breeze to use and don’t need any serious maintenance besides lubing the propeller axle, once a week if they’re being used regularly.

Still, there has been a lot of progress throughout the years, advanced batteries being one of the most important. The new LiPo batteries provide more power to the motors and do it for longer while their weight becomes lighter and lighter. The rise of the 2.4GHz technology also simplified things, diminishing frequency conflicts and providing plenty of range.

Buying Guide

Are these boats only for swimming pools?

No, not exclusively. Most of these RC boats have a deep-v hull and are meant to be used on smooth or slightly rippled water surfaces but never in the sea. They wouldn’t be able to cope with the salty water anyway. They do need enough space to speed and maneuver though, so a 15ft swimming pool is a minimum. The faster ones will need even bigger pools. Lakes and ponds are also good places to have fun, and for the fastest ones like the Velocity H102 or Altair Aqua, they are even greater because they allow them to deploy their top speed more often.

RC boats for kids

The vast majority is safe even for smaller kids, they should always be supervised though. Almost all the boats on this review feature a safety sensor that prevents the motor from running unless the boat is in the water, this way the propeller can’t injure anyone while handling it. If you want something especially for younger children, then the Baby Shark is the best RC boat for pools with young kids.

It’s small and slow enough for younger fellows to control. The UDI 001 is also great for small kids with its short length and ease of use. The same cannot be said for Vector 28 which lacks a propeller safety system. It is still a great boat, small and extremely fast, not suitable for younger kids though.

What about the budget?

So, are you looking for the best remote control boat for your pool? Truth is, you can’t go wrong with any of these RC boats. Actually, they have pretty similar designs and in some cases, they are difficult to distinguish, but still, there are uses that some are suitable for, and others not.

The price range is between $40 and $80 which is quite narrow. Vector 28 is the cheapest and Altair Aqua being the most expensive.

If you want something dirt cheap, or plan on getting more than one boats and hold a small race, then I can’t recommend the Vector 28 highly enough. It’s the best value for money and still is one of the fastest of the pack. For a few bucks more, the Intey H105 is great and you can also use it on lakes with small waves.

Recommended for you: 10 Best RC boats for lakes

The same goes for the Sharkool H106, another excellent boat. If long-range is of the essence, the GismoVine T02 with 500ft of the range has no equal. And last but not least, if speed is the name of the game, then you can’t go wrong with either Velocity H102 or Altair Aqua. They are all great boats for the money, and will pay your tiny investment back, multiple times, in great fun!