Both of these boats are "legally trailerable." Every trailer I've
looked at on the cruisers is actually the same or narrower than the
beam width -- so wide load permits are not an issue. Of course, the
trailer has breaks.

I'm not saying that we won't slip the boat, but we want the ability to
trailer to other lakes. Anyway -- this is a little off topic since
both boats are trailerable.

The Regal feels bigger because it IS a little bigger (1 ft longer once
you subtract out the longer swim platform), BUT it is pretty minor.
The Crownline has more headroom in the cabin.

Hearing some of the service concerns the Regal further reinforces
my preference for the Crownline. PLUS, I just didn't like the sales
pitch from the Regal dealer at the Dallas Boat Show. He said that the
Regal was just better made than the Crownline. I asked for specifics,
but he couldn't come up with anything concrete. I pointed out that
the Crownline had heavier pull-up cleats vs. thin fixed cleats,
Captains Call exhause, nicer vinyl, sturdier seating, electric raising
engine hatch, Bomar windows/hatches etc. He just referred to Regal's
lifetime hull warranty & longer engine warranty, which IS a factor,
but all of the other details I pointed out are important factors as
well. Sure seems like he should be familiar with his competition
before making the claim that "ours is better." He knew nothing about
the true differences.




Larry Weiss wrote in message ...
Some stuff to consider ...

The word "trailerable" depends on your perspective. These are both very
heavy and relatively big boats. IMHO, hitching one of these up every
weekend and hauling to the lake or shore for a family jaunt is going to
become a tedious project. And road travel will be slow. Your truck may
be able to handle the weight, but you will be hauling a large boat meant
for the water but mounted on a trailer. You must go slow, negotiate
curves carefully, stop cautiously, etc.

Plus trailering a boat this size on a regular basis could be very
stressful to the hull. Again, boats hulls are built to float, not
necessarily to ride atop a trailer all the time.

You are also dealing with a wide trailer. I may be mistaken, but if
memory serves me, maximum width for highways is generally 8.5 feet (you
should check this out in the Dallas area). 8.5 feet is the beam of these
boats. Your trailer will (make that "must") be wider. Depending on local
regulations, you may have to get a "wide-load" permit every time you hitch
up your boat.

Have you considered foregoing the trailer, getting a slightly larger boat
for more comfortable cruising and renting a slip in a nice marina?

All that being said, to answer your specific question, Regal makes a nice
boat these days, but they weren't nice to me when I had serious problems
with one of their boats some time back. From that experience alone I'd
lean toward the Crownline.

Plus your gut tells you the Crownline "feels better" even though the Regal
is more spacious. Hmmmm, more spacious yet the boats are essentially the
same size. What is missing from the Regal to create that additional
space? Could it be hull structure? You may want to trust your gut here.

You are right about the mid cabin and sleeping in the "V". When we had
one we called it "the garage", for that's what is was - our floating
storage shed. For most express cruiser owners, the mid cabin is either
for storage or a good place to sleep for the kids.

Also that radar arch may come in handy, even if only to mount a GPS or TV
antenna or even overhead lighting. Just make sure that arch is within
bridge clearances on top of that trailer.

Hope this helps.

Larry Weiss
"...Ever After!"
"a little after..."


DallasBoater wrote:

We've owned a 19ft runabout for about 8 yrs and are ready to make the
leap to an Trailerable Express Cruiser. We already own an F250
Diesel, so towing weight won't be an issue. We've done our research
and visited multiple boat shows over the past 2 years and have
narrowed our selection to two boats (in no particular order):

Crownline 270CR
http://www.crownline.com/models.php?id=270_cr_04

Regal Commodore 2765
http://www.regalboats.com/viewBoat/i...at&boat_id=120

The boats are comparably priced with similar available options except
for the fact that the Crownline has an available Radar Arch, while the
Regal does not -- but the Regal is a little longer.

I would like to hear any opinions from owners of either of these 2
boats. Here is my assessment of the two -- let me know if I'm missing
anything?

