YOU Customize the All New 38' Regulator and WIN!

Hull #1 should be ready at the Norwalk Boat Show Sept. 18th, but already dealers tell us that they have customers who have
sketched out their customization plans for this new – and still very virgin, as
it were – 38’ Center Console Regulator. Below is a small galley, head and double
bunk, but topside is where most of the creativity will come in. Regulator tells
us the boat is designed for the offshore angler who also wants to take his family
day cruising, as well as entertain a gang of friends. Some new owners will be
moving up, while others are downsizing from large convertibles. We see lots of possibilities
for this new Regulator and we invite you to share your creative customization ideas
with us – and with the folks at Regulator in Edenton, NC.

The winners of our “Regulator 38 Customization Contest” get one of BoatTEST.com’s most coveted awards.

All up and down the American eastern seaboard Regulator dealers are talking to scores
of Regulator 26, 29 and 32 owners about the customization possibilities of the new
CC 38-footer. The builder plans on introducing the boat at Norwalk, then moving
it down the coast to the Annapolis Boat Show, ending up in Ft. Lauderdale on Oct.
30th. On its way south, the new boat may be shown at a few dealerships where interest
is particularly strong. Details and scheduling are pending.


What is in a Name & Number?

The folks at Regulator are traditional boat builders and are not fast-talking, slick
marketers prone to exaggeration. They call their new boat the “Regulator 34SS.”
“SS” stands for “starboard seating.” “34” represents the length of the boat from
bow to transom, which is actually 33’10”. Adding 2” is fine with us, as calling
it a 33 would be unfair and naming it a “3310” just confuses people. We don’t consider
2” marketing hype.



We call it a “38” – which is unabashedly an exaggeration – because most of Regulator’s
competitors measure their boats from the bow pulpit to the last bit of anything
hanging on the transom. One competitor even told us that Regulator was foolish for
being so accurate with the buying public. (Yup, it happened.) We don’t like to see
Regulator (or any forthright builder) penalized among the “unaware” boaters who
compare their boats with the exaggerators, so we call it a “38” for the pilgrims
among us. (As we often advise, to find out how big a boat really is, look at its
displacement.)

In profile the new 38’ Regulator is as beautiful as the rest of the line. Think what you can do with this basic design to customize it and turn it into the boat of your dreams.

The Specifications & Speed



The Regulator 34SS (aka “38”) is all new from the keel up. It is not a warmed over
32 or anything else. It was designed by Lou Codega and tooled from scratch. What
makes this center console so unusual is that it is huge – 38’ LOA pulpit to engine,
33’10” on deck, with a 10’11” beam and weighing 11,115 lbs., dry. Draft with engines
up is 2’1”. Standard power will be twin Yamaha 350s, but already some dealers are
planning on triple-engine rigs. At press time the fuel capacity was still up in
the air with Regulator engineers estimating from 375 to 425 gallons.



Regulator is aiming for a 55 mph boat with twin Yamaha 350s and on a cool morning
in flat water with only two men onboard they might well get it. BoatTEST’s Director
of Testing, Capt. Rob Smith, recorded 54.3 mph in Regulator’s 30 Express which weighed
in at 11,350 lbs. on a hot (81-degrees) day with three men aboard. The new 38 will
be 200 lbs. lighter and have its weight further aft so we’d say the builder has
a fair chance at its target. But we’d be plenty happy with 50 mph, as this is not
a fireboat.



It is well known that Regulator builds strong fishing boats with classic lines for
serious anglers in which they can do rugged offshore work, rather than building
light boats for the hot dog who wants to be first man out of the inlet in the morning
and first back to the bar at night. So for that reason we were surprised that during
a conversation with us the company’s spokesman told us that they were concerned
about the top end. “The need for speed has not gone away,” we were told. “There
are a couple of other builders out there who claim their boats can go 55, 60 mph,
or more and some customers care about speed no matter what gas costs.”



Most of the boats in the 38’ LOA class (33’ to 35’ to the transom) were either lighter
(some far lighter), not quite as beamy, had a flatter deadrise, or had more power.
Lighter, narrower boats go faster. Heavier, beamier boats go a few mph slower. Heavier
boats with below deck amenities go a few mph less, generally.


More Details



The 38’ CC Regulator will have all of the standard fishing apparatus – including
fish boxes in the transom (refrigeration optional), live bait tank behind the helm,
and bait prep center with sink out of the way of the fighting action on the starboard
side next to the console. The business end of this vessel looks to have about 42
sq. ft. of cockpit sole behind the helm.



The cockpit sole is one level, bow to stern -- there is no step up.


Below the boat will have a small galley with microwave, fridge and single burner
stove top. There will also be an open head and double bunk. We have yet to see drawings
of the boat below deck, but it sounds functional and not a place for a candle-lit
dinner.



That, however, is what the boat is all about forward of the console on deck. The
company’s sales manager says there is seating for nine to 10 people – certainly
enough for a nice-sized dinner party!


Enter the Contest



Now comes the fun part. How would you customize this boat which at this point is
almost a blank canvas? At the end of this copy is a box for your comments. Let
the contest begin!

A Few Helpful Hints



Just to give you an idea of what sort of contest submission we are looking for,
an example or two: we would add a large teak table that could be hinged in three
sections to be easily stowed below and be supported by two columns which would fit
into recessed brackets in the cockpit sole.



We spoke to a dealer who is thinking about adding a bimini over the forward half
of the boat. Another is adding a teak and holly deck. A third is adding a dodger.
You get the idea.


Contest Prizes



You guessed it. The prizes are BoatTEST.com’s now famous Ducky Awards, including
the Devil Duck for most outrageous (remember this is a family website!), the new
Pirate Duck for most courageous, and the canard that started it all, the coveted
Mallard Duck for the most practical customization.



To enter, simply give us your name, email address, and use the space below to describe
your Regulator 38’ CC dream boat. (All entries are final. Decisions of the judges
are arbitrary. Members of BoatTEST or Regulator are prohibited from entering, as are
children under age 16 who should be studying homework and not be on this website.)



Enter Here…