Island Hopper

A huge watersports platform, shallow draft and easy

maneuverability makes this a great boat for The Bahamas.

By Louisa Beckett

The Bahamas’ Sea of Abaco is like a second home to Duane Kuck, President and CEO of Orlando, Florida-based Regal Boats. His wife, Cindy, hails from there, and they bring their children back to the island chain by boat each summer to enjoy the spectacularly clear waters, abundant marine life, charming towns and unspoiled natural setting. So it’s no wonder that Regal Boats builds a line of cruisers that are ideally suited to cruising to and through the Abacos—particularly the 2011 Regal 35 Sport Coupe (SC).

Last summer, Duane invited me to join him and his family on a 35 SC for an annual ritual—one they share with hundreds of other families from Florida and The Bahamas—the start of lobster season. Each year, beginning on August 1^st, when The Bahamas opens season on the spiny critters, the Abacos become a hotspot for cruisers hunting the tasty “bugs,” which hide amid the rocks and coral reefs.

Specifications:
LOA: 36′ 10″
Beam: 11’4″
Draft: 2′ 11″
Weight (dry): 12,900 lbs.
Fuel: 168 gals.
Water: 50 gals.
Power: 2x 5.7Gi Volvo Penta
sterndrives/joystick
Cruise/top speed: 36/46 mph

Contact:
Regal Boats
Regal Marine Industries, Inc.
2300 Jetport Drive
Orlando, FL 32809
regalboats.com

My Abaco experience began with a relaxing stay at the Abaco Beach Resort in Marsh Harbour—which overlooks the Sea of Abaco, one of the best-known resorts in the region—and helped me decompress and reset my inner clock to “Bahamas time.” I whiled away some pleasant hours on the wide beach, at the pool with swim-up bar, and in the lovely waterfront Anglers Restaurant.

The next morning, the Kucks met me at the dock in Boat Harbour, the resort’s 190-slip, full-service marina, which offers convenient customs check-in and fuel. As we got under way, we deployed one of the boat’s most innovative features—the convertible hardtop—since there were rain showers in the area. Introduced by Regal on its 46 SC model, the top incorporates a unique electric sunroof that slides back to expose the helm and part of the cockpit seating to sun and wind, or forward to shelter the driver and passengers from the same.

“We are really the only U.S. builder that’s doing it. Most of them are staying with a traditional sunroof,” Duane said.

The height of the hardtop gave the bridge an airy feeling and our boat also featured Regal’s optional Cool Cockpit ventilation system, which kept things comfortable in the hot and humid summer weather.

The 35 SC’s helm area is ergonomically designed and exceptionally well-equipped. Regal sources most of its marine electronics from Garmin and our boat featured a Garmin GPSMAP 5208 chart plotter, VHF 100 radio and GMR 24HD radome. Tunes were provided by the Fusion stereo system with iPod dock and waterproof cockpit speakers. “They are designed specifically for the marine industry,” Duane said. “They are still going to be working 10 years from now.”

Our boat also had an upgraded propulsion package consisting of Volvo Penta 5.7Gi sterndrives with a Volvo joystick control mounted on the driver’s armrest. A joystick option is available on the 35 SC with a compatible EVC engine package from either Volvo or MerCruiser. Most owners seem to feel that the added maneuverability it provides is well worth the upgrade. “All the ones we’ve built so far have had the joystick control,” Duane confirmed.

I used the stick to steer us through the small and crowded harbor of Man O’ War Cay where we called in for lunch, and I was grateful for the handling dexterity it provided, as well as its quick reaction time.

As always, our interlude on Man O’ War was like stepping back in time. We walked along its narrow streets—where no cars are allowed—admiring the flowers blooming in profusion by the porches of small, colorfully hued cottages on either side. The island has been a Bahamas boatbuilding hub for decades, and you can still watch through the open door as the Albury Brothers build runabouts by hand in their small shop on the harbor.

Back at the marina, we enjoyed conch burgers at the aptly named Dock & Dine Restaurant.

After lunch, we re-boarded the Regal to set off for some likely lobster-hunting grounds off Man O’ War. As we ran through the clear green water, I took time to explore the boat. The 35 SC’s bridge and cockpit are on the same level, which is a boon for conversation and a convenience for those less sure of their footing at sea. The seating arrangement is flexible, thanks to settee backrests that flip forward and aft to create different areas for lounging and dining. We had six people on board, but nobody got in each other’s way.

There’s a convenient on-deck refreshment center with Corian counter, sink, Vitrifrigo refrigerator, optional grill and dedicated trash bin—something many boatbuilders overlook. Handrails are placed throughout the cockpit to give you purchase in a seaway. Another functional feature is the dedicated storage for the teak cockpit table. “We do a good job with staying after those details because we’ve been building these boats a long time,” Duane said. He added that since Regal exports boats to 40 countries, the company gets ideas from owners all over the world. “We try to take the best ones,” he said.

Some of these clever concepts can be found in the 35 SC’s interior, which has great headroom for a boat of this size. Push a button and the saloon settee back rises to convert the forward berth into a queen-size bed. “One of the things we try to do is give the boat owners a good bed,” Duane said.

In this boat, there isn’t just one good bed, but two. The mid-cabin is convertible; just slide two filler cushions between the settees and it creates another large berth. Add the optional door and flat-screen TV, and the mid-cabin becomes a private retreat. A fifth person can be accommodated overnight on the saloon settee.

The décor has a yacht-like feel; elegant bamboo flooring is standard. In fact, it’s clear that the 35 SC has benefited from a “trickle-down” effect from Regal’s larger models. For example, when shore-side water is hooked up to the boat, it immediately begins filling the freshwater tank so you don’t have to manually fill the tank with a hose on the foredeck. And the head has a separate shower so you don’t need to use the sink faucet to rinse off. There’s also an optional central vacuum system.

The 35 SC may be a comfortable cruiser, but as we proved while lobstering that afternoon, it also excels as a water-sports platform. The boat has an enormous swim platform and an easy-to-use hot and cold transom shower. You can flip the rear cockpit seat backrest over to create an aft-facing seat that’s ideal for donning masks and fins.

Then, one by one, the Kuck kids picked-up their Hawaiian slings and jumped in. Look out, lobsters!