Hobbyists can choose from four main types of remote-control boats: Gas, nitro, electric and sail. For newcomers, though, electric RC boats make the best choice.

The reason is simple: Electric RC boats are simply the easiest to operate. Because electric RC boats are so easy to work with, newcomers will get out on the water faster than they will with gas- or nitro-powered RC boats.

Electric RC boats work much the same way that electric RC cars operate. Simply put, you’ll control your electric RC boat with some version of a handheld remote-control device. This device will usually have a button that gets the RC boat moving and a steering wheel that allows you to control the direction in which the boat is headed.

Electric RC boats are also fairly affordable. They’re certainly less costly than are gas- or nitro-powered versions. For this reason, electric RC boats are a perfect alternative for newcomers to the RC boating hobby: After all, you don’t want to sink a lot of money into the hobby if you’re not yet sure you’ll enjoy it.

Don’t think, though, that just because electric RC boats are more affordable and easier to operate that they’re not fun. In fact, the opposite is true. Consider this: Even basic, affordable electric RC boats can travel from 15 to 20 miles-per-hour. That’s pretty fast, especially if you’re new to the hobby.

You’ll be surprised at how quickly an electric RC boat can zip across, say, your home’s swimming pool even when it’s only traveling 15 miles-per-hour. During your first few runs, you might even think your electric RC boat is moving too quickly.

Of course, there are some drawbacks to buying an electric RC boat. First, you’ll have to worry about batteries. It’s no fun to have your batteries run out of juice during the middle of an RC boating run. Secondly, while electric RC boats are more than quick enough for beginners, they can’t muster the same high levels of speed as can gas- and nitro-powered RC boats.

When shopping for an RC boat, consider buying an electric version if you’re new to the hobby. It’s a great way to learn the ins and outs of RC boating.

When it’s time to buy a remote-controlled boat, you have many options: You can purchase RC boats in sail, electric gas or nitro varieties. Depending on your skill level, a nitro RC boat may be the right choice.

A word of warning, though: Nitro RC boats are not for beginners. These boats rely on a special fuel made up of a combination of nitro, lubricating oil and methanol that can be messy to work with. And nitro-powered RC boats are faster than electric, sail or gas-powered RC boats. They require more skills, then, than a typical newcomer to the world of RC boating possesses.

But if you’ve already honed your RC boating skills with electric or gas-powered RC boats, it might be time to step up to the world of nitro-powered boats.

It’s important to have an abundance of wide-open space when you’re operating a nitro-powered RC boat. That’s because these boats are fast, able to easily reach speeds of 30 miles-per-hour.

If you try to operate a nitro RC boat in too small of a body of water, you won’t have enough room to maneuver your craft. That will result in one frustrating day of RC boating.

Nitro boat engines are complicated pieces of machinery. They come with a carburetor, fuel filter, cooling head and air filter. If any of these components is not working properly, your nitro-powered RC boat will not run.

Nitro RC boats can also be noisy. In fact, some communities across the United States have banned hobbyists from running nitro-powered RC boats in their waterways; the noisy engines are just too loud.

Finally, nitro boats, while faster than gas-powered RC boats, also don’t run as long without refueling. Keep this in mind when taking your nitro RC boat out for a run.

Still, even with these drawbacks, there’s no doubting the thrill of RC boating with a nitro engine. These boats are designed for RC hobbyists who love pure speed. There’s just something about controlling a RC boat that’s traveling at 30 miles-an-hour. That’s a lot of power under your control.

Maybe it’s time for you to tackle nitro-powered RC boating. If speed is your thing, you may never go back to electric or gas-powered boating.