RC Boat Models

Perfect for a day on the lake or sea shore, Handcrafted Model Ships offers an amazing collection of fabulous Remote Controlled Ships. Take out a charming RC Sailboat for a relaxing day, patrol the surf with a Challenger RC Aircraft Carrier, or fly through the waves with a stunning RC Riva Aquarama. Find your favorite Remote Control Ship at Handcrafted Model Ships, and enjoy endless fun in the sun.

Operating a radio-controlled boat, whether for simple pleasure or competitive racing, is a fun and exciting pastime. RC boats offer the thrill of the seas without the expense of a real boat, and the joy of sailing without the considerable knowledge and effort required to operate the rigging of a real sailboat.

Handcrafted Model Ships is pleased to offer a vast array of RC boats to appeal to all types of enthusiasts. From premium RC-conversions of our museum-quality Limited Edition speedboats and RMS Titanic models to RC sailboats to modern hydroplane, powerboats and other craft, our collection has something for everyone. 

Although radio-controlled boats are relatively knew, the practice of building and sailing model ships is nearly as old as shipbuilding itself. Shipwrights would routinely construct perfectly accurate scale models of their vessels before starting work on real ones, providing craftsmen with a physical mock-up of their eventual work in an age before widespread literacy made drawn or written plans useful.

In particular, ship designers would create models when developing new designs to test how they performed in water, hoping to translate their observations and insights into full-sized models. It did not take long with fully-rigged model boats sitting around in a workshop before a couple competitive craftsman got the idea of racing their models against one another.

Over the centuries, the practice of testing model boats on bodies of water turned into a widespread leisure pastime, and model yacht clubs sprang up across the globe. These basic sailing models could not be steered once out of the operator’s hands, but over time owners developed many techniques for enabling their model sailing yachts to hold a steady tack. Mostly, the sailing of model yachts helped novice sailors understand the interaction of wind and sails, of offered those who could not afford to purchase real yachts the opportunity to enjoy some of the thrill of sailing.

Little has changed in the centuries since the first model sailboats were first put in the water and sailed for pleasure, until the development of radio-control in the 20th century. Suddenly, an operator on shore possessed the ability to steer the rudder of his sailboat, or perhaps trim the sails. Now journeys of a model sailboat were not merely one-way trips across a small pond but could include circuits with multiple tacks.

Technology also allowed the removal of the sails altogether. Small engines, whether operated by gas, steam or electricity, could be fitted into the boats. Radio control allowed for both rudder control, and thus steering, as well as throttles to control speed or even operate in reverse. Just as steamboats and powerboats ended the era of the sailing tall ship, the RC powerboat offered new and exciting options to model-boating enthusiasts in terms of not only the conditions under which they could operate, but vastly increased the available designs.

RC boats today vary from the realistic to the fantastic, and include everything in between. From highly detailed and accurate replica models to futuristic designs sprung from the wilds of imagination are all available. Warships, cruise ships, tugboats, hydroplanes and even hovercraft are all represented along with the more traditional yachts and speedboats.

A fun and exciting hobby with a wide appeal, RC boating offers something for everyone.