Remote Control Boats For Pools
RC boats are exciting, right? If you or your child are into any kind of remote control toy, the addition of an RC boat is a slam dunk. RC boats can help kids develop hand/eye coordination at a variety of ages, a healthy sense of competition, and encourage bonding time for the family. We’ve put together a list of our top picks for RC boats. Plus, we’ve answered a few questions you might have about how to choose the right one.
Altair AA Wave Toy RC Boat
The Altair AA Wave is the perfect boat for anyone who’s looking to get outside and enjoy some time by the water. In fact, this boat is perfect for swimming pools too, so you don’t have to travel far if you have one in your backyard. Beginners will love the AA Wave because it’s extremely easy to control.
Have some fun outside racing at up to 15 miles per hour and at a range of up to 100 meters (which will easily let you explore all edges of even Olympic sized swimming pools). Plus, if your boat flips over in the water, you can easily get it back upright with the Wave’s anti-capsize system. Just a few turns on your control with have your boat in the correct position and ready for more racing.
This RC boat comes with two batteries that last about 6-8 minutes each, too. If both of your batteries are fully charged you can drive this boat for nearly 15 minutes! Also, the Wave comes with a water-cooling system, so you don’t have to worry about it overheating while you’re racing it.
This RC boat is a lot of fun for a beginner racer who’s looking to drive on a smaller body of water and since it’s so easy to control you won’t have to worry about the boat crashing into walls. This is one of the best RC boats available for anyone interested in starting this hobby.
SGOTA 2.4GHz Toy Boat
Our first RC boat reaches a little over 18 miles per hour with a range of about 150 meters or a little under 500 feet.
You can do flips, turns, and tricks without worrying about getting yourself wet. It has an automatic flip feature that rights the boat if one of your tricks capsizes it. The LCD screen is easy to read and displays relevant data. The remote is easy to master with forward/backward control, left and right control, and four channels that allow you to race against other boats at the same time.
It uses a water-cooled system to prevent overheating. The single propeller is safer to operate and won’t spin unless it’s in the water. It also uses ABS impact-resistant materials, which is useful if you race in a place like a pool where your boat might crash.
It gives you about ten minutes of playing time on a single charge. Charging time takes two hours, and safety features prevent overcharging and overheating. It also has a low battery warning, so your boat isn’t stranded.
It’s best for those who race in open water such as ponds or lakes. The materials resist impact well, but it’s too fast for confined spaces. If you've got access to both a pool of considerable size and an open body of water, this one is for you.
Force1 RC Boat Pool Toy
The Force1 is a super-fast RC boat that reaches over 20 miles an hour under ideal conditions. It has a durable design with an automatic flip system and a large propeller.
The remote has an easily readable LCD with left/right controls. It includes a quick stop feature and notifications for signal and power adjustments, and trim adjustment. It has two channels so two different boats can run at the same time.
The double hatch design can take a lot of abuse without succumbing to the impact. Capsize recovery means all your tricks won’t run the risk of stranding your boat in the water. It’s ultra-fast, but we recommend running it in more significant spaces than a pool, so you can really open it up.
It takes about an hour and a half to charge and run time is between ten and 15 minutes. It does come with two different batteries, so your total run time is double that. The range is 120 meters or a little under 400 meters.
This boat is best for solo drivers who like to maneuver at top speeds. Although it’s a great little racer, you can only race two at a time. Racing enthusiasts might want to get a model with more channels.
USA Toyz RC Boat - UDI007 Voyager
This high-speed boat reaches nearly 18 miles per hour and sports and anti-tilt hull. It has a water-cooled engine and a single propeller that doesn’t spin unless it’s in the water. It has a stand and a spare propeller.
The remote is easy to master and features a low battery alarm, yaw auto-corrector, and a simple button system. There’s no LCD screen, but you can still get basic notifications such as the low battery alarm.
It has a powerful transmitter capable of controlling the boat well over 300 feet. You can run up to 4 boats at the same time. The battery takes about two hours to charge and has a run time of between ten and 13 minutes. It comes with two batteries, so your actual run time is twice that.
The boat is durable, and the double-hulled design resists impact. We recommend this boat for anyone who likes to race as a hobby and doesn't want to worry about turning around in a tight space. It's also excellent if you want to set it up for tricks.
