Cobalt A25 vs Regal 26 Fasdeck

[AsLan7]

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Since there were no new entries in this "Other Boats and Comparisons" title thread since 2015, I thought I would add one.

I think Regal does a nice job these days. Here is a 4 minute comparison between a 2016 Cobalt A25 and a 2018 Regal Fasdeck. Two years difference between model years but not sure much has changed in the Cobalt.

Curious on CChat folk's opinions regarding the comparison...

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[cmattj]

Nice share pal.. also they didn't mention that Regal uses a stepped hull.. Yes it's faster with same power.

But the Cobalt still has the sex appeal and a sleek deadrise IMO .
Now put both in the water side by side and I'm jumping in the Cobalt .

[2ridgebacks]

Actually, it took a bit to find a test with a 300 hp motor in the Cobalt, but I did, and the Cobalt was faster.

http://www.marina.com.tr/admin/PICS/pre ... 162452.pdf Cobalt 52.8 mph
http://www.boattest.com/review/regal/2692_27-fasdeck Regal 46.2 mph

Now, having said that, my A25 runs a hair over 54 on iPhone GPS in the heat of summer and 55 when it cools a tad. That is with the 400hp 8.1L. I suspect they may have been running downstream or something.

Funny they didn't open the fold out seats in the front or even mention they were there. As to the big bench seat on the left rear of the boat, I don't think it is all that practical unless you are laying out as people will get jammed up in the corner if sitting upright. I can post a pic of me sleeping in the passenger seat, but I don't think anyone wants to see that. Again, I had 15 people on board Labor Day weekend. 6 adults, 3 teens and 6 less than teens. Nobody griping about sweaty body parts touching either.
That is my honest, but possibly a hair biased review. We can check resale value after 10 years if he wants.

[tgrace98]

I actually toured a regal 28 fastdeck at the boat show and liked it a lot. Still would rather have a A28 or an R7 but still a really nicely designed boat

[Bfun220]

The lake we boat tends to be a little rough. That Regal with that wider is not going to cut through the waves like the Cobalt.

[Big Block Power]

Yes the A looked tight. The regal seats all looked squared off and cheap. The bow was big but I didn't like it. I'll take the room but that's it. The rear facing seat on the sun deck was nice. The lines all the way go to the A

[tgrace98]

I'm guessing the dealer is a Regal dealer as well. Seems pretty biased towards the Regal. Personally I would never want more than 8-10 adults on a boat of this size so I think the Cobalt A25 has plenty of room for that amount of adults.

And the bow on that Regal is hideous!

[jhnmdahl]

Regal looks like they tried for more surface area in the seating without actually thinking about how people would use it. I was also surprised the quality differences were evident even on a little video on my phone.

Cobalt all day for me.

[Driller]

Quality was lacking on the Regal, you could see that in video. I agree with 2ridge, let's check back in 10 years and check the resell and how the fit and finish on the Regal has held up.

I do like the wrap around bench on my 242, but that's a personal preference. It doesn't give a lot more room, but I like the looks.

[Ytmsn]

Dang Skippy. I do too!

[Table Rockin]

I like the wrap around bench seat as well. And while the regal interior looks a bit more roomy, I doubt practically speaking thats the case. The bench seats on the regal look narrower. If that his the case, it will make for a less comfy ride for us larger folks.

So the fasdeck system, let me see if I understand this. They widen the hull bottom to allow for faster speeds on lower HP engines? Sure i'm guessing that is good for fuel economy and off the lot pricing, but seems like you sacrifice ride comfort and torque. I'm not really interested in giving those things up to save a few bucks on fuel and upfront engine costs. Some may, but not me

[sailor55330]

So, my take is that the dealer is definitely a Regal dealer as he references that they took the Cobalt in on trade. Also, there is a 2 year difference in boats, but as we know Cobalt's don't change much---for a reason....when you get it right the first time, you don't have to.

I looked at Regals at the recent boat show in Minneapolis, and they are nice boats, but to be honest, just not in the same class. The interior layout of the Regals was similar to other boats that I saw with Sea Ray coming to mind. I saw a lot of boat manufacturers going to what I call bench style seating that runs along the outer perimeter of the hull and usually pretty squared off. It gives you space, but in my mind, it reminded me of a bathtub with benches--really no character at all. If you blindly put me in a Sea Ray or a Regal or a Glastron and only let me see the inside, they all looked pretty much the same. Now, put me in a Cobalt and I immediately know from the styling cues. I also noticed that the dealer was selling on space. Let's put the 2 boats on plane at 25mph and turn the wheel to the stops.....I want to be on the Cobalt. I don't know the hull construction, but I'm betting the Regal doesn't have Kevlar reinforcement or the overall hull thickness ( I asked my dealer about 1/2" of overhang on the rear bunk and he said---the hull/transom is about 4 inches thick----quit worrying)

Bottom Line is Regal makes a really nice boat, but it's not a Cobalt.

[EndoTiger]

I mean ... yeah, if your goal is to simply cram as many people as possible into a boat, the Regal wins. But that's not at all the goal, at least for me. The Regal doesn't come remotely close as far as fit and finish. And that helm on the Regal is just hideous to my taste. I know we're biased here, but I think it's for a reason. It would be the Cobalt every single time for me.

[Traveller14]

I think this comparison is apples and oranges. The A25 should be compared to a Regal 2500 and the Regal Fastdeck should be compared to a Cobalt SC boat. In any case I agree with the quality and layout comments above. I have a Regal 2300 that I am waiting to trade on a Cobalt. I delayed the decision for another summer because I’m still not 100% sure on size or surf or not surf. I did spend some time in the R25 and it’s just a much higher quality boat. I’ve had some parts break on the Regal that just should not break. The Regal has a more simple utilitarian layout which is nice. Upholstery and hardware are head and shoulders better in the Cobalt. The Cobalt also feels much bigger/safer inside (I have a nervous wife). As for speed I don’t get it. The lighter weight and stepped hull should make the Regal faster but it seems not. My 2300 with 300hp consistently does 52mph on my iPhone gps and 57 on the boats speedo (I assume the phone is accurate and the boat speedo was designed by the marketing department). More importantly boat test lists it just over 50 so no advantage. Maybe it’s prop pitch or something else.

[B town]

Funny story to add. My friend bought that Cobalt from that dealer. He traded in a Regal 2300 with the stepped hull. It rode rough in the water. When skiing everyone would get on my 220 and anchor the Regal
After I rode on his A25 I sold my 220 and upgraded to a 2013 A25.
My biased 2 cents, Cobalt wins hands down! Love the hull design, interior fit and finish on the Cobalt.