Testing the REGAL 33XO with twin 300HP Yamaha's | Is this the END of sterndrives on sports cruisers?

Detailed test drive through bumpy water and into some pretty decent ocean swell before running down swell and into the flatter stuff where we kocked out a wide open throttle speed of 43Kts!!!!

It's advantages like this that are really making the argument for outboards one these classic style sports cruisers very strong. I have more sterndrive sports cruisers over the last 20 years than I can count and can honestly say that this twin Yammy set up on the Regal 33XO is awesome and a real set up in ride quality and enjoyment with faster average cruising speeds and a wonderfully high top speed where she was sucking an impressive 198L at WOT so you're best advised to keep your speeds around the 30kts mark for sensible consumption levels.

The interior and cockpit layout achieved on this boat is another impressive achievement for Regal. The space utilization down below makes this boat a true 4 person weekender with two decent beds and and epic mid cabin that many 40ft boats would be jealous of.

If build quality, reliability, performance and a wide array of features for genuine overnight boating is important to you then you need to pay attention to this Regal 33XO because it will dish all of that up and more. This is a boat you could hold onto for many years and continue to enjoy.

[jacktyler]

I know I'm a broken record...but these dual-reviews are just so much more informative (and enjoyable to watch) than the typical Youtube walk-thru's. Nicely done, Dan. My 'some day wish' is for you to review two boats in a single video with the focus being on the tradeoffs between outboards and stern drives (or inboards). Now that outboards are 'in' it's worth pointing out these pro's & con's for all of us. My two strongest gripes with outboards: no easy place for the tender (I like to explore a bit) and periodic engine maintenance = hauling the boat. And yet, I'm shopping for a boat that has outboards. Go figure...

[markdimaio]

I remember many years ago Johnson/Evinrude had an ad comparing their shorter V4 motors to Mercury's tall Tower of Power inline 6 cylinder. The ad stated that "motors like people should not stand up in the back of the boat" Although the outboard from a maintenance perspective is less that IOs it ruins the stern of the boat where 90% of the access on express cruiser take place

[cheapme]

Beautiful boat. Everything Sea Ray used to be but no longer are with the shift towards oversized, ugly day boats. So many builders are focusing on the Florida market with a zillion engines on the stern but little or no overnight capacity, or even a bit of shelter to get out of inclement weather or extend the boating season in cooler climates. Money no object, it would be a toss up between the smaller Regal or the Cutwater coupe.

[gregforbes]

Very informative Dan. I have been an "outboard" fan for years simply because they eliminate the need for twice a year haul outs to antifoul the legs on a sterndrive!!. My only comment on your review would be that 42+ knots on that boat is only achievable with it being dry-stacked with no antifoul on the hull. Once the bottom gets painted top speed generally drops and fuel consumption increases. Still quick for sure, but maybe not 42 knots quick. Great reviews, please keep them coming!!

[AdventuresofHappyOurs]

As a life long inboard/stern drive owner and now a new Regal XO outboard owner - there is no contest - outboards are the way to go. More room in boat, easier to work on, easy to repower, shallow water capable. The Regal XO’s optimize the swim deck use also. Here in Florida, hardly anyone wants to work on inboards anymore.

[chrisinsd]

Awesome video, new to your channel. Would be wonderful if you did a sea test of of a boat like this with Volvo's new Coastal Series drives--titanium coating, electronics to keep away corrosion, in water salt flushes...lots of new tech in the sterndrive space from Volvo. It doesn't appear to be your Dad's sterndrive. A side-by-side performance and maintenance comparison would be SUPER interesting to me as many of us value different things and aren't so dismissive of the benefits of that large transom and water access...its literally one the most important parts of boating for me. If they have solved some traditional I/O issues in salt I would personally drop outboards like hot potatoes!

[bobwoods]

I imagine outboards would be easier to work on and I like the idea of not having holes in the hull for outdrives.

[DrEd-thlu]

It’s perfect. But not 400 thousand U.S. dollars nice. Great review. I could sell both my 34’ Cruisers Yacht and 24’ Baja and it would barely make a dent in that price…. Ouch!

[hildablanco]

Inbourds give more room in back for a shore Boat and if its diesel powered it gives 3 miles per gallon instead of 1 mile per gallon but outbourds are less maintenance

[richr]

Question? Can you replace just the engine on an outboard? Or do you have to replace the entire outboard assembly down to the lower unit? Because those 300 yamaha's are around $28k each here in the US plus labor costs to install them. So if you had a normal sterndrive boat and the drives were in great shape but you needed to replace 2 5.7 merc's with 300hp each, Each engine would cost somewhere in the $15k range per engine for a complete motor and accessories plus $2k for installation. So $15k vs $46k for outboards if you can't just replace the engine in an outboard.

[GMCRaptor]

Another great vid Dan, I think it would add to your viewers if you put on screen specs and pricing of the boats you test.👍🇦🇺

[SocalMarineUSA]

i still cant stand imagining fishing off outboards. Nothing like a direct drive tucked away underneath with a nice deck and swimstep for all kind of activities. Theres no way around it- if the boat has all round walk ways outboards are ok, but a stern access only boat like this is further killed with outboards imo - just a huge wall of machinery blocking the most critical part. We have a similar 30' maxum with extended swimstep and its AWESOME from diving to supping and fishing - everything is just so much easier, not to mention when chilling on anchor and the bbq is smoking away - having thew whole back end view open is further more priceless. we stash the rods to "clean" the view -

[morri]

For me a real boat has a diesel engine. Petrol is more dangerous and the burn rate at cruise is horrendous compared to a common rail diesel. The reality of boating is you very rarely have the conditions to go flat out so the fact that you can’t go 38knots or whatever isn’t that important. Most of the time you are going 20-25 time. Also range is much better with diesel if you want to go away for a bit plus you can usually get diesel everywhere on the water - petrol not so much. at the higher speeds that 500 odd litre tank won’t last long! Your reviews are still the best on the tube though Dan!

[KnowTheNewOfficial]

Is it possible to take option for diesel engine on this?

[tomdunn]

Wharf would the range be at cruising speed?

[RumblesBettr]

went from an outboard to a i/o and i regret it immensely.. will never do another i/o unless i had something larger with diesels

[TheUrbanEpicure]

Why do American boats always look so... old? This might be a 2023 model, but it looks like it's 15-20 years old in terms of design. American car-makers have moved past that, American boat-makers have yet to take the leap. They should travel to Scandinavia every now and then for a few pointers...