Tuptoel H100 RC Boats Pool Toy
The Tuptoel is a comfortable, entry-level boat for younger drivers. It’s a little bit slower than some of the boats on our list at around 12 miles per hour, but this makes it suitable for those who are learning to control their first RC boat.
The hull is impact resistant. There’s an alarm to let you know when the battery is getting low and you need to bring your boat back in. It has a flip restoration option, so you won’t get stuck wading out to right your boat.
The motor is water cooled, and the propeller only runs when it’s in the water. The remote has a range of about 150 meters or just under five hundred feet. It includes controls for forward and backward, left and right, plus the automatic flip function.
It has a battery life of about eight to ten minutes per charge, with a total charging time of 90 minutes. It only comes with one battery, so you might want to invest in a spare for longer run time.
We recommend this one for younger kids who are learning to control a boat, or for those who exclusively run boats in pools. The slower speed is suitable for smaller areas where you’re likely to crash the boat into a wall.
SZJJX RC Boat JX802 Orange
Our final boat is a self-righting design with responsive remote control. The hull is anti-tilt and made of ABS plastic, a high impact resistant material. It’s tiny and adorable. It reaches speeds of about six miles an hour, a speedy record for such a tiny boat.
It’s excellent for very young kids to get the feeling of running a boat. It’s best for pools or confined spaces because the range is about 30 meters or about 100 feet. The propeller will only operate if it’s in the water.
The remote has a right/left and forward/backward function. Charging time takes about an hour to an hour and a half. A full charge gives you roughly ten minutes of run time, so double up on your batteries if you want to play longer. There are four channels for racing other boats at the same time.
We think this little boat is an excellent option for younger kids. It’s small, so it won’t do very well in choppy water. If need to entertain kids or grand-kids in your pool, however, this is a perfect addition.
Remote Control Boats for Pools Buyer’s Guide
There are a few things you should consider before choosing your first (or next) RC boat.
Speed
We know. You want the absolute fastest one out there, right? Hold on.
Where do you plan to drive the boat? If you’ve got a vast open space such as a lake or pond, then, get a super-fast boat. You can open it up with little resistance and plenty of space to reach that top speed.
If you’ve only got a pool or an ultra-small body of water, it’s going to be frustrating trying to get a boat up to its fastest speed. You’ll either crash a lot, or the boat won’t ever reach its full potential.
Consider the space you have and tailor your speeds accordingly. Higher than twenty miles per hour should have plenty of space. 15 to 19 miles per hour should have plenty of space, but you might be able to use it successfully with larger pools. Tiny spaces should cap out at less than 15 miles per hour.
Range
Once again, you should consider the space. If you’ve got a huge lake and a fast boat, but you don’t have the remote range, you’re going to be out searching for your boat in the water. Driving in a pool won’t require as much range, but a vast lake will.
Also, if you’re a racer, you’ll want enough range to get the boat up to top speed and possibly turn around without losing the boat.
Handling
Nothing ruins a boating experience faster than capsizing your boat right in the middle of a neat trick. A boat that handles well can do tricks, turn sharply, and respond to remote commands without spinning out.
If you race, you want to be able to turn the boat and get it back around without it capsizing. If you do tricks, it must be able to autocorrect. Handling means the difference between a cheap toy and an RC boat that can break you into a hobby. Handling is also important if you are using RC battleships or RC fishing boats.
Battery
You aren’t going to get hours and hours of run time with most RC boats, but you want a battery that a can handle at least ten minutes at full speed. This means that if you’re driving it for fun, you’ll probably get a little more time because you aren’t always operating the boat wide open.
If you want a longer run time, you can always invest in more than one battery. As your boat runs down, you can switch out the batteries.
The other factor is how long it takes the battery to charge. Most of the boats on our list take about 90 minutes to charge, but anywhere between 90 minutes to two hours is about average for these types of boats.
Final Thoughts
RC boats are an excellent addition to your remote-control collection. You can bond with your family, head out and find other enthusiasts to race, and add it to your summer bucket list. If this is your first RC boat, be careful. You might find your newest obsession. Happy racing!
Are you already an RC boat hobbyist? Do you race other types of toy vehicles? Tell us all about it in the comments below.
