Anybody know anything about RC boats?

[nick5446]

I sure don't, but I know I want one. Can anybody point me towards one (new or used) that might be appropriate?
- I want something simple. Not really looking for a whole new hobby, just something to screw around with
- Faster is better
- Probably prefer electric over gas, but feel free to change my mind
- Is a couple hundred bucks a reasonable budget?

I check them out on FB and CL once in a while. It always seem like they need work, or are really old.

[xrocket21]

ooooooooooooo

-Most are fairly simple, but none are maintenance free. They are a bit more work than an RC car
-They go quote fast, 30 would be on the very slow end, 50s average, 70s if you have dosposable income
-Definitely electric. Now that brushless motors and lipo batteries are out, it is a no brainer.

Proboat is a good name. Fuck Traxxas.

you are gonna need lipo batteries and a charger, I get them from hobbyking for the cheapest.

I highly recommend a self righting model, kind of a game changer, because they can flip at speed.

Catamarans are fun and fast but dont like chop. V-hull is better for some rough stuff.


This 17" is smaller and slower, about 25 mph, pretty cheap, good for ponds and stuff.

Amazon.com: Pro Boat Recoil 17-inch Self-Righting Deep V Brushless: RTR RC Boat: Toys & Games

This 36" is more of an animal, and would need a larger lake. You can cover a lot of ground at 50

Amazon.com: Pro Boat Sonicwake 36" Self-Righting Brushless Deep-V RTR, Black: Toys & Games

edit: LUBE YOUR SHAFT EVERY SESSION

also, salt water is a fairly bad idea

and clear hockey tape makes excellent hatch tape.

if you have glassy water and want to make speed runs, this is the ticket:

Amazon.com: Pro Boat UL-19 30-inch Hydroplane: RTR RC Boat: Toys & Games

good middle of the road cat

Amazon.com: Pro Boat Blackjack 24-inch Catamaran Brushless: RTR RC Boat: Toys & Games

Another big boy boat

Amazon.com: Pro Boat Zelos 36 Twin Catamaran BL RTR RC Boat: Toys & Games

[butcher bergs]

Still a hole in the water, just smaller.

[xrocket21]

Still a hole in the water, just smaller.

I didnt lube my shaft dilligently enough and the sonofabitch snapped the shaft and the prop and parts sank to the bottom of the lake.

After $20 for the prop, $15 for the shaft, $10 for the thrust bearing, $5 for the nut etc. Im thinking, "wait, wouldn't a fucking REAL boat prop be like $50? I just spent $50 to replace a toy prop...."


so yeah, lube your shaft.


They are fun as hell though. I was driving my RC boat from a friends ski boat. Blew his mind when we were going 50 and I walked away from him....

[nick5446]

ooooooooooooo

-Most are fairly simple, but none are maintenance free. They are a bit more work than an RC car
-They go quote fast, 30 would be on the very slow end, 50s average, 70s if you have dosposable income
-Definitely electric. Now that brushless motors and lipo batteries are out, it is a no brainer.

Proboat is a good name. Fuck Traxxas.

you are gonna need lipo batteries and a charger, I get them from hobbyking for the cheapest.

I highly recommend a self righting model, kind of a game changer, because they can flip at speed.

Catamarans are fun and fast but dont like chop. V-hull is better for some rough stuff.


This 17" is smaller and slower, about 25 mph, pretty cheap, good for ponds and stuff.

Amazon.com: Pro Boat Recoil 17-inch Self-Righting Deep V Brushless: RTR RC Boat: Toys & Games

This 36" is more of an animal, and would need a larger lake. You can cover a lot of ground at 50

Amazon.com: Pro Boat Sonicwake 36" Self-Righting Brushless Deep-V RTR, Black: Toys & Games

edit: LUBE YOUR SHAFT EVERY SESSION

also, salt water is a fairly bad idea

and clear hockey tape makes excellent hatch tape.

if you have glassy water and want to make speed runs, this is the ticket:

Amazon.com: Pro Boat UL-19 30-inch Hydroplane: RTR RC Boat: Toys & Games

good middle of the road cat

Amazon.com: Pro Boat Blackjack 24-inch Catamaran Brushless: RTR RC Boat: Toys & Games

Another big boy boat

Amazon.com: Pro Boat Zelos 36 Twin Catamaran BL RTR RC Boat: Toys & Games

Thanks!!!

Right after I posted this I remembered that I have a buddy who worked in the RC industry for a few years. He also recommended that Sonicwake one. It seems perfect, but probably a bit spendy. The other one he said was good on the cheaper side is https://www.rcsuperstore.com/Traxxas...tra38104-1.htm

I think you're right that self righting is probably worth paying extra for.

I've heard that salt water is fine, as long is it gets rinsed off after, but point taken.

- - - Updated - - -

I didnt lube my shaft dilligently enough and the sonofabitch snapped the shaft and the prop and parts sank to the bottom of the lake.

After $20 for the prop, $15 for the shaft, $10 for the thrust bearing, $5 for the nut etc. Im thinking, "wait, wouldn't a fucking REAL boat prop be like $50? I just spent $50 to replace a toy prop...."


so yeah, lube your shaft.


They are fun as hell though. I was driving my RC boat from a friends ski boat. Blew his mind when we were going 50 and I walked away from him....