The Crownline has a better quality finish from the vinyl, to the
quality of the deck cleats & other hardware. The Crownline has an
optional Captains Call through the side hull exhaust (which I like).
The Crownline has a double captains chair vs. single on the Regal.
The Crownline has name brand Bomar windows. Every Crownline owner I
have talked has been VERY satisfied with their boats. (This is the
first yr for the 270CR model)

The Regal is more spacious for the same money. Nice finish and a
better warranty. Access to the mid cabin is MUCH better and it has
much more clearance for sleeping. But every cruiser owner we have met
said they always sleep in the v-berth, so it may not be a big issue.
I haven't met anyone that has actually owned a Regal to get firsthand
opinions.

Something just feels better about the Crownline vs. the Regal, which
is odd since I usually prefer more space. I would love to come across
someone who has owned both, but I doubt I'll be that lucky :-).

Also -- list price on the Crownline is around $116,000 loaded with
"Boat Show" pricing around $83,000 (w/o trailer). This in the Dallas,
Texas area. How much (if any) negotiating room do I have off "boat
show" price??

TIA

--

In article , Larry Weiss
wrote:

Harlan Lachman wrote:

Three thoughts:

We like to trailer our boat not only for winter storage but to take one
major trip each year. Trailering our boat from Lake Champlain saves a
week or more of cruising we have already done to get to desired
cruising grounds. So even infrequent trailering makes sense to me and
is worth all the reasonable cautions listed.

Like I said, trailerablility is based on perspective.

Interestingly enough, the last time we were up, we seriously considered
hiring a
hauler to trailer our 35 footer up to Lake Champlain from Long Island (been
there and done that with the Hudson and the Canal). However, hauling proved
more costly and risky than the fuel and time expense of cruising up. As it
turned out, cruising the Hudson and the Canal yet again was just fine - its
really a wonderful trip.

Agreed, and I would recommend anyone coming up to visit. However, after
one has done it a few times, the four-five days required to make the
round trip seem like time wasted on a cruise.

Second, our trailer is not wider than our current boat. I saw a 2665 on
a trailer and that boat was as wide or wider than the trailer too.
Hence, I don't think you need the wide load permit.

This is just my opinion, but I believe if the boat's beam is wider than the
trailer, you are taking a greater risk of having the whole rig roll over. If
your beam is wider than the trailer, I'd go real slow around turns and curves,
and leave lots of room for emergency maneuvers.

I am almost completely ignorant of trailers. However, we did not have
problems with ours (although the 2550 LSC is more a sports cuddy than
cruiser so the weight distribution is more favorable.

Finally, we are thinking of upgrading from our 25 sport boat with cuddy
to a trailerable express cruiser. Are the ones Dallas noted the only
large ones on the market. (BTW, I did not like the floor layout on the
Regal's 2765 with the inserts -- two levels -- that seem designed to
break or sprain ankles and I too have had issues with the Company's
service).

There's a lot available in that size range. Hit the boat shows, or pick up a
boating magazine or start surfing the Net.. Just a few to check out: Sea
Ray,
Rinker, Maxum, Four Winns, Bayliner, Chaparral - the list goes on. Since you
are around Lake Champlain, you may want to check out Doral, since their
cruiser
division is headquartered in Quebec. Here are some sites to start looking:

I checked a bunch of the sites (Rinker, Doral, Four Winns, Maxum,
Chapparal) I believe the original subect was about trailerable (i.e.,
8'6" beam boats): I did not find any 8'6" express cruisers listed.
What am I missing?

http://www.searay.com
http://www.rinkerboats.com
http://www.maxumboats.com/
http://www.fourwinns.com/
http://www.doralboat.com
http://www.chaparralboats.com/

Note, I am not making any recommendations, just illustrating what's out there.

Hope this helps

Larry Weiss
"...Ever After!"
"a little after..."



--
Tro respond, obviously drop the nospam!

In article , Larry Weiss
wrote:

Harlan Lachman wrote:

Three thoughts:

We like to trailer our boat not only for winter storage but to take one
major trip each year. Trailering our boat from Lake Champlain saves a
week or more of cruising we have already done to get to desired
cruising grounds. So even infrequent trailering makes sense to me and
is worth all the reasonable cautions listed.

