Brad Maglinger has been racing remote-controlled hydroplanes since childhood, a passion inherited from his late father, Larry, and his older brother, Curtis. This summer, Maglinger is taking that lifelong passion across the Atlantic as he prepares to represent the United States at the 2025 RC Boat World Championships in Italy.
Maglinger will leave for Milan on July 31 to join Team USA in the international event, which runs through August 9 and features competitors from 13 countries. It’s the first time he or anyone in his family has raced outside the U.S.
“This has kind of always been on my bucket list,” Maglinger said. “I’ve had a lot of success over here, so I figured it was time.”
He said the sport has been a multigenerational family activity dating back to the late 1970s, when his parents returned to Owensboro. His father had previously run hydroplanes at full scale and developed a love for the iconic Circus Circus boat, famously painted pink and white. That inspiration carried over into the family’s RC boats — many of which are still pink.
“I just thought everybody did it growing up,” Maglinger said of hydroplane racing. “We’d hit the road most weekends to race, and I didn’t realize until later how small of a niche it really was.”
While his father and brother were the family’s dominant racers through the 1980s and ’90s, Maglinger came into his own in the 2000s. He’s now one of the top RC boat racers in the country and a two-time winner of the Excellence in Performance Trophy — one of the highest honors in the sport. He’s also on Team USA’s Futaba team, a major brand in the RC world.
Maglinger competes in the hydroplane class using custom-built, nitromethane-powered boats that reach speeds of up to 85 mph. The boats are controlled via handheld transmitters with throttle triggers and steering wheels, similar to RC cars, and races are run on third-mile oval water tracks with strict technical specifications.
“The boats are fast, and you’ve got to be able to control them,” he said. “You can go as fast as you want, but if you don’t finish, you’re not going to win. That’s something Dad always taught us — drivability is key.”
At the Worlds, Maglinger will face several challenges. In Europe, boats must run at reduced noise levels — 85 decibels compared to 92 in the U.S. — and use only 12% nitromethane, significantly less than the 50-60% typically used in American races.
“It cuts the power way down, so we’ve had to make a lot of adjustments,” he said. “But everybody is on a level playing field.”
Maglinger is taking two boats to Italy: “The Kentucky Kid,” a pink tribute to late motorcycle racer Nicky Hayden; and “Crapshooter,” named after its original designer from Indianapolis.
Though Maglinger builds his boats from scratch, cutting flat wood and assembling complex two-stroke engines, he said the best part of the hobby is the camaraderie.
“It’s a big family thing,” he said. “Everybody knows everybody. You travel across the country, and it’s like a reunion.”
Maglinger normally races 15 times a year, mostly in the Midwest. He’s part of an active club in Evansville, Indiana, where races are held at the Deaconess Sports Complex. Owensboro once had a small pond for racing near the Moose Lodge, but most local RC boaters now cross the river to participate in events.
Curtis Maglinger still competes occasionally, and Brad said their friendly sibling rivalry keeps things fun. Their shared love for the sport has now spanned generations; Curtis’s daughter Brooklyn even raced for a while.
While the World Championships don’t offer a cash prize, medals and bragging rights are on the line.
“There’s no money in it — just pride,” Maglinger said. “I’m going there to represent Owensboro and Team USA and hopefully bring home a gold.”
