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If you want a powered scale cruiser rather than something with a sail, the shopping list is short: one 70 cm ABS yacht with an actual model number, an unbranded 28 in cabin hull, and a wood kit. The one modern fibreglass brushless yacht with a maker page sits outside Amazon entirely. Sailing yachts are a different market with far more choice, and the RC sailboat picks cover that ground properly; this page stays on motor yachts and cabin cruisers.
What separates an RC yacht from a runabout is the cabin. You get a raised superstructure, a semi-scale or displacement hull, and a pace that looks correct on a pond instead of a planing hull trying to fly. At the cheap end that means a moulded ABS hull on two 380-size brushed motors. At the other end it means a fibreglass hull running a single 3660 brushless motor through a 120 A ESC.
The details that decide whether you get on the water this weekend are dull but real: whether a radio and a battery are in the box, whether the throttle is proportional, and whether anyone still supports the hull you picked.
Quick Picks
- Heng Long Salina (700 mm): a twin-motor ABS yacht with published weight and pack specs, and a charger and 2.4 GHz radio listed in the box by its distributors.
- Atlantic Yacht 28 in: a 28 in cabin hull on twin metal shafts, with no maker documentation behind it.
- Dumas Jolly Jay Trawler #1231: wood kit with the 4.8 V motor and running hardware included; radio, ESC, battery and charger to add.
What Counts as an RC Motor Yacht
The term covers a lot of ground, so it helps to split it three ways.
A ready-to-run motor yacht is a moulded ABS hull with a cabin, sold assembled, usually on two small brushed motors and a NiMH pack. These models emphasize scale appearance; verified performance figures are limited. The two RTR boats below are the ones with usable listings.
A fibreglass brushless yacht is the modern version: a longer hull, one 3660-class brushless motor, a 120 A ESC and a two-blade metal propeller. The TFL example below is sold ARTR. Confirm radio and battery requirements before ordering, because the maker's inclusion list does not specify them.
A scale kit is a build rather than a purchase. Planked mahogany, balsa or fibreglass, with the running hardware either in the box or sold separately. If you have not built before, the scale boat guide and the explainer on what 1/10 and 1/12 actually mean are the two pages to read first.
Two things to keep straight when you compare listings. First, hull length and overall length are not the same number on a boat with a rudder and a prop hanging off the transom. Second, "ready to run" on a yacht listing often means "the radio and motor are installed", not "everything including a battery is in the box".
#1 Heng Long Salina: The Best-Documented Twin-Motor Yacht
Twenty-seven and a half inches of ABS cabin cruiser on two 380-size motors, sold as 99 percent ready to run with about ten minutes of preparation between the box and the water, according to its distributors.
Specs (as listed by distributors)
- 700 mm long, 195 mm beam, 310 mm high, 2,970 g all-up
- ABS hull with semi-scale superstructure detail
- Two 380-size brushed motors, differential thrust steering
- 8.4 V 1,800 mAh NiMH pack (7 cells, Tamiya connector) and USB charger included
- 2-channel proportional 2.4 GHz radio included
- Display stand and spare propellers in the box
- Propeller stops when the boat is lifted clear of the water
- Recommended for freshwater ponds and lakes
The drive is the interesting part. There is no big rudder doing the work: steering comes from running the two props at different speeds. Steering uses differential thrust from the two motors. Keep both motor connectors clean.
The pack is NiMH, which is generally less fussy than a LiPo about storage and handling. The trade-off is charge time: the bundled charger is a USB unit, so charging is likely to be slow. The battery guide covers the chemistry difference properly if you plan to swap packs later.
Two other Heng Long listings look like the same 70 cm hull but quote a 2,000 mAh pack, and one a lighter weight with the transmitter batteries not included, so the match is unconfirmed. Check the battery, charger and transmitter details shown in the specific listing before you order. The alternate listing is one of them.
Check the Heng Long Salina on Amazon
Pros
- Only yacht in this group with dimensions, weight and pack spec published
- Complete package on distributor listings: radio, battery, charger, stand, spare props
- Twin props plus differential steering for tight turns at low speed
- ABS hulls are generally straightforward to repair
Cons
- No maker documentation behind the spec sheet
- Charging time is not verified for this configuration.
- Verified speed and run-time figures are unavailable.
- Spare parts availability depends entirely on the reseller
Verdict: the default buy if you want a yacht on the water this weekend and do not want to solder anything.
Perfect for: pond cruisers, first scale boat, and modellers who want a cheap cabin hull to repaint, light and detail.
#2 Atlantic Yacht 28 in: The Larger of the Two RTR Cabin Hulls
A 28 inch ABS cruiser on twin 380-type motors and two metal shafts. This is a little longer than the Salina and has no maker behind it.
Specs
- 28 × 8 × 8 in
- Twin 380-type brushed motors, twin propellers on metal shafts
- ABS body with gloss paint finish
- Factory assembled, ready to run
- Functions described as forward, left/right and stop
- Listing quotes 16 mph (25 km/h)
The metal shafts are the part worth caring about. They are the first thing to inspect when the boat arrives: look for play, check that they turn freely, and keep them greased, which is what the after-run routine is built around.
The control description is the catch. The listed functions do not establish whether throttle control is proportional; confirm this with the seller. If progressive speed control matters to you, ask the seller before you buy, because it changes how the boat handles around obstacles.
The listing information provides no battery specification.
Check the Atlantic Yacht on Amazon
Pros
- Longer than the other RTR boat at 28 in
- Twin metal shafts and twin props
- Factory assembled with a painted gloss finish
- Room to repaint and detail a large cabin
Cons
- No maker documentation, no published battery spec
- Control functions read as stepped rather than proportional
- No documented spare parts supply
- The quoted 16 mph is a seller figure, not a measured one
Verdict: buy it for the size and the twin shafts, not for the paperwork.
