Boats?

[Lhodgo]

Hi

I'm a vintage tamiya buggy guy however I have large dam and a mate suggested a couple of boats could be fun to race around with.

any tips on a fun cheap battery powered boat that would be easy to use for a bit of fun?

[richb77]

I cant help on a specific model but be prepared to pay. You (for some reason) cant get a fast boat cheap like you can cars. Most sub €100 will be slow and possibly have digital steering (Full left, centre, full right only). 

Be prepared to pay a little when you find something ime.

[jupitertwo]

If you want really cheap, I've had great fun with FT007 boats. They're small so work in a pool (so perhaps too small for a dam), but have self righting which makes them very handy.

They have bigger brushless brothers too, FT009, FT012 etc. I've heard good things about UDI Venoms, but never owned them (similar class of of micro boat)

I picked up some good info from this forum too: https://www.rcgroups.com/micro-and-sub-micro-boats-696/

[FWLBP]

Depending on how much you want to spend, as mentioned before, below $100, you're looking at a Feilun FT009. I have one, it is OK and works as described, but it certainly is cheap inside and I don't know how long it'll last. In order to take the shaft out to lubricate, you have to remove 4 self tapping screws from motor mount/hull. Mine are starting to run out of thread to bite into after only a season.

In the $200 category, you'll get better quality for sure. The hull will still be ABS, but the running gear will be better.

Starting out at $110, you have the Feilun FT012, which is just a upgraded FT009, again I don't know how long the mounts will last on this guy, but it is certainly cheap for a brushless boat: https://jet.com/product/detail/264f7a27d9414fa4879e152d8e29173f?jcmp=pla:ggl:gen_toys_games_a1:toys_remote_control_toys_a1_other:na:PLA_345941940_23689433340_pla-259522112322:na:na:na:2&code=PLA15&ds_c=gen_toys_games_a1&ds_cid=&ds_ag=toys_remote_control_toys_a1_other&product_id=264f7a27d9414fa4879e152d8e29173f&product_partition_id=259522112322&gclid=CN-wtYCMhdACFVRahgodBxULEw&gclsrc=aw.ds

Next you have the Atomik Barbwire for $143, everyone seems to like it for the most part, it self rights if flipped over: https://www.amazon.com/Atomik-Barbwire-Brushless-Electric-RC/dp/B00CQKN11W

For $170 the Recoil 17, it is a barbwire clone from Proboat that has better hardware on the end, and possibly better electronics: https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Boat-Recoil-Self-Righting-Brushless/dp/B00VF46CBQ

 

Beyond that, you are exiting "cheap" boats and are getting into more expensive ones. For $200 to $300, you'll still have ABS hulls, but larger 26+ inch boats with decent brushless motors, doing 30+ mph. At the $350+ mark you can get into quality boats using fiberglass hulls and have more serious speeds of 50 mph. Hope this helps.

[Lhodgo]

Thanks guys I'll let you know how I go!!!

[M 800STD]

@Lhodgo

Yep, I like boats...

How did you get on?

[TurnipJF]

That's a big boat!

[M 800STD]

@TurnipJF

233cm hull length, my third largest for now. 

[Wooders28]

I had one of these I got from maplin when on offer. Twin 380's didn't set any speed records, but lively enough to have fun, and 7.2v stick power meant I had spare packs to run. Went side on to a wave in the sea,in the hands of a 6yr old, and never worked since! (I've still got it somewhere in my, I'll have a go a fixing that, pile lol)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Radio-Remote-Control-RS-7000-Stealth-EP-Racing-Speed-Boat-RC-Racing-Double-Horse-/401234051511?hash=item5d6b69c1b7:g:DfYAAOSwux5YPGbE

[chevelle]

I have an original boxed Traxxas Villain iv in Melbourne I want to move if your interested