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here are relatively few bad boats these days — and virtually nonefrom major builders. So, aside from price, buying decisions usu-ally hinge on unique features and attention to detail. And in thesetwo aspects, Regal’s Commodore 2665 Express may reign

supreme. Clearly, this 251/2-footer stands out among trailerable cruisers. It

rides well in rough water, is roomy and offers copious stowage. Yet,what really sets the 2665 apart are its innovative design and qualityfit and finish.

We had the chance to spend time aboard the 2665 on two occasions — first in windblown

and rough conditions onFlorida’s Tampa Bay, andlater on the Atlantic, rightoff Fort Lauderdale.

OCEANTRACEXPERIENCERevamped fo r2004, this express

cruiser features a newdeep-V hull that replaces

Regal’s famous, performance-oriented FasTrac design. Called

OceanTrac, the fresh runningsurface is engineered to enhance

big-water capability.We first checked out the OceanTrac’s

seakeeping ability on bumpy Tampa Bay.With a 15-knot wind stirring up 2- to 3-footers,

we ran the 2665 hard in every direction possi-ble, and did not take a single drop of spray over

the windshield. We experienced the same comfort-able handling in our subsequent evaluation near Fort

Lauderdale. Carrying 20 degrees of transom deadrise,the Regal delivered an extremely smooth ride, even when

running upsea.We also discovered that the new hull corners with ease and con-

fidence — not an easy task in choppy water. When put hard over, notonce did the 2665 bobble, bounce or skip. Trim tabs are standard,and allow skippers to adjust the ride to suit a variety of sea conditionsand loads. That’s a good thing, too, because with all topside seatinglocated to starboard, there’s a natural tendency for a fully crewedboat to list; fortunately, the tabs allow instant adjustments.

DATA DUTYWe eventually found some comparatively smooth water, and tookour acceleration, speed and fuel-consumption readings. Our boatwas powered by the standard engine — a 280 hp Volvo Penta 5.7LGi with a DuoProp drive spinning an F-4 stainless prop set. At wide-open throttle, it posted a top speed of just over 42 mph at 4700 rpm.This V-8 is rated to rev up to 5000 rpm, however, which indicates thatthe boat was slightly over-propped. Still, 42 mph is a decent turn ofspeed for a 6850-pound cruiser pushed by 280 ponies. Accelera-tion didn’t suffer, either. We measured 0-to-30 mph times averaging10.9 seconds — which, based on our tests of similar cruisers withcomparable power, is typical for this combination.

Our rig’s optimum fuel efficiency was realized at 3000 rpm, wherethe Regal achieved 2.4 mpg at 23 mph — a respectable figure, but

TT

By Jim Hendricks

RoyalTreat mentRoyalTreat mentWith an outstandingnew hull

and loads of unique features,

Regal’s 2665

could be the king

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T R A I L E R B O A T S A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 49T R A I L E R B O A T S . C O M48 A U G U S T 2 0 0 4

one that could be marginallyimproved with a better prop.Based on the 74-gallon fueltank, our mileage figures indi-cate a 161-mile cruising range.

This is a quiet boat, too, reg-istering just 63 decibels (dBa)at the helm at idle. At cruisingspeed, the meter showed 72 dBaat the helm, making it easy toconverse while under way.

CRUISING CONVENIENCEThe fact is, life aboard Regal’sCommodore 2665 Express iseasy in a lot of ways, thanks tothoughtful elements from stemto stern. And that’s important,because this big trailerable wasdesigned to cruise for days oreven weeks at a time.

Like a lot of midcabin cruis-ers, the 2665 has a domed fore-deck to create more headroomin the cabin and help shed anywater that may come over thebow. Trouble is, this can leadto precarious footing whilemanning the anchor. To help

solve the problem, Regal cre-ated a flat, recessed deck at theforepeak with an aggressivenonskid surface and an easilyaccessed anchor locker. Thereis also a light to illuminate thedeck at night and a stainlessstrike plate, just aft of the stain-less roller, to protect the finishfrom the anchor chain. The flatdeck also provided an ideal lo-cation for our boat’s optionalwindlass ($1923).

