7 Best RC Boats for Kids

1. KOLAMAMA Kiddies RC Racing Boat | Best Budget

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

The Best Budget boat goes to the KOLAMAMA for Kids. It’s a mini-sized vessel and an affordable introduction to RC on the water. It even has a couple of figures at the controls that add to the fun.

• Best feature 1: Affordable introduction to RC boat for kids
• Best feature 2: No battery charging
• Plus points: Simple controls, fast, durable build, fully waterproof, safe ABS
• Minus points: Power hungry, restricted use

KOLAMAMA RC’s Kid-Friendly Features

KOLAMAMA’s electric RC boat is perfect for kids. The small controller is ideal for tiny hands, and the controls couldn’t be simpler. The speedboat won’t start until its propeller is in the water. That’s a safety feature to protect little fingers from the blade. So, what about those inevitable crashes and collisions? Don’t worry. The toy is well-protected against bumps thanks to its impact-resistant ABS plastic build.

Another cool feature is that the KOLAMAMA uses regular AA batteries. That means no waiting for long charging times. Just replace the dead batteries with new ones and continue the fun. The boat is fully-waterproof, so there’s no need to worry about it sinking. It can reach a top speed of 6.2 mph (10 km/h). That’s a lot faster on the water than it sounds. The control range is around 49 ft. (15 M).

The Not So Good

It’s great that the boat runs on regular AA batteries, but it’s power-hungry. The playing time is around 12 minutes max. Make sure you carry plenty of spares so that the fun doesn’t come to a sudden end. Always allow the tiny motor to cool down for a few minutes between battery swaps.

The makers suggest the boat is okay to use on lakes. My advice would be to keep this little toy to pools and maybe small ponds under supervision. It’s too lightweight and tiny for large bodies of water.

2. Sleek UDIRC Rapid 9 RC Kid’s Racing Boat | Best Value

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Editor’s Rating: 4.9/5

The Top Pick goes to the sleek UDIRC Rapid 9 speedboat. This puppy is ready to run (RTR) right out of the box. It’s a powerful toy that can reach top speeds of around 18 mph (30 km/h)

• Best feature 1: Easy to control
• Best feature 2: Self-righting hull
• Plus points: Ready-to-run (RTR), double boat cover design, 3 safety alarms, bonus battery
• Minus points: Long charging time, short playing time

RC Rapid 9 Kid-Friendly Features

The Rapid 9 RC speedboat is a fun and fast model with a dual cover design to keep it watertight. The best thing about this little boat is its easy handling, even in smaller bodies of water. The low battery and poor signal alarms are invaluable if you play with it on large ponds or lakes.

Flips are a rare occurrence as this model has a self-righting hull. And the Capsize Recovery function puts it upright and back into the race if it does happen to overturn. The 390 brushed motor is both powerful and reliable. Even so, always allow time for the engine to cool down between battery swaps to prolong its life. All RC boats need cooling down periods, not only this one.

The Not So Good

It can take as long as 3.5 hours to recharge a flat battery. That’s a long time, so most new buyers are sure to want extra batteries. Allow a 15–20 minute cooling off period between swaps, though. The playing time is only 8 minutes which is not long, but it is typical.

3. The UDI001 Venom Kids RC Speedboat | Top Pick

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Editor’s Rating: 4.4/5

This is the Force1 Power UDI001 Venom boat for kids. It’s a fast mover on the water yet easy to control. The boat boast’s a range of features that make it exceptional value for a model in its class.

• Best feature 1: Feature packed kids and teens RC boat
• Best feature 2: Capsize recovery mode
• Plus points: Easy to steer, crash-resistant, high speed, low battery alarm, out of range warning
• Minus points: Longish charging time, lightweight

UDI001 Venom’s Kid-Friendly Features

The UDI001 Venom has a capsize recovery feature that uprights an overturned boat in an instant. It’s also a safety feature as no one has to wade in and rescue a flipped boat. It doesn’t often flip thanks to the boat’s anti-tilt design. Crash-resistant ABS plastic protects the boat in the event of a collision.

The Venom can reach a speed of 15+ mph (24 km/h) in ideal conditions. It’s still super easy to steer despite the powerful motor and fast speed. The low battery alarm lets young captains know when it’s time to bring the boat to shore. There’s also an out-of-range warning to maintain the signal.

The control range is a decent 300 ft. (91 M). The running time is average and lasts between 8–10 minutes. The good news is that there’s a bonus battery in the box.

The Not So Good

There’s a lot to like about this model boat although it has a couple of setbacks. The charging time is around 1.5 hours. That’s not extreme, but it’s still frustrating unless you plan. The bonus battery helps but you may want to invest in one or two more. Note that the boat is also light and weighs only 11.49 ounces. It can ride on lakes, but it’s not so good in windy conditions and choppy water.

4. Costzon Vector-High Speed Kid’s Racing Boat

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

Meet the small yet punchy Costzon Vector. This is a ready-to-run (RTR) high-speed RC electric racing boat for kids and teens. It can reach 18.6 mph (30 km/h). The model is lightweight yet durable.

