A small deep-vee speedboat that rights itself if it flips, which is exactly what you want on a pond far from the bank. It is listed at 20 km/h and comes with transmitter, battery and USB charger.

Best for: ponds, paddling pools and first-time skippers. Watch out for: choppy water. A small hull is best on calm days.

A real sailing yacht in miniature: one servo steers the rudder and another trims the sail, so you learn to sail with the wind instead of driving a motor. It is small enough for a pond or a large paddling pool.

Best for: young sailors and anyone who wants a quiet, calm boat. Watch out for: still days. A sailboat needs a little breeze to move.

FTX’s Hydrocat is a brushless speedboat with a turbojet drive instead of an exposed propeller. It is listed at over 30 km/h on 3S, with offshore-racer styling.

Best for: lakes and reservoirs where you have room to open it up. Watch out for: the battery. Check the listing for what is included and budget for a 3S pack.

Two hulls make a catamaran stable at speed and in turns. The Smart Cat has a water-cooled 390 motor, a water-cooled speed controller and a listed 25 km/h, and it comes ready to run with battery and USB charger.

Best for: bigger ponds and drivers who want more speed than the Magic Vee. Watch out for: weed. Keep the propeller clear and check it after each run.

An F1-style tunnel-hull racer that corners flat and fast. It has a water-cooled brushed motor, a listed 25 km/h and arrives fully assembled with battery, charger and transmitter.

Best for: drivers who want a racing-boat look and sharp handling. Watch out for: tight turns at full speed, which can flip any F1 hull.

A step up from the micro yacht: a 400mm sailing catamaran with separate servos for sail and rudder and a fibreglass mast. Catamarans are fast and stable under sail, which makes this a rewarding boat for older children and adults.

Best for: learning to sail properly on a club or park lake. Watch out for: strong wind. Bring it in before gusts get up.

A scale model of the electric E1 RaceBird that rises on hydrofoils and flies above the water like the real one. It is ready to run with battery and charger and listed at 25 km/h.

Best for: anyone who wants a boat that turns heads at the lake. Watch out for: shallow water and weed, which can catch the foils.

A ready-to-fish bait boat that carries 500g of bait out to your swim and drops it on command. It is listed at about 1.5 hours of running per charge, with LED navigation lights for early starts.

Best for: carp anglers who want to place bait accurately at distance. Watch out for: the transmitter, which takes four AA batteries, and your fishery’s rules on bait boats.