$50 for a prop is on a cheap boat. I priced out a new prop for my lobster boat and it was going to be a couple grand!

[xrocket21]

wtf traxxas

[Falko]

I bought my son the recoil a few years back. It nose dived a big wake and blew the rear hatch off. The hatch floated up, the boat went down in around 15ft of water. After forcing my fat ass to dive down 15ft to retrieve it, I drilled two holes in the rear cover and screwed it down. The flimsy plastic piece isn't to be trusted. But it is a fun little boat.

[xrocket21]

I bought my son the recoil a few years back. It nose dived a big wake and blew the rear hatch off. The hatch floated up, the boat went down in around 15ft of water. After forcing my fat ass to dive down 15ft to retrieve it, I drilled two holes in the rear cover and screwed it down. The flimsy plastic piece isn't to be trusted. But it is a fun little boat.

ALWAYS use hatch tape

Amazon.com : Clear Hockey Tape. Water resistant, rips easily, 5 Pack. SportsTape - Made in North America. : Sports & Outdoors

[butcher bergs]

What's the hangup with Traxxas?

They've been my go to for all my RC cars and trucks over the years, both nitro and battery.

[xrocket21]

What's the hangup with Traxxas?

They've been my go to for all my RC cars and trucks over the years, both nitro and battery.

Overpriced, overhyped JUNK

If they were priced about 40% cheaper like the mid to low level plastic rigs with small to major flaws that they are, I would have less of a problem with them.

Team associated cost with redcat quality

[butcher bergs]

Team associated cost with redcat quality

A bold statement, IMO.

I have yet to experience any quality issues with any of the newTraxxas models I've purchased over the years and their pricing does not jump out to me as "out of line".

[Falko]

My son has a Traxxas 2wd truck with brushless motor. It's been pretty reliable for him and has held up well over the years as the driver has been less than careful. I've had to replace the shocks and one a-arm, but other than that it has survived its beatings quite well. That said, it's heavy. I can outrun it pretty easily on a track with my Losi truck using a less powerful battery. In the straight though, the Traxxas throws down.

[butcher bergs]

I will say my Slash 4x4 has a penchant for stripping gears (and the factory CV's) but that's really only when it's on 6s and I'm bashing like crazy.

Upgraded the CV's to the MIP X-Duty CVD's and life has been grand. Now it's just stripping gears because I prefer my truck to maintain a healthy crack diet with 6s.

Actually thought I shattered it to smithereens a couple years ago. Came ripping across my yard and the front lofted just enough when heading down the hill toward my gardens. No time to recover and it pancaked against the side of the garden bed box. Figured it was toast but was eventually surprised to see that I came out of that with a bent main driveshaft and one small structural issue with the main chassis.

[xrocket21]

If my uncle had tits he'd be my aunt

[TheIglu]

My son has a Traxxas 2wd truck with brushless motor. It's been pretty reliable for him and has held up well over the years as the driver has been less than careful. I've had to replace the shocks and one a-arm, but other than that it has survived its beatings quite well. That said, it's heavy. I can outrun it pretty easily on a track with my Losi truck using a less powerful battery. In the straight though, the Traxxas throws down.

You guys hit up RC Excitement often?

I was a regular there for 2wd stock and stadium truck stock on Thursday nights for quite a while. But this goes back to the RC10T4/B4 days.

[xrocket21]

You guys hit up RC Excitement often?

I was a regular there for 2wd stock and stadium truck stock on Thursday nights for quite a while. But this goes back to the RC10T4/B4 days.

I was visiting family in NH last weekend and we went down to RC Excitement with the kids. VERY cool place! So many tracks! I wish I had the B5m or B44.3 with me, I would have torn that indoor clay track up!

[Falko]

You guys hit up RC Excitement often?

I was a regular there for 2wd stock and stadium truck stock on Thursday nights for quite a while. But this goes back to the RC10T4/B4 days.

Yes, we used to go there a lot on Friday nights in the winter, it's like 5 minutes from the house. I'd get about 20 minutes of track time in then have to go on retrieval duty on the track for the kids. It wasn't bad until someone showed my son how to set his controller to unregulated from beginner mode. I used to call it the SKUD after that, never knew where it was going, or land. The indoor track is fun, the outdoor track seems to be more for larger/faster cars. I need to pull the cars out and charge them up, they are a lot of fun.

[xrocket21]

Outdoor definitely looked like a 1/8 scale track. You just gotta send it!

[caddydaddy]

I have an Aquacraft Revolt 30 with a few mods. They don't make that boat anymore, but I've seen new ones still for sale. It's been a reliable boat and very fun to drive!

[xrocket21]

I have an Aquacraft Revolt 30 with a few mods. They don't make that boat anymore, but I've seen new ones still for sale. It's been a reliable boat and very fun to drive!

The revolt is a great boat!!!!

[Garandman]

There is a pond in Marblehead where they have RC sailboat races. I think some of them now even have on-board video.

[obsolete]

There is a pond in Marblehead where they have RC sailboat races. I think some of them now even have on-board video.

I think you just defined Marblehead pretty well.

[Falko]

There is a pond in Marblehead where they have RC sailboat races. I think some of them now even have on-board video.

My remote control jet ski is calling....

[xrocket21]

any of you guys try sharpening your own props?

[Falko]

didn't know it was a thing. I assume for less resistance in the water.