Shopping for a
RC submarine, hovercraft, or boat can
bring you a world of fun to your backyard pool, pond, or calm lake.
Whether you're smooth sailing a remote control sailboat on a calm lake or
jetting across the surface in a supercharged RC speedboat, today's watercraft
offer a variety of fun choices whether you're looking for a gift or a more
serious performance hobby.
When selecting your boat or hovercraft, there are
some important considerations to keep in mind. For one thing, most models
are only intended for fresh water - not salt water. Unless your boat is
specifically sealed and designed for salt water you'll want to keep it clear of
the ocean or the gearing, motor, and exhaust will quickly corrode or fail and
void your warranty.
RC Hovercraft
One of our favorite
options is the hover craft. These feature a powerful fan jet mounted on
the rear of the boat - which in turn is surrounded by either a plastic housing
or inflatable air piece. Remote control hovercraft are popular options for
either water (even shallow water) and even have some limited functionality on
smooth surfaces. These are a great option to get started and are typically
available in the $50 - $125 range.
RC Submarines
Remote control
submarines are an emerging segment that has really shown some great improvement
in quality, durability, and battery life over the past 2 years. These subs
are available in full sized subersibles as well as micro subs that are really
more of a novelty and mostly used as gifts for kids. The full sized
submersible subs can go to depths of 20' and deeper - although you would be hard
pressed to see them at that range and risk losing radio control so you're best
keeping your depths shallow. Perfect for the pool - if you haven't tried
it you're in for a pleasant surprise.
RC Boats and
Sailboats
RC boats and
sailboats are dominated by 2 segments - sailboats and speedboats. The
sailboats do feature some workable sails, but are mainly powered by the small
engine prop and feature much longer ranges on the radio frequencies than in
years past. If you're buying more than one be sure to get models with
different frequency settings or variable controls so you can change the
frequencies - there's nothing worse than showing up with 2 boats and they're
both responding to 1 control.
RC speedboats are one of the most fun and most exciting toys on the market -
featuring speeds up to 40 mph, these beasts can really fly when conditions are
right and waves are low. Try it on a small-medium sized pond and you'll
turn heads with the sheer power and speed --- especially on the nitro powered
gas models.
