2018 Regal 21 OBX

Boat Reviews

Boat Review by: Richard Crowder

Regal Boats of Orlando, Florida has introduced four all new models for 2018 and has renewed several other models. The 21 OBX is the newest and smallest of Regal’s Outboard series of seven models up to thirty-three feet. Regal offers a total of thirty-five models of Bowriders, Surf Boats, Cuddies, Express Cruisers and Sport Yachts in six series from nineteen to fifty-three feet.

The 21 OBX rides on Regal’s patented and proven 20-degree deadrise, deep-V FasTrac, full-beam stepped hull which is said to aerate the running surface to reduce drag and friction resulting in up to 26 percent faster speeds and 30 percent better fuel economy. You get to choose your horsepower from a Yamaha F150 or F200 outboard engine.

Many outboard-powered runabouts provide very little swim platform area or accessibility which is so in demand with the emphasis on and enjoyment of so many different watersports activities today. Not so the 21 OBX. It offers a full U-shaped molded platform which wraps around the outboard engine providing easy access to both platform sides plus includes a recessed and covered stainless steel 3-step telescoping boarding ladder on the starboard side.

A starboard side transom walk-thru from the swim platform to the cockpit passes by the extra wide transom sunpad within which is a huge lazarette storage compartment. U-shaped seating completely surrounds the cockpit, on the starboard side forward to the driver’s wrap-around, adjustable, molded helm bucket seat with flip-up forward bolster and lumbar support.

Seating flows around the cockpit and ahead on the port side to the passenger console where the passenger seat backrest is hinged to allow forward seating or rear-facing lounging. Regal calls this “Social Seating.” Storage is found beneath the hinged seat cushions supported by gas struts and a portable 25-gallon Igloo cooler has a dedicated storage compartment. A trash receptacle is also standard as are stainless steel drinkholders throughout. Two choices of interior upholstery are available; Pebble Beach, or Titanium.

The two-tone molded helm with hand-stitched dash of the 21 OBX features a sport tilting steering wheel with power assist, in-dash storage, fuel gauge, digital depth sounder with alarm, and a centre-dash mounted standard Garmin 742, 7-inch GPSMAP chartplotter. Also standard is a Fusion UD650 marine stereo with full smart phone integration, Bluetooth® compatibility, plus six 200-watt speakers. Blue LED cockpit courtesy lighting is standard.

The molded passenger helm features a lockable glove box. An in-floor storage compartment located right below the centre opening windshield section and between the driver and passenger helms is large enough and ideal to store lots of watersports accessories such as skis, wake or surf boards.

Moving forward into the bow, full surround seating is offered with padded and upholstered coaming bolsters for back support plus full backrests on the forward faces of both helms allow stretch out lounging. Behind these two helm backrests are what Regal calls “StoreMore” lockers. Both are large, dry and functional. Under the forward bow cushion is a built-in and dedicated anchor storage locker.

Standard colour is “Tahiti Beach” all white hull and deck with your choice of nine boot stripe molded-in gelcoat colours. You could also select from nine choices of coloured hull sides or from ten choices of hull side and hull bottom with another ten choices of bootstripe colour. An ESX Package option gives you Extreme Sport Graphics on the hull sides, colour-matched upholstery accenting, extra hull colour schemes, plus a black windshield header instead of the standard aluminum header. A bimini top is standard.

Regal’s PowerTower option allows you to raise and lower the tower electrically for low bridges, boathouse use, or to make winter storage, or trailering easier. It comes with a combination anchor light and wake tow attachment on top. Choose your PowerTower in White or Black or choose instead the black Sport Tower. You can choose a bimini top/sunshade for your power tower and even in white if you choose the white tower. Also choose a bow and cockpit cover. There are four choices of canvas colours.

Other factory available options include carpet or Seagrass mat for the cockpit floor, SeaDek covering for the swim platform, waterski pylon, docking lights, bow walk-thru doors, bow filler cushions, a composite cockpit table, stereo High Performance package upgrade, and an in-dash electronics upgrade to a Garmin 742xs screen with sonar and transducer.

The smallest of Regal’s outboard-powered bowriders is loaded and ready for family fun.

2018 Regal 21 OBX Photo Gallery

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