Regal 29 OBX (2016-)

Brief Summary

The Regal Boats 29 OBX is a big, family-oriented bowrider that combines luxury, comfort, and lots of storage space thanks to the outboard design. The swim platform extends well past the outboards on both sides, adding usable space for watersports. The doublewide aft bench seats can be extended 10" into the cockpit at the touch of a button for lounging comfort or retracted to open up walking space in the cockpit. She proved a capable performer with the twin 200-hp Yamahas turning 19 Reliance props, reaching a top speed of 52.6 mph at 5250 rpm.

Key Features

• FasTrac Hull Design
• Bow walkthrough doors
• Double wide companion seat with flip-up bolster
• Fusion Marine sound with six cockpit speakers
• Slide-away seating
• Two insulated built-in coolers
• Transom shower
• Extended swim platform
• Pop-up stainless ski tow
• PowerTower canvas sunshade

Test Results

Specifications

Length Overall	29' 1'' / 8.86 m
Beam	9' 2.74 m
Dry Weight	6,550 lbs. 2,971 kg
Tested Weight	7,821 lbs. 3,547 kg
Draft Up	1' 7'' 0.48 m
Draft Down	2' 7'' 0.78 m
Deadrise/Transom	19-deg.
Max Headroom	open
Bridge Clearance	8' 3'' 2.51 m (max)
Weight Capacity	2,024 lbs. 918 kg
Person Capacity	N/A
Fuel Capacity	148 gal. 560 L
Water Capacity	N/A
Total Weight	7,821 lbs. 3,547 kg

Acceleration Times & Conditions

Time to Plane	4.3 sec.
0 to 30	10.5 sec.
Ratio	N/A
Props	19 Reliance
Load	3 persons, 3/4 fuel, no water, 50 lbs. of gear
Climate	88 deg., 80 humid.; wind: 0-0 mph; seas: calm

Engine Options

Tested Engine	2 x 200-hp Yamaha 4-stroke
Std. Power	2 x 200-hp Yamaha I4 2.8L F200XCA
Opt. Power	Not Available

Captain's Report Learn More
Watch Our Video

Mission Statement

Regal Boats’ mission with the 29 OBX is to combine the luxury and comfort with the extra passenger space that comes with outboard motors in a big family bowrider. Twin 200-hp Yamaha F200 XCA outboards weigh 974 lbs. (441.8 kg) combined. By comparison, a 380-hp MerCruiser 8.2L Bravo Three weighs approximately 1,270 lbs. (576 kg) for the engine and drive. The result is more horsepower for less weight.

Distinguishing Features

Wraparound Swim Platform.

A highlight of the Regal 29 OBX is the new swim platform that wraps around the outboard motors. It provides more room for watersports or fishing, and a pressurized transom shower comes standard. There’s a stainless-steel boarding ladder in its own compartment to port, and the walking surface is covered in nonskid. An owner can upgrade the area with Flexiteek or SeaDek mat. Regal has effectively solved the problem of little platform space that gave sterndrive boats their watersports advantage.

Slide-Away Seating.

With the push of a button, the bottom cushions on the doublewide aft bench seats slide forward 10”, or they can be retracted to open up walking space in the cockpit.

FasTrac Hull Design.

Two full mid-beam steps in the running surface break adhesion with the water by forcing air under the hull bottom. Drag is reduced and efficiency is increased while cruise speeds are raised, according to Regal. The semi-V design has a transom deadrise of 19-degrees.

Optional PowerTower or Hardtop.

An owner can choose between the Power Tower that folds down for low bridges or the Luxury Hardtop that has a retractable sun shade.

Features Inspection

The Cockpit.

In addition to having the sliding bottom cushions, the bench seats have aft facing sections, so passengers can relax while watching a wake surfer or keep an eye on swimming kids. There is storage in the base of seats and a passageway between them that makes it easy to enter the cockpit. Forward of the aft benches on each side are long lounges that could be used for tanning or passengers can sit up with their backs resting against the inwale padding. There’s an attachment point for securing the optional cockpit table that is part of the Premium package. At each console, there are two more doublewide seats and the captain’s chair has power buttons for adjusting position.

