Model trains and boats are two forms of models which have suffered in the popularity stakes in recent years, although boats and other water craft are making up some ground with the introduction of battle-ready warships to the market. Model trains tend to be for train collectors and children, by and large, although this is a trend that is slowly changing. Boats, meanwhile, appeal to all sorts historians, collectors, military enthusiasts, weekend hobbyists and, of course, children.

Model boats come in many different varieties, not least because there is a significant division between the traditional wooden wind powered sail boats (such as the replica cutters and pre-steam transports) and the steel and iron-hulled boats seen today. Although some wind-powered model boats come with the option of including a battery for remote control, it tends to be the newer styles (those boats invented since steam power was introduced) that come with remote control. That being said, a new fad is the incorporation of canons and artillery into the model boats that can be controlled from the shore with remote control. Whilst these models are still quite expensive, more and more people are choosing to purchase these so that mock battles can be staged.