Regal Boats Buyer’s Guide
Florida-based Regal Boats makes a fantastic line of bowriders, express cruisers, and small motor yachts. These boats are priced well in the market and are surprisingly well-built and well-appointed.
Regal Boats History
Regal is a family-run boat manufacturer based in Orlando, Florida. The company was founded by Paul and Carol Kuck in 1969. The company is now run by the Kuck’s three children, Duane, Tim, and Pam.
Regal’s mission statement reads: “With God’s help, we will develop an exceptional team dedicated to enriching lives and providing an awesome boating experience.”
The company has won numerous awards over the years for its innovation and customer satisfaction. The company has been recognized with the JD Power Award for “Highest Customer Satisfaction with Small Runabouts,” as well as with Express Cruisers.
Regal manufactures nearly all components of their boats, including custom fiberglass hatches and helms and all upholstery, in-house. Their world headquarters and primary manufacturing facility is in Orlando, Florida, and they have a second plant in Valdosta, Georgia.
Regal Innovations
Regal boats are loaded with innovative features, from wonderful layouts like their UltraLounge seating to their electrically-controlled PowerHardtop.
What is a Fastrac hull?
It’s impossible to research Regal boats and not find references to the company’s FasTrac hull design. First revealed in 1995, it won the International Marine Trades Exhibit & Conference (IMTEC) Innovation Award the next year.
The FasTrac design features a lateral step on the bottom of the hull. That step introduces airflow as the boat planes, thereby reducing drag. This leads to increased performance in terms of hull shot, top-end speeds, and fuel economy.
Regal’s Complete Line of Boats
Regal divides its boats between sterndrive and outboard drive bowriders, surf boats, SAVs (sport activities vessels), express cruisers, and yachts.
Regals are factory rigged with either Yamaha outboards, Volvo sterndrive gas engines, or Mercruiser sterndrives. Larger yachts may also have Volvo diesel inboard options.
Bowriders
Regal’s newest line of bowriders is the LS/LX series. There are a couple of them in our best bowrider guide for a reason.
LS boats are sterndrive powered, while LX models are outboard equipped. The same basic hulls and layouts are shared between the LS and LX boats, so you can effectively choose any boat you like and get it powered any way you like.
In addition, several older models are still offered, including the sterndrive 2000 ES and its outboard-powered sistership, the 21 OBX.
Regal’s bowriders range from 20 to 36 feet in length.
Surf Boats
Regal’s line of surf boats is made up of select LS-series sterndrive bowriders modified with a wake surfing package. They come powered with Volvo gas engines driving forward-facing props. They also have an integrated water ballast system and wake-enhancing trim tabs controlled by the touchscreen at the helm.
The Surf package can be found on the LS2, LS4, LS6, and LS9.
SAVs
The SAV (Sports Activities Vessel) is Regal’s attempt at the do-anything dayboat. Only two models are currently available: the 33 SAV and 38 SAV.
The SAV is a center console cruiser equipped with a layout that can do anything from fishing to watersports to cruising. They have flexible seating options and cabins with just enough space to overnight, but most of their space is reserved for being on deck and enjoying the outdoors.
Express Cruisers
Express Cruisers are Regal’s line of popular cabin cruisers. Sizes range from 24 to 33 feet long. Express models have sterndrives, while XO models have outboard power. Large boats in the line have comfortable accommodations for long weekends aboard.
More of the boat’s space is dedicated to a traditional cabin, but the cockpit area of the boat is still a great entertainment area. Compared to other cabin cruisers, Regal cruisers always pack their vessels with great helm stations and their boats seem bigger than their length might suggest.
Yachts
Regal yachts run from 36 to 42 feet long. These boats are appointed to spend long trips aboard and are perfect for months playing in The Bahamas or taking an adventure of a lifetime and doing the Great Loop.
Regal 36, 38, and 42-foot yachts are divided by a few key features: inboard or outboard power and flybridge or coupe layouts. Outboard boats are branded XO (or FXO, in the case of a flybridge outboard yacht).
You can see how they compare to other motor yachts. Generally, Regals blue water cruisers are on the small end of this segment, but that comes with advantages in maintenance and performance.
Regal’s Top Competitors
Traditionally, Regal’s top competitors have been Sea Ray, Chaparelle, Formula, Cobalt, and Monterey.
In many cases, however, Regal is now making a more varied lineup than any of these other companies. For example, Sea Ray and Chaparral have narrowed their product lines and no longer produce larger yachts. With these companies, Regal competes with their bowriders, surf models, and express cabin cruisers.
If you’re looking for more ideas, check out Boat & Sail Magazine’s list of the best bowrider boats on the market today. There’s also an article pointing to outstanding cabin cruisers.
Regal competes against newcomers like the Beneteau Swift Trawler and Jeaneau’s NC lines in the larger power cruiser market. Many other companies have left this space recently, so the Regals are well-positioned with its mid-sized motor yachts.
Overall, Regal competes on price point and in terms of quality and innovation. The company prices their boats in the middle of the market, well below luxury brands like Sea Ray. They still, however, load these boats with new technology. Regals are also built to a high-quality standard that, while it won’t match a luxury brand, definitely sets them apart from bottom-tier manufacturers.
