Eco-friendly RC Boating

RC Boating is a great hobby for people of all ages. Boating allows you to merge technology and nature into a fun and possibly educational experience. This is great for parents, looking to get their children outdoors and off the couch, but can have certain unintended negative consequences.

I am sure you all remember the Exxon Valdes incident several years ago. Their oil tanker spilled somewhere between one to three quarters of a million barrels of oil over an area of 11,000 square miles. This was devastating to the environment and wildlife in the area.

You may be wondering how a catastrophic man made disaster of unheard of proportions related to remote control boats. Well some RC Boats are gas or nitro powered. Leaking of this fuel into local ponds or small lakes can have extremely detrimental effects as well. Running an electric RC Boat pretty much eliminates these risks, but if you do enjoy fuel based watercraft, follow these routine steps to keep your boating hobbies eco-friendly:

1) Check fuel lines before boating
This is such an easy fix. Before going out for a day of boating, check your boats fuel lines. You may find a leak or residue build up in the area. Identify the source of the leak and either replace your fuel line with a new tube or seal the existing line with a waterproof sealant. Note: If you need to seal the line, ensure that it dries before re-fueling.

2) Check tank for cracks
Sometimes, in the course of normal use, or especially after an unfortunate accident, your craft’s engine can become damaged. It is therefore necessary to check your fuel tank and engine for leaks. This is not required for every use of your boat, but should be done approximately once a month.

To test for leaks, simple fill your tank with water and let it be for an hour or so. If the area surrounding your tank is wet when you return, there is an issue. This could be due to loose bolts or true damage. Tighten up all screws and bolts.

If you boat still leaks fuel, the issue is probably with a break in the fuel tank itself. You can attempt to fix this yourself, but may need to replace the part if that fails.

3) Retrieve sunken boats
If at all possible, retrieve your boat if you somehow manage to crash and sink it. This saves you time and money of having to replace your ship and keeps harmful chemicals from the batteries and or fuel from polluting the water source.

Following these three easy steps will prevent almost all of the possible negative effects of RC Boating. We all love the outdoors, so protect nature while having fun.

Hey guys my name is Matt Ward. I am a 23 year old guy that loves nature, history and fitness. I own ArthursArmory.com and RemotorBoater.com and study as a student at Georgia Tech. If you want to get in touch, shoot me an email at remotorboater@gmail.com. Cheers.