Captain's Report by Capt. Steve



The Regal 1900 has been a popular bowrider for years, but if you have not seen the 2012 model take a look because Regal is never standing still.

Regal 1900 Mission

Regal's mission with the 1900 was to create a 19' (5.79 m) bowrider that offered more features than the competition. The builder's target market is not the beginner looking for the lowest-priced boat on the market, but rather that group of boaters who understand that the beauty of small boats is in the execution of a lot of little details. By adding features that are typically not found on boats in this class, the Regal 1900 should appeal to a more discerning buyer.

Distinguishing Features

No article that contains a section of Regal's distinguishing features would be complete without discussing what I think is the number one attribute…

• FasTrac hull. Even though the running surface of the 1900 is basically a deep V with 22-degrees of deadrise at the transom, the running surface offers a lot more. Starting around midships is a step in the hull which starts at the chines and moves toward the keel. Typically this design adds a knot or a little more to the boat's top-end speed. This design may also help speed a boat on plane.

• Sport seating standard. On many boats in this class the sport seating is an upgrade, and the portside back-to-back seating and dual seats to either side of an engine box is standard.

• Wide beam. The 1900 has an 8'3" (2.5 m) beam and if you do some comparing you would find that there are very few boats in class that share this dimension. Most come are considerably less.

• Fiberglass ski locker hatch. – Most often we see plastic or King StarBoard but Regal uses a finished fiberglass piece, back gelled and supported by a gas assist strut.

• Removable cooler. – We usually see a space under a seat that can accommodate a cooler but few provide the cooler…Regal does.

• Marine stereo. While it's so easy, and more cost-effective to simply add an automotive stereo to the boat the longevity of the unit comes into question. Regal uses a Fusion sound system purpose-built for the marine environment. It also conceals your i-player to keep it protected as well.

Performance and Handling

I tested the Regal 1900 on a flat calm lake and this particular model was powered by the 225-hp Volvo Penta 4.3 GXi. She reached a top speed at 4900 rpm and 49.3 mph. At that speed the she was burning 17.7 gph and getting 2.79 mpg for a range of 75 miles.

Best cruise was found at 3000 rpm and 27.3 mph. At that speed fuel burn dropped to 6.65 gph which meant we were getting over 4.1 mpg for a range of 111 miles. We had a quick time to plane of only 3.2 seconds, reached 20 mph in 6.2 seconds, and continued accelerating through 30 mph in 8.4 seconds.

My history of testing boats with stepped hulls shows that while they're very fast in a straight run, the turning performance can sometimes suffer. Regal's FasTrac hull seems to have the opposite effect where high speed turns showed her to be pretty much glued to the water. Naturally when turning through our self-generated waves some oscillation occurred but regardless of how aggressive I got the in the turns she remained solid and stable in calm water.



Since we can't show the FasTrac hull on the trailer, we'll do the next best thing.

I measured a roughly 16-degree bow rise upon acceleration and because the bow is so close to the helm there was no loss of visibility to the horizon. When taking power off, the 1900 remains fairly flat as she settles back into the water. In high speed turns I measured a 24 degree bank angle. Regardless of how aggressive I got in the turn the lower unit showed no signs of ventilating.

Major Features

The stern. The full beam swim platform is rather large and two spaces in the forward section allow you a visual check of the tie-down rings. A Flexiteek inlay is optional ($792). And here's an interesting feature, Regal adds brake lights to the 1900 transom that connect to your tow vehicle via a patch cord at the bow. In this manner, when you apply the tow vehicle breaks, the trailer brakes will light and the boat's brake lights will illuminate as well. Regal is the only builder that we know of that does this.

The sunpad measures 29" (73.7 cm) x 5' (1.5 m) and is comfortably padded. The walk-through to the cockpit is 16" (40.6 cm) wide and Regal thoughtfully added a fire extinguisher discharge port to the bulkhead on the side of the walk-through.

Engine Compartment

The engine compartment is accessed by releasing a catch underneath the sunpad. The hatch is held open by two gas assist struts and the installation is roomy enough to provide access to three sides of the engine. To the right of the engine compartment is roomy storage, which is separated from the engine space by cargo netting. Two more rare items can be seen here for a boat in this class: first a battery switch is provided as standard equipment and second is an automatic bilge pump with float switch, where we usually see only a manual pump activated at the helm. An automatic discharge fire extinguisher is available as an option ($385).



The engine compartment is large and allows for roomy access to the sides of the engine while still accommodating an additional storage compartment to port.



It seems like common sense that a bilge pump should have a float switch but it's rarely seen in a sportboat in this class. The Regal 1900 not only has a float switch, but it is incased in a plastic housing designed to keep it from sticking open or closed.