Like I said, trailerablility is based on perspective.

Interestingly enough, the last time we were up, we seriously considered
hiring a
hauler to trailer our 35 footer up to Lake Champlain from Long Island (been
there and done that with the Hudson and the Canal). However, hauling proved
more costly and risky than the fuel and time expense of cruising up. As it
turned out, cruising the Hudson and the Canal yet again was just fine - its
really a wonderful trip.

Agreed, and I would recommend anyone coming up to visit. However, after
one has done it a few times, the four-five days required to make the
round trip seem like time wasted on a cruise.

Second, our trailer is not wider than our current boat. I saw a 2665 on
a trailer and that boat was as wide or wider than the trailer too.
Hence, I don't think you need the wide load permit.

This is just my opinion, but I believe if the boat's beam is wider than the
trailer, you are taking a greater risk of having the whole rig roll over. If
your beam is wider than the trailer, I'd go real slow around turns and curves,
and leave lots of room for emergency maneuvers.

I am almost completely ignorant of trailers. However, we did not have
problems with ours (although the 2550 LSC is more a sports cuddy than
cruiser so the weight distribution is more favorable.

Finally, we are thinking of upgrading from our 25 sport boat with cuddy
to a trailerable express cruiser. Are the ones Dallas noted the only
large ones on the market. (BTW, I did not like the floor layout on the
Regal's 2765 with the inserts -- two levels -- that seem designed to
break or sprain ankles and I too have had issues with the Company's
service).

There's a lot available in that size range. Hit the boat shows, or pick up a
boating magazine or start surfing the Net.. Just a few to check out: Sea
Ray,
Rinker, Maxum, Four Winns, Bayliner, Chaparral - the list goes on. Since you
are around Lake Champlain, you may want to check out Doral, since their
cruiser
division is headquartered in Quebec. Here are some sites to start looking:

I checked a bunch of the sites (Rinker, Doral, Four Winns, Maxum,
Chapparal) I believe the original subect was about trailerable (i.e.,
8'6" beam boats): I did not find any 8'6" express cruisers listed.
What am I missing?

http://www.searay.com
http://www.rinkerboats.com
http://www.maxumboats.com/
http://www.fourwinns.com/
http://www.doralboat.com
http://www.chaparralboats.com/

Note, I am not making any recommendations, just illustrating what's out there.

Hope this helps

Larry Weiss
"...Ever After!"
"a little after..."



--
Tro respond, obviously drop the nospam!

Hi Dallas,

I used to own a Regal 35', which I bought from Boat Tree. When I took
delivery, Boat Tree's grease monkeys had not replaced an oil cap screw in
the starboard outdrive. The Drive failed after about 3 hours and guess what.
No warranty!

Regal would not return my phone calls claiming it was my negligence. It
took a lawyer and 3 years to remedy the situation. Meanwhile, I had to lay
out ten thousand + dollars for a new outdrive.

These days I own a Formula and love the boat. They are well made,
comfortable, and built like a battleship. NEVER had a service issue with
Formula nor the dealer. Be it known that Marina One has bent over backwards
to help out with the only problem I have ever had. (Failed "black box" on
port engine.)

Marina One, Inc.
1-561 625-5440
www.formulaboats.com
--
Capt. Frank

__c
\ _ | \_
__\_| oooo \_____
~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~
www.home.earthlink.net/~aartworks
"DallasBoater" wrote in message
om...
We've owned a 19ft runabout for about 8 yrs and are ready to make the
leap to an Trailerable Express Cruiser. We already own an F250
Diesel, so towing weight won't be an issue. We've done our research
and visited multiple boat shows over the past 2 years and have
narrowed our selection to two boats (in no particular order):

Crownline 270CR
http://www.crownline.com/models.php?id=270_cr_04

Regal Commodore 2765
http://www.regalboats.com/viewBoat/i...at&boat_id=120

The boats are comparably priced with similar available options except
for the fact that the Crownline has an available Radar Arch, while the
Regal does not -- but the Regal is a little longer.

