SILVERLIT REMOTE CONTROLLED HOVER RACER
For use on land and water, this hover craft is easy to set up, so you can play with it almost instantly. If using it in the house, the floor surface needs to be as flat as possible – laminate/wood flooring rather than carpet. Out on water, plump for a small pond rather than a lake as the battery power is relatively short. That said, it doesn’t take long to charge and you can do it via the transmitter, so it makes a good accompaniment to a picnic. £24.99
MAGIC CAT RADIO CONTROL BOAT
This nifty little racer may be small, but it packs a powerful punch. Set it on its way and it will dart here, there and everywhere building up to speeds of more than 25km/h – when we tested it, it went so fast, it almost made its way out of the pond and on to the verge. One of the most satisfying to navigate, it has one of the strongest signals, so can go relatively far (in a large pond). But you’ll need to keep an eye on the battery power and recharge it often, which you can do on the go as it comes with a battery pack. £69.99
FLYING GADGETS MINI RADIO CONTROLLED WORKING SPEED BOAT
This tiny little ship is more suited to the paddling pool rather than a lake, but that doesn’t make it any less fun to play with. It takes just 15 minutes to charge – which you can do via the controller. You just attach it with the cable which sits in the side of the box remote. The transmitter itself is very simple, there’s just a couple of buttons which will make it easy for children (ages 8+) to get the hang of. £14.99
LUXURY YACHT AND RC UNDERWATER MOTOR
Suitable for children aged four and up, this is a great toy boat. In addition to the yacht, this comes with accessories – from the luggage that the happy couple need to bring on board, to kitchen utensils to use in the living quarters. While the yacht will float on its own, the accompanying RC Underwater Motor is worth investing in. It takes a lot of batteries, however for that, your boat will keep going when others run out of steam. It’s also one of the easier ones to navigate. £34.99, £39.99
X TECH OFFSHORE RACING BOAT
Suitable for children aged eight and over, this pretty racer is powered by 4xAA batteries in the boat and 2xAAA batteries in the transmitter. The latter is similar to one you’d use with a games console (like a smaller version of the old Playstation controller) which makes it easy to get the hang of. The slim-line ship will cut through the water with ease and you’ll be alerted when the batteries are running low, so you’ll be able to quickly steer it back to dry land before it’s stuck offshore. £19.99