Re: Purchasing 89 Regal
I have a friend that lives an hour south and his family (it is his father in laws) has almost the identical boat within a couple of years and I'm sure it has the same engine. I've spent lots of time in it.<br /><br />First off, it is a really nice 1st class boat. Theirs is well kept too and the interior looks like new. VERY comfortable and quiet boat. In fact, it is one of the quietest boats I've ever rode in. You can be going down the lake at full throttle and barely have to raise your voice in a conversation. They get lots of comments at the ramp and on the lake about how nice the boat is - which is very rare for a boat that age. <br /><br />On the other hand I have to totally agree with C Charlie on the outboard recommendation. It sounds like from your first post that you may have some reservations about having such a big / heavy boat. If this is true then you have to think long and hard about this boat. What are you going to pull it with? I have owned / operated 5 boats in my lifetime - like you, lots of time on the water. 4 of my boats were OB's and the one before our current boat was a 17 1/2 foot I/0. The IO was the heaviest and highest maint boat I've owned. We now have a smaller OB bowrider and it is the boat we've always been looking for. It is light, yet roomy. <br /><br />Our buddies with the Regal also had some very expensive repairs - $3500 for a warped head engine redo. <br /><br />While I know first hand that the Regal is an awesome boat - and the 6,500 may be a tad high, but in the ballpark if in the condition you say, my vote is totally for an OB bowrider. <br /><br />Jeff
<br /><br />I may be lucky, because the PO was fanatical about maintance, but in the six years I've owned it all I've had to do other than spring and fall oil and filter changes (and the bi yearly sparkplug change) has been to replace the gimble bearing and the steering cable.<br /><br />Fuel usage is better than any comparable hp (210) outboard I've owned to say nothing of the ride. <br /><br />Sure it's a little heavier than say a Bayliner, but when the chop gets a bit rough, I'm still just crusing along while (from MY observations) 99% of the "other" brands are pounding like crazy.<br /><br />It's not as fast (45mph with the right prop) as some others, but IMHO it more than makes up for it with it's ride and handling.
