Pro Boat Stealthwake 23 Review

Deep V Brushed RT

This article was originally published in RC Driver’s December 2015 issue.

Words: Justin Glaze
Photos: Edwin Rodriguez

When looking into getting a radio control boat, things like style, performance and reliability are the keys to a fun and enjoyable experience. This is where the Pro Boat team has delivered in a big way. The Stealthwake 23 is your opportunity to have some serious fun with a boat that is the perfect compromise of high performance with a very attractive price point. As soon as I got a glimpse at the Stealthwake, I was dying to get to the water as soon as possible to rip it through my local pond.

REVIEWER’S OPINION
The Stealthwake 23 by Pro Boat makes getting into a very fun and capable radio control boat very simple. The kit comes with an easy to use and comfortable transmitter. The whole package allows you to easily focus on your driving as you skip and jump over the waves on your local pond or lake. Once you’re comfortable with your driving abilities it is very easy to install a more powerful LiPo battery and a brushless motor if you feel you are in need of the extra power.

OUT OF THE BOX
The Stealthwake 23 inch Deep V is styled nicely with a really cool paint job right out of the box. Pro Boat aimed this boat at being an impressive looking yet sharp handling rig with plenty of performance to keep you wanting to stay out on the water all day. In the box you will find a cool boat stand to keep the Stealthwake looking just as good on the shelf as it does on the water. A detailed owner’s manual makes getting started nice and easy. A wall mounted battery charger, Dynamite 7.2V 2400mAh NiMH battery and four “AA” batteries complete the package. Inside the hull there is plenty of room to get to the inner workings of the boat. The 550-sized 15-turn brushed motor mounts right in the center with its drive shaft traveling back toward the prop right through the middle of the other electronics. Just behind the motor and to the right is the LiPo-ready ESC with the switch and wires neatly tucked in. Behind the ESC is the receiver and then on back to the servo. The opposite side of the hull to the left is the battery mount where the Dynamite 2400mAh NiMH battery sits with two Velcro straps which secure the battery in nicely. Out back the two blade composite prop translates the power from the liquid cooled motor to the water. The rudder is mounted offset to the right hand side of the boat.

DOCKSIDE DEDUCTIONS
The Pro Boat Stealthwake 23 has a very manageable, yet sporty attitude. The boat comes in at an attractive price point with plenty of features to keep any boat enthusiast satisfied. The cool looking hull carves extremely well through the water which gives the consumer a confidence inspiring driving experience. The best part is, if you feel like you want to get sassy with some cool new upgrades, the Stealthwake 23 platform can handle whatever you want to throw at it for some added excitement. I would definitely recommend considering this impressive offering from Pro Boat to anyone, young or old, who loves to get out and enjoy the wonders of RC boating.

ON THE WATER
I could hardly wait to get out to my local pond to try this cool looking boat out! The Pro Boat’s coloring for this model really stood out while on the water and I couldn’t help thinking I had the coolest looking boat around. I loved how the bright color reflected off the water. As I plugged the battery in and switched on the ESC, I slipped on the cover which latches with a simple quarter turn latch. Once the boat was placed in the water, I putted around a little bit to get used to the Stealthwake’s controls. I then drove the Deep V hulled beauty over to the end of the oval shaped pond. Once I got to the end of the pond, I pointed it straight towards the other side and stabbed the throttle trigger all the way in. As a quick rush of adrenaline set in along with that little smirk on my face that I get while having fun, the Stealthwake quickly jumped up onto a plane while creating a decent wake. After some straight runs back and forth, I decided to test out the boat’s cornering abilities. I started out by making some larger arced turns with moderate throttle. The Stealthwake seemed to be on target, going exactly where I asked it to go. Once I was comfortable with what I had done so far with the larger corners I decided to take some tighter turns which the boat did well. The boat held a solid line, cutting through the water like a hot knife through butter. The hull design is definitely a great platform for stability on the water, much like its full-sized counterparts. The Stealthwake 23, much like other Deep V hulled boats on the market doesn’t have that twitchy feeling that some shorter boats have. This is a great thing for those who may be newer to the RC boat scene.

SPECS 
LENGTH 23 in. (584.2mm)
BEAM 7.12 in. (180.8mm)
HULL MATERIAL ABS plastic
MOTOR Dynamite Marine Water-Cooled 15 turn 550 size motor
SPEED CONTROLLER 60A Lipo compatible ESC
PROP 2-blade molded composite
RUDDER off set right
DRIVE SYSTEM Direct drive shaft

LINKS
Pro Boat, proboatmodels.com