Cockpit Seating

The bench seating across the stern leaves a 16" (41 cm) space for the walk-through which still makes for comfortable three across seating. The bucket seats are mounted on pedestal bases which can be reached with your feet from the bench seat for bracing yourself in aggressive turns. There are upholstered highlights added into the bulwarks as well as storage space.

Underneath is a 25 gallon (94.6 L) cooler that is accessed by lifting up the seat base. The cushion is held open by a gas assist strut so you don't need to hang onto it while you reach into the cooler. For safety, the average height of the bulwarks is 26-1/2"(67.3 cm).



The cooler is added as standard equipment and notice just to the left is a Velcro strip to hold the seat cushion down against the wind.



The three-across bench seating has a cockpit walk-through to the starboard side.

The bucket seats for the skipper and companion are comfortable but I found it was fairly easy to fall off of the bolsters when sitting in the elevated position.

The Glove Box

The navigator or spotter gets the usual glovebox but there are some features that I find interesting with this one. First, it's top loading which means you can add more into it without having the contents dump out when you open the door. This one is also extremely deep; I could literally insert my whole arm inside.

Lastly, the lid utilizes very clever hinges that will actually hold that lid in the open position without the use of struts. In this manner, Regal is able to maintain an uncluttered look while still maintaining accessibility with one hand. (Not many glove boxes warrant a full paragraph or two in a Captain's Report.)



The noteworthy glove box in all its glory.



The 1900 comes standard with sport seating consisting of two bucket seats and an aft bench seat.

The sole storage locker is huge measuring 28" (71.1 cm) wide and running fully forward to the bow. A mat lines the base to prevent scratching your gear. The hatch is full fiberglass and back-gelled and held open by a gas assist strut. With an opening measuring 15-1/2" (39.4 cm) wide it will accommodate any skis or wakeboards. The cockpit carpet is optional ($385).

Helm

Helm console. The helm looks great with a carbon fiber finish panel. Regal went with black-faced gauges with chrome bezels that look classy against the panel. The depth gauge, to port, is standard. Rocker switches are to either side of the wheel eliminating the need to reach through the steering wheel, but in the blank space between the switches I'd like to see a recessed area for putting stuff.



The good-looking panel is uncluttered and very functional. Note the standard depth gauge to port.

Stereo. On the lower panel to the left is the Fusion stereo, and I'm always happy to see a stereo mounted at the captain's position instead of a remote. Also, the stereo is purpose-built for the marine environment so it should be good for the long run. Additionally, the faceplate opens to reveal iPod storage which will keep your equipment protected as well. You can upgrade the stereo with a performance package that includes a 100 W amplifier and two additional speakers ($369), and a Sirius satellite tuner is also available ($377).

Bow

The walk-through to the bow measures 21" (53.3 cm) and the walk-through windshield panel is held in the open position by a magnetic catch. The space up forward is a little tight but characteristic with any boat in this class. In the lounging position my feet were hard up against the forward cushion.

There's an anchor storage locker under the forward seat and the seatback for this forward position makes this an equally comfortable spot for watching the end of the towline with the added advantage of remaining in the captain's line of view.

Pricing and Options

The 1900 is offered in the US with three engine options. The base boat, with a 220-hp 4.3 L MPI has a starting price of $35,297. You have a choice of opting up to a 260-hp 5.0 L MPI ($2482), or 270-hp Volvo Penta 5.0 L GXi ($3653). Outside the United States non-catalyzed engines run from 190-hp to 270-hp.

I've already mentioned some options that are offered on this model but some others warrant consideration. If you plan on being heavy into watersports then you'll probably want to consider the wakeboard tower ($2231) and perhaps a wide-angle tow mirror ($454). If you do opt for the tower you'll probably want to consider the swivel board racks ($1154) as well. And my experience has shown that the Perfect Pass cruise control ($1677) will reduce your workload considerably.

Observations

Due to the size of this boat alone the 1900 may be considered "entry level". However, Regal has done an outstanding job of adding a lot of quality features that, in my mind, move the target of this boat away from a typical entry-level buyer and into a market composed of more veteran boaters. These would be boaters more sure of themselves, and ones wanting greater horsepower not only for higher speeds but also for more raw towing power. Certainly with all of its features and three power options, the Regal 1900 could fill that bill.

Speeds measured with Stalker ProSports radar gun. Fuel consumption (gallons per hour) measured with Floscan digital fuel-flow meter on gas inboards, sterndrives, and outboards, TechMate electronic scan tool on gas EFI inboards, Caterpillar digital fuel-flow meter on diesel engines, or permanently installed fuel-monitoring equipment. Range is based on 90% of published fuel capacity. Sound levels determined using Radio Shack digital decibel meter on A scale. 68 dBA is the level of normal conversation.

Performance Chart

Test Conditions