• Best feature 1: Lightweight and durable
• Best feature 2: Water cooling system
• Plus points: Fast on the water, sleek racing design, vector-shaped hull, premium ABS
• Minus points: Shortish running time

Costzon Vector’s Kid-Friendly Features

Costzon’s Vector comes equipped with an effective water cooling system. The benefit of that is less wear and tear on the motor which prolongs its life. Not all hydroplane speed boats are easy to handle, but this one is. It’s both powerful and manageable, and that makes it ideal for younger captains. The speedboat has a sleek design with a vector-shaped hull that cuts through the water with ease.

The makers have used a high-quality, impact resistant ABS material in the build. The ABS plastic makes the boat quite crash proof and contributes to its agility in the water. And the ergonomic controller is comfortable to hold with simple buttons and switches at the fingertips. The Vector has a control distance of 328 ft. (100 M) in ideal conditions. Battery charging takes around 1.5 hours.

The Not So Good

Costzon’s Vector can run for about 10 minutes on a fully-charged battery. That’s more than many of its rivals, but it’s still not long. Extra batteries shouldn’t cost much more than 12 dollars apiece.

5. Speedy INTEY H102 RC Kid’s Boat

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Editor’s Rating: 4.5/5

The INTEY H102 Water Wizard is a streamlined Kids RC boat with a 370 long-lasting water cooled motor. It’s fast too for a mid-priced toy, reaching speeds of up to 15.5 mph (25 km/h).

• Best feature 1: 370 water cooler driving motor
• Best feature 2: Fast and agile
• Plus points: Long range, anti-tilt hull, capsize recovery, quality ABS build, double hatch
• Minus points: Short battery life

INTEY H102’s Kid-Friendly Features

This toy boat has an incredible 492 ft. (150 M) range. That makes it ideal for playing on large ponds and lakes where there’s room to blast. The model has an anti-tilt hull to keep it upright on those sharp turns and sudden maneuvers. It also has a capsize recovery function—just in case. The feature ensures the vessel never stays overturned for more than a second if you ever do flip it.

The H102 Water Wizard is a competent vessel for pools due to its lightweight and smooth ABS build. It has a fully-waterproof double hatch to protect the engine inside the model’s hull. The remote control sends out alarms when the battery gets low, or if the boat starts to go out of range.

The Not So Good

The running time is a poor 8 minutes which is typical for toy boats. It comes with a bonus battery that effectively doubles the play time. It’s not seamless, though, as the motor must cool down for at least 10 minutes between swaps. Charging takes 90+ minutes so more batteries are always useful.

6. KOLAMAMA RC High-Speed Freshwater Boat

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Editor’s Rating: 4.6/5

The KOLAMAMA H106 RC speed boat looks like something out of a James Bond 007 movie. It has an ultra-sleek design and is controlled by a smart looking transmitter with a built-in LCD.

• Best feature 1: Water-cooling system
• Best feature 2: Controller with LCD screen
• Plus points: Easy to control, long control distance, low battery alarm, 180° flip function
• Minus points: Short running time

KOLAMAMA RC’s Kid-Friendly Features

KOLAMAMA’ RC race boat is super easy to drive despite its power. The model can reach speeds more than 20 mph (32 km/h). Its powerful motor has an effective water-cooling system. Cooling maintains a more constant temperature which helps to prolong the motor’s life. The long 500 ft. (152 M) range makes it an excellent vessel for racing on lakes and big ponds.

The radio controller has an LCD screen to make controlling the boat more entertaining. The LCD shows relative data so that young captains can keep an eye on vital facts. The controller sends out beeps when the battery only has a minute’s power left. That’s plenty of time to bring the boat back to base. And the 180˚flip restoration function rights an overturned vessel in an instant.

The Not So Good

The only downside to the KOLAMAMA H106 RC speed boat is its low 5+ minutes playing time. Charging time takes around 1.5 hours so most people will want to factor extra batteries into the cost.

7. Force1 H102 Velocity RC Boat for Kids

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Editor’s Rating: 4.3/5

The last kid’s RC boat on the list is the H102 Velocity by Force1. It’s a feature-packed toy with a large prop motor to propel the boat forward at a wave-making 20+ mph (32 km/h).

• Best feature 1: Fast, wave-making speeds
• Best feature 2: Capsize recovery mode
• Plus points: Double-hatch, emergency stop, auto-correcting rudder, remote LCD, alarms
• Minus points: Some issues of slight leakage, vague instructions in parts

H102 Velocity’s Kid-Friendly Features

Force1’s H102 Velocity RC speed boat is a lot of fun for kids. It has a double-hatch design to protect it against choppier waters. The capsize recovery feature is invaluable if the model overturns away from the water’s edge. There’s also an emergency stop function that brings the vessel to an abrupt halt. And the auto-correcting rudder prevents the boat from veering off course at high speeds.

H102’s 4-channel 2.4 GHz transmitter (controller) has a handy built-in LCD screen. The displayed data includes things like signal strength, battery power, trim adjustments, and more. A low signal warning lets young captains know if they’re racing too close to the outer range. And the low battery alarm beeps and flashes when there’s 1 minute’s power remaining.

The Not So Good

A few users complain that the boat’s hull lets in a little water. It’s not a widespread complaint, but there are enough comments to make it a “potential” issue. There aren’t any reports of damage, though. Even so, it’s a good habit to place the boat on its dry-dock stand after each use. Another gripe—by some—is that the user manual is vague in parts.