I would like to hear any opinions from owners of either of these 2
boats. Here is my assessment of the two -- let me know if I'm missing
anything?

The Crownline has a better quality finish from the vinyl, to the
quality of the deck cleats & other hardware. The Crownline has an
optional Captains Call through the side hull exhaust (which I like).
The Crownline has a double captains chair vs. single on the Regal.
The Crownline has name brand Bomar windows. Every Crownline owner I
have talked has been VERY satisfied with their boats. (This is the
first yr for the 270CR model)

The Regal is more spacious for the same money. Nice finish and a
better warranty. Access to the mid cabin is MUCH better and it has
much more clearance for sleeping. But every cruiser owner we have met
said they always sleep in the v-berth, so it may not be a big issue.
I haven't met anyone that has actually owned a Regal to get firsthand
opinions.

Something just feels better about the Crownline vs. the Regal, which
is odd since I usually prefer more space. I would love to come across
someone who has owned both, but I doubt I'll be that lucky :-).

Also -- list price on the Crownline is around $116,000 loaded with
"Boat Show" pricing around $83,000 (w/o trailer). This in the Dallas,
Texas area. How much (if any) negotiating room do I have off "boat
show" price??

TIA

Hi Dallas,

I used to own a Regal 35', which I bought from Boat Tree. When I took
delivery, Boat Tree's grease monkeys had not replaced an oil cap screw in
the starboard outdrive. The Drive failed after about 3 hours and guess what.
No warranty!

Regal would not return my phone calls claiming it was my negligence. It
took a lawyer and 3 years to remedy the situation. Meanwhile, I had to lay
out ten thousand + dollars for a new outdrive.

These days I own a Formula and love the boat. They are well made,
comfortable, and built like a battleship. NEVER had a service issue with
Formula nor the dealer. Be it known that Marina One has bent over backwards
to help out with the only problem I have ever had. (Failed "black box" on
port engine.)

Marina One, Inc.
1-561 625-5440
www.formulaboats.com
--
Capt. Frank

__c
\ _ | \_
__\_| oooo \_____
~~~~|______________/ ~~~~~
www.home.earthlink.net/~aartworks
"DallasBoater" wrote in message
om...
We've owned a 19ft runabout for about 8 yrs and are ready to make the
leap to an Trailerable Express Cruiser. We already own an F250
Diesel, so towing weight won't be an issue. We've done our research
and visited multiple boat shows over the past 2 years and have
narrowed our selection to two boats (in no particular order):

Crownline 270CR
http://www.crownline.com/models.php?id=270_cr_04

Regal Commodore 2765
http://www.regalboats.com/viewBoat/i...at&boat_id=120

The boats are comparably priced with similar available options except
for the fact that the Crownline has an available Radar Arch, while the
Regal does not -- but the Regal is a little longer.

I would like to hear any opinions from owners of either of these 2
boats. Here is my assessment of the two -- let me know if I'm missing
anything?

The Crownline has a better quality finish from the vinyl, to the
quality of the deck cleats & other hardware. The Crownline has an
optional Captains Call through the side hull exhaust (which I like).
The Crownline has a double captains chair vs. single on the Regal.
The Crownline has name brand Bomar windows. Every Crownline owner I
have talked has been VERY satisfied with their boats. (This is the
first yr for the 270CR model)

The Regal is more spacious for the same money. Nice finish and a
better warranty. Access to the mid cabin is MUCH better and it has
much more clearance for sleeping. But every cruiser owner we have met
said they always sleep in the v-berth, so it may not be a big issue.
I haven't met anyone that has actually owned a Regal to get firsthand
opinions.

Something just feels better about the Crownline vs. the Regal, which
is odd since I usually prefer more space. I would love to come across
someone who has owned both, but I doubt I'll be that lucky :-).

Also -- list price on the Crownline is around $116,000 loaded with
"Boat Show" pricing around $83,000 (w/o trailer). This in the Dallas,
Texas area. How much (if any) negotiating room do I have off "boat
show" price??

TIA