The boat also was equippedwith the optional bow sunpad($454) that easily accommo-dates two sunbathers (althougha circular ventilation hatch sit-uated in the center of the padlimits the number of loungingpositions). Another cool touchis a pair of recessed drink hold-ers on each side of the sunpad.Best access to the foredeck isvia the walk-through wind-shield, and the 2665 has twonicely engineered steps leadingup from the helm deck.

PILOT PLEASURE The helm is well organized andcomfortable, which helped makepiloting the boat a great plea-sure. There’s an angled footrestto brace against in heavy seas,and the tilt steering wheel suitsa variety of driving positions.The adjustable, double-wide

helm bench seat accommo-dates two. Plus, it has a pair offlip-up bolsters, so one personcan remain in the traditionalseated position while the othercan flip up the bolster and gainan elevated view over thewindshield.

Under the helm seat are two

drawers that are ideal for stow-ing charts, flashlights, binocu-lars and other gear.

One criticism we have ofnearly all midcabin cruisers isthat there is little room formounting electronics such aschartplotters and radars. Fortu-nately, Regal took electronicsinto consideration when design-ing this helm, and provides aflush-mount surface to portthat’s angled to face the skipper.Bravo.

SWEET SEATSAft of the helm seat is one ofthe 2665’s greatest features. Inits primary configuration, it’sactually two seats — an aft-fac-ing bench and a transom bench— but it quickly converts to asunpad/cockpit berth that fitstwo people.

Regal has positioned a wet-bar to port that features a Coriancounter and sink with hot andcold water. Below is a dry lockerwith a contoured, watertighthatch. Just forward of the wet-bar is a portable cooler thattucks into its own alcove. For-ward of the cooler is another drylocker with a trash receptaclebuilt into the hatch.

The 2665 carries its innova-tive features all the way to theintegral swim platform, whichis accessed via a transom doorserved by a well-designed grab-rail. Built into the platform is avoluminous wet locker thatstretches from port to starboard.But rather than having to strug-gle with one big hatch, Regalinstalled three separate hatch-es, which makes for more con-venient access.

Our test boat was equippedwith an extended swim plat-form, which adds about 31/2

feet to the overall length. Moreimportantly, it covers the out-drive, making it safer to jumpin and climb back aboard usingthe folding ladder on the star-board side.

FIRST-CLASS CABINThe cabin is the heart and soulof any midcabin cruiser, ofcourse — and, in this respect,the new Regal does not disap-point. It starts with a compan-ionway design that ranks asone of the most practical thatwe have seen. The door is fairlyconventional — a bifold unitthat can be opened and securedto the port bulwark. Rather, it is the overhead hatch thatwarrants attention. Instead of

folding upward, it slides into apocket on the starboard side.We like it.

We also appreciated the de-sign of the midcabin berth,which dispenses with the for-ward bulkhead that can limit ac-cess and lead to claustrophobia.This queen-size berth has anopen feel with a draw curtainfor privacy.

The rest of the cabin is justas thoughtfully designed, andbristles with standard equip-ment such as a 120-volt shore-power system, microwaveoven, refrigerator, convertibleV-berth/dinette and Coriancountertop with built-in elec-tric stove and stainless sink.Beautifully finished wood cab-inetry lends a warm touch.

You’ll get plenty of fresh airthanks to three screened port-

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● Regal’s OceanTrac hull provides a smooth and dry ride in choppy seas

● Towed weight in 10,000-pound range demands a 1-ton truck or monster SUV

● Outstanding stowage throughout the cockpit and cabin

● With all seating to star-board, the hull tends to list, requiring starboard tab to correct

● Four cleats on each side make it easy to secure at dock

● Opt for air conditioning in warmer climes

Test Notes

■ Regal’s 2665 features a newhull called OceanTrac, and therunning surface handles roughwater exceedingly well.

■ The ergonomic helm is easy on the eyes. Note the flush-mount electronics panel to the left ofthe portside switches. The double-wide helm chair has a pair of independent bolsters, with abrace of drawers below.

■ The cabin abounds with standardequipment, including a microwave,

refrigerator and electric stove.Generous use of wood creates a

warm atmosphere.

