Are Regal Boats Reliable & Good? (Helpful Tips)

Regal Boats is one of the few remaining successful, family-run boat-building businesses in the USA and perhaps even in the world. They are known for their boats’ luxurious finishing and superb craftsmanship.

Regal Boats is one of the few companies to receive the J.D. Power and Associates Awards. They earned them for Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Small Runabouts and Express Cruisers for several years in a row!

Here’s How Good Regal Boats are:

Regal doesn’t produce as many boats as its competitors, but they take their time and produce quality products. Regal Boats have an industry reputation for building high-quality boats. Each boat is built using modern custom-calibrated equipment, highly trained personnel, and top-quality craftsmen.

A Brief History Of Regal Boats

The history of Regal Boats began in 1969 when Regal Marine Industries was founded by husband and wife team Paul and Carol Kuck, with the help of two close friends and investors: Gene Kandel and Clark Prudhon. The first Regal models included a 17′ tri-hull, a 14′ ski boat, and a 21′ cuddy.

In the early 1970s, when the energy crises caused petroleum prices to soar, Regal Boats struggled to survive as their boat orders began to fade. The story goes that bankruptcy was avoided by Paul Kuck, a deeply religious man, who reputedly put the company’s future “in God’s hands.” Soon after this, Regal Boats began to flourish!

Regal expanded to a newer, larger facility in their start-up town of Orlando, Florida, the home of boating in the South with this newfound success. The company went from strength to strength, and by 1989 the company became debt-free.

Nowadays, Paul and Carol Kuck’s three children, Duane, Tim, and Pam, run the company, continuing with the family legacy. Together, the Kucks have helped to reinvent innovation within the industry, and they have helped with the development of professional customer service. This has led to Regal Boats having more than 50 years of successful boat building and customer satisfaction.

The many Regal cutting edge designs include their patented and award-winning FasTrac hull design and their fuel-efficient and high-performance OceanTrac hull design, amongst many others.

In 2007, Paul Kuck was inducted into the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Hall of Fame for his lasting contribution to the boating industry.

Today Regal Boats build a range of boat models from 19′ – 53′ and is popular for their Bowrider, Express Cruiser, Cruisers, Ski and Wakeboard boats, and their Motor Yachts.

Their Mission Statement is still the same as when Paul and Carol Kuck were still alive: “With God’s help and a steadfast commitment to integrity, we will develop a team of exceptional people and relationships to provide exceptional customer satisfaction.”

How Reliable Are Regal Boats?

Regal has an impressive track record of building more than 75,000 boats in over 50 years of operation, so I think we can assume they build a pretty reliable boat!

In addition, Regal Boats has collected more than its fair share of industry awards from the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and J.D. Powers (who collect data for the NADA guides) for product innovation, quality assurance, and overall customer satisfaction.

However, how a boat is used, maintained, and stored is as important, if not more important, than the actual boat brand for its reliability and long life.

How Durable Are Regal Boats?

Paul and Carol Kuck left a legacy of a new world-class in boat-building standards and customer service within the luxury boat-building industry.

Regal developed their LIFECore construction process, allowing their engineers to pinpoint the exact locations where fiberglass, aluminum, and composite materials are needed to minimize any stress and increase the boat’s durability.

In addition, Regal offers a Lifetime Plus Warranty on their hulls and a 5-year limited warranty protection plan which covers the engine and the boat’s accessories. These warranties are two of the best in the business, proving that Regal is confident enough to stand by the durability of their boats.

What About Older Regal Boats?

If you search for Regal Boats on the various boating forums, you will find many happy owners of older Regal boats. Many of these owners have had their older Regal boats for many years and would be hard pushed to part with them.

There are also plenty of older Regal Boats still available for sale on the second-hand market -many of these owners cite wanting to upgrade to a newer model as their reason for selling. A current search found a Regal model for sale from 1983.

While the design may be a little outdated, the build quality of the boat is still solid. However, if you are looking at buying an older Regal Boat, it’s best practice to have the boat inspected by a qualified marine surveyor before deciding to purchase.

Do They Still Make Parts For Older Models?

Owners manuals and a limited selection of spare parts are available for older models on the Regal Boat website. Other inquiries for older models should be made via your nearest Regal dealer.

Many online boat part suppliers stock spare parts for older Regal models.

In addition, if you are having problems finding a specific part, you can contact Regal Boats via their online contact form, which is specifically for Customer Support and Spare Parts.

What Are Typical Problems With Regal Boats?

After visiting the various boating forums, there seem to be very few typical problems with Regal Boats. Regal is a family-owned business that prides itself on its attention to detail and quality products, which shows in the lack of complaints.

However, no brand is perfect, and problems do occur from time to time.

The majority of complaints about Regal Boats concern the Volvo Penta engines fitted in some 2006 and 2007 models. The U-joint bellows have reportedly been failing on certain Volvo XDP composite outdrives. These rubber bellows should be replaced every 3 years to avoid engine failure and do not seem to be covered by any warranty.

Occasionally a boat slips through the Quality Control cracks. There have been a few reports of new boats delivered with exposed wood on the inside of the hull. While bare wood in interior spaces is not exactly exposed, you would not expect a new boat to be released from the factory without at least a coat of paint or epoxy to seal the wood.

This is a clear case of a lack of quality control in a few instances and not what you would expect from a company with an exceptional reputation for quality like Regal.

How Long Do Regal Boats Last When Compared To Similar Brands?

Regal Boats are considered to be a mid to top-tier brand. Similar brands include Cobalt, Sea Ray, and Chaparral.

Like any hand-laid fiberglass construction boat, all of these brands should last an owner many years.

These brands have been around from the 1950s to-60s. They all have a proven track record. Just how long one brand will last compared to the other will come down to how well each boat has been looked after.

Do Regal Boats Hold Their Value? (Do They Depreciate Faster Than Normal)

A boat is never a good financial investment. It’s more about the time spent having fun and making memories, which is better than any financial return.

Despite this, owners are concerned about the resale value of their boats. Suppose your Regal Boat has been well looked after (i.e., the boat has been regularly cleaned and engines flushed with freshwater, the engines regularly serviced, and the boat stored out of direct sunlight).

In that case, your boat should not depreciate any faster than normal.

If you are looking for a brand that holds its value better, then a Cobalt is the way to go. Cobalt Boats have a very strong following, and you will find that there are customers who cannot necessarily afford a new Cobalt boat but will specifically look for a second-hand Cobalt.

They are not boat shopping but Cobalt shopping! That said, Regal Boats do have their fans too.

Are Regal Boats Still Being Made?

Today, Regal is one of the largest privately-owned boat manufacturers globally.

Their annual sales amount to $160 million, and they have over 200 dealers and distributors in 40 countries across the globe, including the US, Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe.

Their headquarters are still based in Orlando, Florida. Regal did open a second manufacturing plant in Valdosta, Georgia. However, the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic led the management of Regal Boats to close this manufacturing facility in Georgia and concentrate operations back at their headquarters in Orlando, Florida.

Today Regal builds a range of boats from 19′ to 53′ and directly employs a team of +700 skilled workers.

References:

Regal Boats

NMMA Hall Of Fame Award