Whatever territory you can't cover in your RC car may be best left to your RC boat instead. If you live on a lake or close to some other body of water, an RC boat is one of the greatest diversions around. Many families start out with a single speed boat or yacht and within a matter of days have purchased a second ship for head-to-head competition.

Toy boat racing can be such a thrill that it's easy to forget that these machines are crafted primarily for children (and, yes, adults-at-heart). That makes them a great outlet for parent-child bonding, especially since most kids will need the help of an adult to assemble, use, and maintain an RC boat. Most models require a fair bit of construction, which is part of their appeal. For less mechanical types there are fully assembled boats available for purchase too.

Spend a Day with Your RC Boat at the Lake

If you don't live on a lake or pond, you'll have to head out to a park with publicly accessible bodies of water. You could always try your RC boat in the ocean, but you may be inviting trouble. Most models are built to navigate smooth waters with little trouble but may succumb to waves or currents.

If you've already tried your hand at constructing an RC car, a radio control boat is a fine addition to your armada. Pretty soon you can venture into the world of model aviation and put together a three-pronged attack from land, sea, and air. Though without any type of ordnance, your striking capabilities will be dubious at best.