Electric RC Boats

Shoppers guide to buying electric rc boats from online rc hobby shops. Here you will find articles, tips, and side-by-side comparisons of various types of electric rc boats. Also links to recommended online hobby stores where you can get excellent deals because of discount coupons and clearance sales.

Electric RC Boats
Villain IV Electric R/C Boat ©Traxxas

Introduction to Electric RC Boats

The hobby of rc boats has four main categories: nitro, gas, sail, and electric. The advantage of electric is the ease of maintenance, the relatively cheap price, and the quite electric motor which allows you to play without disturbing other people.

Also if you already have an electric rc car, you can use the motor, battery pack, and battery charger for an electric boat.

Speed - How Fast Are Electric RC Boats

How fast does it go? The basic entry level, ready to run boat kits can go 15 - 20 mph. This is already very fast, especially if this is your first time with the hobby.

And as you skill level progresses, you can upgrade to fast motors and higher voltage batteries to increase speed and excitement.

But definitely, a 15 mph r/c boat inside a swimming pool will feel as if it is traveling 40 mph.

Companies

The well known manufacturer's of electric r/c boats are CEN, Nikko, Megatech, and Traxxas. If you are looking for "toy" boats, then go for a Nikko. If you are looking for a cheap and fast boat, then go for the CEN. And if you love the true hobby quality boats, then go for a Traxxas.

Side By Side Comparison of Electric RC Boats

Below is a table comparing the popular electric rc boat models of each manufacturer. Hopefully you will get a clear picture of what you would like to buy.

First is a side by side comparison of popular CEN, Nikko, and Megatech rc boats.

	CEN Grey Thunder 775	Nikko Ripper	Megatech H20 Speedboat
Ready to Run	Yes	Yes	Yes
Radio Control	Mirage III Pistol	27, 49MHz
Length	32.28"	10.5"	9"
Speed	20 mph	-	15 mph
Street Price	$195	$59	$99
Required Accessories (not included in kit)	7.2 volt battery pack (2 units) Battery charger	4 AA for boat 9volt for transmitter

Here the recommended electric rc boat is the Megatech H20 Speedboat. It is only 9" long but can reach speeds up to 15 mph! And with a street price below $100, this boat is hard to beat.

Next is a side by side comparison of popular Traxxas rc boats. Here is a short review of each model.

	Traxxas Blast	Traxxas Villain IV	Traxxas Villain EX
Ready to Run	Yes	Yes	Yes
Radio Control	27 MHz "stick"	27 MHz "stick"	TQ™ Radio System "Pistol"
Motor	Stinger 20 turn	Twin Stinger 20 turn	Twin Titan™ 550 Marine Fan-Cooled Motors
Length	23.75"	31"	31"
Speed	-	-	-
Street Price	$159	-	$339
Required Accessories (not included in kit)	7.2 volt battery pack Battery charger 8 AA size batteries for transmitter	Two 7.2 volt battery packs Battery charger 8 AA size batteries for transmitter	Two 7.2 volt battery packs Battery charger 8 AA size batteries for transmitter

Traxxas ready to run rc boats are really high quality. The Traxxas Blast is a singe motor, while the larger Traxxas Villain IV and Traxxas Villain EX are both dual motor. And in terms of pure performance, the Villain EX is best among all the Traxxas electric rc boats.

Buy from recommended rc hobby shops and online hobby stores.

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