INTRODUCTION

Whether you are a sailor, racer or scale enthusiast, there is a segment of RC (Radio Control) boating for you. Furthermore, your building skills can range from non-existent to master craftsman and your budget from pocket money to "this would have been a nice vacation." We have kits and boats in "Almost-Ready-To-Race" or Ready-To-Race" condition.

Getting started in RC boating is really quite easy. First you need to identify your interest and choose a boat type. We have sailboats, electric boats, nitro-methane powered boats, gasoline powered boats in many different hull configurations.

	SAILBOATS RC Sailboats operate in the same manner as their full size counterparts. The sails, which are adjustable, catch the wind and propel the boat. To move upwind you need to tack the boat, and jibes are every bit as exciting as they are in the America's Cup. Sailboats range in size from 2 feet to almost 6 feet.
	POWERBOATS - RACING There are many different types of racing powerboats. The three most common designs are deep vees (the hull forms the shape of a V), hydroplanes (like Ms. Budweiser) and tunnel hulls. Tunnel hulls and hydroplanes perform better in calmer water because they are designed to race with most of the hull out of the water. "Chop" or rough water slows these boats down, whereas deep vees perform well in choppy water.
	POWERBOATS - SCALE Many boating enthusiasts don't care about speed, but rather about accurately reproducing a working model of an actual boat. The majestic and imposing lines of a battlesip, the maneuverability of a harbor tug or the traditional lines of a downeast lobster boat are as equally enjoyable in a model as they are in the real boat. Our resident boat expert Mike Fasulo has produced a kit of a downeast lobster boat. It is pictured at right.
	SUBMARINES Working models of submarines that submerge, run underwater and fire torpedoes actually exist are on the cutting edge of RC boats.

POWERPLANTS

The three most common power sources for model boats (other than sailboats) are electric motors, nitro methane engines and gasoline engines. Electric motors offer no hassle operation and are ideal for scale modeling. There are also many high performance electric motors that allow thrilling racing. Nitro Methane powered boats are available in both outboards and inboards and are undoubtedly the fastest boats on the water. Imagine a 4 foot boat going 90 miles an hour! With speed however comes an additional learning curve. Just like the guys who race the real boats, nitro boats require learning more about engines and how they work and how to maximize performance. Gasoline powered boats are a good way of getting speed with reduced complexity. Although you can get just as complex with gas boats, they don't require that you know as much to get them running well. To see an example of a very fast gas powered RC boat, click here. **Note: This is a large file - (1.1M). Do not download this file unless you have a fast connection (Cable Modem, T3, T1 or ISDN).

CONSTRUCTION

The two main materials used in constructing RC boats are wood and fiberglass. Many kits available now are fully molded in fiberglass, just like their "full scale" relatives. Some kits offer a combination of fiberglass and wood -- usually a fiberglass hull and wood superstructure. Finally some boats are made completely of wood -- hull and all. Of course if building is not your cup of tea, you can choose to purchase a pre-constructed boat. There are currently many models of ready-to-run boats on the market.

COST

Radio Control equipment has reduced in price over the years just like all other consumer electronics. You can easily get started in RC boating for $275.