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Base Price(w/o trailer) $73,967

Price as Tested $91,517Length (w/ extended

swim platform) 29’ 2”Beam 8’ 6”

Deadrise at Transom 20 degreesWeight

(w/ standard engine) 6850 lbs.Draft (drive down) 36”

Fuel Capacity 74 gals.Maximum Horsepower 375

NOTABLE STANDARD EQUIPMENTStarboard windshield wiper; trim tabs; 120-voltshorepower system; water heater; microwave;refrigerator; Bimini top with enclosure; CO detector;dual battery system; AM/FM/CD stereo

NOTABLE OPTIONAL EQUIPMENTGenerator; air-conditioning system; windlass;Raymarine chartplotter and VHF; foredeck sunpad;dockside water inlet

Regal Marine, Dept. TBM, 2300 Jetport Drive, Orlando, FL 32809; 800/USREGAL; regalboats.com

ENGINE AS TESTEDMake Volvo Penta

5.7L Gi/DuoPropHorsepower 280

Number of Cylinders V-8Displacement 5.7L (350 cid)

Weight 1040 lbs.Gear Ratio 1.78:1

Maximum RPM 5000Propeller Volvo Penta

F-4 stainless prop set

Volvo Penta, Dept. TBM, 1300 Volvo Penta Drive,Chesapeake, VA 23320; 757/436-5100; volvopenta.com

Special thanks to SunDance Marine (954/522-2800;sundancemarineusa.com) of Fort Lauderdale,Florida, for assistance in our photo shoot.

10

MPG

2.4(Miles)

RANGE

161

GPH

9.6

Optimum Cruising Speed

MPHRPMx 1000

010

2030 40

50

6070

32

1 0

45 6 7

42.2mph

Top Speed

T E S T R E S U L T S

Engine Speed Fuel Range1

(rpm) (mph) (gph) (mpg) (miles)1000 4.9 1.0 4.9 3281500 7.4 2.1 3.5 2342000 8.8 4.4 2.0 1342500 15.0 7.6 2.0 13430002 23.0 9.6 2.4 1613500 27.3 12.0 2.3 1544000 34.1 15.9 2.1 1414500 40.1 21.8 1.8 1214700 (WOT) 42.2 23.6 1.8 1211 Based on 90% fuel capacity 2 Optimum cruising speed

ACCELERATION (seconds) 0-30 mph 10.9

SOUND MEASUREMENTS (dBa)Idle at Helm (650 rpm) 63Idle at Transom (650 rpm) 72Cruise at Helm (3000 rpm) 81WOT at Helm (4700 rpm) 87

S P E C I F I C A T I O N S

Regal Commodore 2665 Express

T R A I L E R B O A T S . C O M50 A U G U S T 2 0 0 4

holes and the screened deckhatch. There’s also a porthole inthe head, which features ashower and Vacuflush toilet.

CRUISING COMFORTFor serious cruisers, the op-tional air conditioning system($3077) is well worth the money.And if you plan to visit remoteanchorages, adding the factory-installed generator ($10,115)could pay off big time by al-lowing you to run the microwaveand air while on anchor. Thisis an option you do not find onmany trailer boats.

And that brings us to the sub-ject of price. With all of its coolfeatures and Regal’s outstand-ing fit and finish, we would expect this rig to command bigbucks. Given its comfortableride and standard 280 hp 5.7L

Volvo Penta DuoProp, the baseprice of $73,967 (without trail-er) does not seem unreason-able. By way of comparison,Crownline’s new 250 CR (whichwe tested in January) carries abase price of $63,525 with aMerCruiser 5.0L/Bravo 3.

Fully loaded, including Ray-marine electronics, our boat’s“as-tested” price comes in at$91,517 — not cheap, but notoutrageous, either. And, if youwant to go diesel, you can getit with a Yanmar 4LHA-STZPthat cranks 240 ponies for$92,241.

No matter how you equip it— or price it — Regal’s Com-modore 2665 Express is notjust a good cruiser, it’s a top-of-the-line rig that’s sure to pam-per you like royalty every timeyou step aboard.

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■ There is wide-openaccess to the midcabinberth. Immediatelyforward is a starboardhead featuring a showerand a well-designedvanity and sink.

■ To helpmakeanchoringeasier, theRegal 2665features arecessed,flattenedforedeck withan aggressivenonskid sole.

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