Cockpit Storage.

Regal made sure it used as much available space as possible for storage with lockers under nearly every seat cushion. Each hatch opens on a gas strut, and the underside is finished in smooth fiberglass, which is an added touch of attention to detail. There are stainless steel cup holders in the gunwale cutouts on each side and two in-floor ski lockers for larger items. In the starboard console ahead of the helm, there is a foldout trash bin and above is a smaller drawer.

The Helm.

At the 29 OBX’s command center, the tilt steering wheel is hand-wrapped for a comfortable grip. The boat comes standard with Faria fog-free instruments and an available Garmin GPS 7610 is an available option. Kudos to Regal for including the depth sounder as part of the standard equipment list. Accessory switches are on each side of the wheel, and the panel includes a 12-volt power plug. The shift and throttle controls are on the starboard gunwale with the trim tab buttons just ahead. If an owner wants a position indicator for the tabs, he can order one.

The Head.

To port, a heavy-duty stainless-steel handle opens the private head compartment hatch. There’s a cell phone tray in the top of the hatch. Inside, the head compartment is finished fiberglass and amenities include a chemical toilet, a Moon Crystal solid surface countertop, and a vessel sink. Cherry wood accents add a touch of class, and the walking surfaces are finished in soft mat.

The Bow.

Regal includes a folding door that closes off the bow passageway as standard equipment. It’s a smart move because, in our experience, most people want this feature. The header and supports for the tempered-glass walkthrough windshield are stainless steel. Up front, the bow has angled backrests on the front of the consoles with a full-length lounge to port and a shorter one to starboard.
Forward, there’s a wide sun pad, and the bow is padded, so passengers can lean against it facing aft. There’s storage in the seat bases and in the anchor locker in the foredeck.

Construction.

Regal builds the 29 OBX with a process the manufacturer calls LIFECore in which engineers pinpoint the locations for fiberglass, aluminum, and composite materials to reduce stress and improve durability. The boat is constructed with a vinylester barrier coating, a full fiberglass liner, and composite stringers. Hardware includes six 8” stainless-steel pop-up cleats, a stainless-steel bow scuff plate, and a pop-up ski tow.

Systems.

The Regal 29 OBX comes standard with a pressurized freshwater system with the aforementioned transom shower and faucet in the head. All electrical links are made with waterproof Deutsch connectors, and the boat has dual battery switches.

Performance

Test.

The Regal 29 OBX has a LOA of 29’ (8.84 m), a beam of 9’ (2.74 m), and a draft of 2’7” (.79 m). With an empty weight of 6,550 lbs. (2,971 kg), three people, and 75% fuel onboard, we had an estimated test weight of 7,821 lbs. (3,548 kg).
With the twin 200-hp Yamaha 4-strokes turning 19 Reliance props, we reached a top speed of 52.6 mph at 5250 rpm. Best economy seemed to be reached at 3500 rpm and 27.3 mph. At that speed, we were burning 11.2 gph, which produced a range of 324 miles. All while holding back a 10% reserve of the boats 148-gallon (560 L) total fuel capacity.

Performance.

Being a bigger bowrider, she handles with a solid feel. With the twin FasTrac steps, she also feels slippery, meaning that she seems to glide forward just a bit more when the power comes off and she’ll get up on plane quicker than expected -- 4.3 seconds in this case. Her power steering gives fingertip control and she responds well to the helm. Turns produce no chine walk, even when getting heavy handed, which contributes to that solid feel.

Options to Consider

Observations

With the 29 OBX, Regal combines the best attributes of outboard motors -- maximum cockpit space and a beneficial power-to-weight ratio -- and a smart interior design to provide a big day boat that can accommodate a crowd.
We like that Regal equipped the boat with accessories that many manufacturers offer as options, including a pressurized freshwater system, a bow walkthrough door, a depthsounder, and a Sunbrella Bimini top. Owners frequently order these items so not having to sit down with a salesman and order each one individually facilitates the buying process.