Nitro RC Boats

Intermediate Level: Nitro RC Boats are the gas-powered versions of the electric rc speedboats. They are louder and faster and require more skill to maintain and operate than their electric cousins. Therefore, I have categorized all Nitro RC Boats for a required skill level of an Intermediate RC enthusiast or higher.

These are not toys and should never be operated in water where there are swimmers. Recommended minimum age is 18 and older.

As discussed in our RC Basics section, nitro powered boats run on a fuel mixture of nitro methane, alcohol, and a blend of synthetic and non-synthetic oil. The fuel is fed into the engine cylinder where the vapors are ignited by the glow plug that is screwed into the top of the cylinder head.

This explosion pushes the piston which in turn rotates the drive shaft and propeller. These engines need to be broken in before heavy use and it is recommended that you run at least three tanks of fuel prior to racing at high speeds. During the break in period we also recommend that you keep the fuel to air mixture more on the rich side to keep the temperature of the engine lower.

When the engine is broken in, you can "lean it out" by turning the carb screw in a half turn or so. When you do this, you'll notice that the engine makes a higher, smoother whinning sound. This also increases the amount of power since more air is now involved during combustion. This will also result in a hotter running engine.

The recommended fuel type for all Nitro RC Boats with marine engines (water cooled) is 30% nitro Fuel.

To help keep these engines cooler, manufacturers make a special water cooling feature that actually surrounds the cylinder head. Here's a picture of the O.S. Engine brand designed for marine use:

There is a wide selection of nitro RC boats available. The most popular versions are the V-Hull, Tunnel Hull, and Air Boat versions. Here are some examples of each:

V- Hull RC Nitro Boats

The Megatech Wicked Angel's top speed has been clocked by radar at 35 mph and the boat includes adjustable trim tabs and skid fins for added high speed stability.

Click here to read a review of the Wicked Angel

Click here to review the Wicked Angel instruction manual including great tips for all rc nitro boats!

Tunnel-Hull Nitro RC Boats

One of my favorite Tunnel-Hull (aka Catamaran, Hydroplane) Nitro RC Boats is the Formula 1 Dolphin. This boat also comes RTR and includes everything you'll need to race: boat, engine and drive system, and radio system. The required nitro accessory kit needs to be purchased separately and you can get this with or without fuel.

The advantage of the Tunnel Hull design is that it has less displacement than the mono hull boats. This means less resistance through the water and faster speeds. The Formula 1 Dolphin can go close to 40 mph as it planes over the water...now that's fast!

Another Tunnel-Hull version is the Hydroplane. The most popular brand was the Miss Budweiser but since the license to the name had expired, the new version from Pro Boat that is now available is the Miss LLumar 1/12 RTR Hydroplane.

This fiberglass boat can travel up to 30 mph and includes a Dynamite .15 nitro water cooled marine engine, and a factory installed JR Python 2 channel AM Radio System.

Nitro RC Air Boats

Pro Boat recently introduced their new Vortex .46 Airboat RTR. This boat is very easy to use since the engine is literally on top of the boat and openly accessible. This boat comes complete with the engine and radio system already installed.

Since the engine is exposed and powers the boat with an air propeller, there is no need for any water cooling system around the cylinder head. This also means that the boat can operate with 20% Nitro Fuel vs. the 30% needed for marine RC engines.

The accessory kit required here would be taken from the RC Airplane category and I recommend the Hobbico Deluxe Field Pack. This includes the twirly stick needed to spin the prop at start up.

Here's a group of pictures showing from left to right the Vortex in action, the on board radio system: servos, batteries, and receiver, and the mounted engine. Notice the handle bar for carrying above the engine:

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