Perfect for: builders who want a big ABS cabin hull to strip, repaint and rewire as a scale project.
#3 Dumas Jolly Jay Trawler #1231: The Wood Kit
If the build is the point, this is the cabin-boat kit still buyable on Amazon with a motor and the running hardware listed as included.
Specs
- Kit #1231, 31.1 × 11.1 × 4.9 in per the listing
- Mahogany plywood frame with balsa planking and pre-formed ABS cabin parts
- 4.8 V electric motor included
- Running hardware included
- Radio, ESC, battery and charger not included
- Dumas closed in June 2026, so this is remaining stock rather than a live product line
The 4.8 V motor points to a gentle, displacement-pace setup rather than a hot one, which suits a hull with a cabin and a working-boat profile. Buy an ESC with reverse, because a boat like this is awkward to handle at the dock without it.
Plan the electronics before the planking. You need a 2-channel radio, a brushed marine ESC, a NiMH pack matched to the 4.8 V motor, and a charger. Seal the hull properly at the shaft log and the rudder post, because a planked hull that weeps will kill a receiver long before it sinks. The wooden kit roundup covers sealing and finishing in detail, and the Dumas brand guide lists which hardware packs belong to which kit.
Check the Dumas Jolly Jay Trawler kit on Amazon
Pros
- Motor and running hardware included, which is rare for a wood kit
- Mahogany frame and balsa planking build into a genuine scale hull
- 4.8 V electric motor included
- Cheap way into a cabin boat if you already own radio gear
Cons
- Planking and finishing take weeks, not an evening
- Radio, ESC, battery and charger all extra
- Dumas has closed; confirm parts and documentation availability before buying.
- Old stock means you inspect the box before you start gluing
Verdict: the right pick only if you enjoy the build as much as the running.
Perfect for: scale modellers with a workbench, a plank-building appetite, and radio gear already in a drawer.
Comparison Table
| Heng Long Salina | Atlantic Yacht 28 in | Dumas Jolly Jay #1231 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | RTR ABS yacht | RTR ABS cabin cruiser | Wood kit |
| Length | 700 mm (27.5 in) | 28 in | 31.1 in (listing) |
| Hull | ABS | ABS, gloss paint | Mahogany ply frame, balsa planking, ABS cabin |
| Drive | 2 × 380 brushed | 2 × 380-type brushed, twin metal shafts | 1 × 4.8 V electric motor |
| In the box | Radio, 8.4 V 1,800 mAh NiMH, USB charger, stand, spare props (per distributors) | Included accessories not confirmed | Motor and running hardware |
| To add | Confirm transmitter battery requirements for the selected listing | Confirm battery and charger inclusion | Radio, ESC, battery, charger |
| Maker documentation | Distributor specifications | None | Amazon listing only |
Yachts You Cannot Buy on Amazon
TFL 1105L-F Princess. The only modern fibreglass motor yacht with a proper maker page: 950 × 230 × 250 mm, single 3660 brushless motor at KV1620, 120 A ESC, two-blade aluminium propeller, 4.5 kg shipping weight. Sold direct as ARTR, so radio and batteries are yours to supply. The TFL brand guide places it alongside the larger Grand Princess 1305 in the range.
Amati Riva Aquarama 1:10. An 86 cm runabout kit with an optional twin-motor RC pack. An optional twin-motor RC pack is available; confirm its contents before ordering. This is an advanced build, not a first kit.
Dumas Trojan F-31 #1205. Listed as a 1/12-scale cabin cruiser kit; dimensions and drive configuration remain unverified. Dumas closed in June 2026 and the listing no longer carries a price, so it cannot be bought new there at present. Our pontoon and houseboat page still documents it as a cabin cruiser build.
Dumas Commander #1244. The 1954 Chris-Craft Commander Express Cruiser, with running hardware sold separately as pack #2366. It is not available on Amazon US.
Which RC Motor Yacht Should You Buy?
Match the boat to the afternoon you actually have.
You want it in the water this weekend. The Salina. Everything is listed in the box by its distributors, the pack is NiMH, and the differential steering is meant for slow handling at the dock.
You want the larger of the two ready-to-run hulls and you will repaint it. The Atlantic. Twenty-eight inches of ABS with twin shafts is a lot of hull to work with, and you are buying a project rather than a documented product.
You want to build. The Jolly Jay. Budget the electronics separately and be realistic about planking time.
You want fibreglass and brushless. The TFL Princess, ordered direct, with a radio and batteries on your own shopping list.
Three checks before any of them ship:
- Battery chemistry and charger. NiMH and LiPo chargers are not interchangeable, and a USB charger in the box means slow turnaround. The charger picks cover the cheap end properly.
- Proportional or stepped control. It changes how the boat feels more than any other single spec.
- Where it is coming from. Reseller-only listings mean reseller-only support, which is the whole subject of the buying channel guide.
And a general note for all of them: Saltwater suitability and waterproofing are not verified for these boats; confirm the manufacturer's operating guidance before use., so treat them as freshwater boats, and do not run any of them where people are swimming.
Conclusion
The RC motor yacht market is thin, and the ranking reflects that. The Heng Long Salina wins by default because it is the only one with a full spec sheet, a complete power package and a documented weight. The Atlantic Yacht is the size play for builders. The Dumas Jolly Jay is the wood build, with the caveat that Dumas has closed and the plans will not be reprinted.
If your real interest is a hull under sail, stop here and go read the sailing coverage: the sailboat picks, the sailboat kit guide and the sailing technique guide are the right starting points. If you want a working boat rather than a yacht, the tug boat roundup covers that category, and the RC boat buyer's guide walks through hull types before you commit to a cabin hull at all.
