BOAT REVIEW Regal 42 Grand Coupe

Taupo’s Trev Terry Marine (TT Marine) is the importer and distributor for Regal Boats in New Zealand, with the Regal 42 Grand Coupe (GC) the largest model they’ve imported to date. TT Marine is undergoing a remarkable expansion under brothers Brock and Rhys Terry, with new premises and established marine dealerships in Taupo, Turangi and Kinloch (Western Bay Marine), so they’ve got the lake covered.
TT Marine recently announced the purchase of Firmans Marine in Napier and Wanaka Marine in the South Island. Regal Boats are an integral part of TT Marine’s business plan, with a range of Regal outboard and sterndrive-powered trailer boats displayed on dealership forecourts and more of the larger Yacht range coming soon.

This Regal 42 GC was launched in April 2022 and the engines, a pair of Volvo Penta IPS600 each with 435hp, have about 70 hours on them. The vessel is a fully optioned version that includes a hydraulic swim platform, Seakeeper gyroscopic stabilising system, electric sunroof, three-zone dual-cycle air-conditioning, cockpit shower, bow spotlight, washer-dryer, oil change system, central vacuum system?, and more.
The Regal 42 was berthed at Taupo’s town marina at the lake’s northern end. Taupo Moana is New Zealand’s largest body of fresh water with a surface area of 616km2, but the Regal 42 can reach any corner of it within a couple of hours. In considerable comfort too, which is important, because water conditions change fast, and waves build up in no time on this exposed, high-country lake. There’s peace of mind knowing your vessel can handle the conditions should the wind suddenly get up.

The boat has a versatile layout. The platform is wide enough for fishing and great for swimming. With a 300kg capacity, it’s the logical place to store a dinghy tender – floating it on and off should be a breeze with the platform fully lowered.
The transom has handy locker storage for fenders and lines, an L-shaped seat facing the removable cockpit table, and a composite worktop, BBQ and fridge on the starboard side. The shore power cable retracts onto a hidden reel, vacuum cleaner style – neat.
Engine access is either through an inspection hatch in the cockpit sole, or via the platform – the whole transom, seat, cockpit sole and all, lifts on electric rams to provide easy access the engines, generator, mechanical, electrical and refrigeration systems. The Seakeeper stabiliser is housed under the saloon sole in the centre of the boat.

The cockpit is a modest size, but with plenty of built-in seating and storage. The cabin roof extends all the way back to the transom, providing shade and shelter for the cockpit, which can be fully enclosed with canvas and clears for winter boating. The boat’s heating system is fully capable of turning the enclosed cockpit into another warm and cosy space.
Brock and Rhys opted for the galley aft layout, but the Regal 42 can also be configured with the main galley down – in this boat there’s a second worktop and sink in the companionway landing.
As presented here, the L-shaped aft galley on the starboard side is simple but functional, with composite work surfaces, sink, two-drawer fridge-freezer, electric hob and combination microwave/convection oven. Triple-stacking tinted glass saloon doors provide excellent cockpit access.

The saloon table and wrap-around seating on the port side of the saloon is slightly raised to afford excellent sightlines through the big windows and enhance headroom below. The TV, which can also mirror one of the Garmin MFDs, hinges down from the ceiling above the galley. With the GRP electric sunroof open, the space is flooded in light.
Below decks, the accommodation is divided into two cabins off the companionway’s wide landing. The landing is open, bright and airy, and the vessel’s main switch panel is located next to the stairs where it’s easy to access.
The bow cabin features an island-style double berth, wall TV, overhead hatch, a hanging locker and access to the semi-ensuite bathroom with its separate shower. A combination door and sliding screen provides privacy.

There’s a full-beam twin cabin amidships with windows on both sides, but limited headroom. The Super-King single mattresses slide together to make an athwartships king-size berth, there are two hanging lockers, a large settee under the port side window and the same attractive toasted oak engineered wooden floors found throughout the vessel.
Up on the bow, there’s a lounging foredeck with an adjustable raked backrest, removable cushions, and plenty of drink holders. The anchor system is decent for an imported boat, with a concealed Lewmar winch and a stainless-steel plough anchor. The anchor is stowed sideways, lowered via a through-hull hawse pipe which leaves the foredeck clear. The bow rail extends all the way back to the cockpit for security when going forward.

Casting off the lines, Volvo Penta’s IPS joystick control was put to good use backing out of the narrow berth while contending with crosswinds and a strong river current. There’s no bow thruster, but IPS provides excellent low speed control and manoeuvrability.
The 42 GC’s single helm station is dominated by twin 16-inch Garmin MFDs. Along with the usual Radar, GPS charting and fish finder screens, it also displays Regal’s proprietary vessel management interface.
There’s excellent vision through the wide, one-piece windscreen and a pair of washer-wipers ensure visibility remains good no matter the weather conditions. The helmsman’s sliding side window lets in fresh air and opens wide enough to stick your head out and the footrest is well positioned. The bench-style helm seat can accommodate two people and its fold-up bolster provides good support if standing up to drive.

The Regal is a quiet boat underway, especially with the saloon doors closed. It was chilly enough out on the lake that we mostly kept them closed, but there was no sign of diesel fumes or fine spray sucking back into the cockpit and cabin, so the doors can happily be left open on a nice day.
The Regal gets up and goes. This boat has the upgraded engines, so performance is lively. As mentioned, the joystick control is a blessing in low-speed close quarters situations, but we also made good use of Volvo’s Heading Hold function when positioning the boat for some of the photos.
There was a bit of wind on the lake for our morning run, so the Regal had to deal with the resulting chop, which increased as the wind built during the morning. The ride was good considering the conditions, allowing us to cover the water at a brisk pace. We cruised comfortably at speeds in the mid-twenties, adjusting the Bennet trim tabs for the best angle of attack, and achieved a top speed of around 32 knots on the day. On longer runs, the autopilot comes into its own.

Steering is light and the Regal responds immediately to helm inputs. Turning at speed induces a fair bit of heel, the result of a deep-vee hull, but the Regal tracks true and holds on tight, handling almost like a trailer boat.
At the end of our morning with the Regal 42 GC, Brock berthed the vessel without difficulty or fuss, again proving the value of IPS drives at docking time.

The Regal 42 GC feels quite at home on Lake Taupo, but it would be equally happy on Lake Wakatipu, Lake Wanaka or any one of New Zealand’s coastal harbours and ports – TT Marine can ship boats anywhere in New Zealand. With a family-friendly, practical layout, clean, modern interior styling and a choice of power options, the Regal 42 is yet another attractive option for Kiwi boaters looking for quality and value with an American twist.