1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

[ggundersen3]

Again I'm looking to replace the 19' bowrider I sold in October. Looking at a 1994 Regal 20' bowrider with a Mercruiser 5.0L V8 and alpha one drive. The boat is spotless for $4995. It'd be the first time in 4 boats I've owned that had trailer brakes (surge). 2 questions here...What should I be aware of with trailer brakes as what to look for before buying it and ongoing maintenance required? Second question...Where does Regal fit in in the fiberglass world of bowriders as far as quality/resale etc? Is it close to entry level or close to the top like Cobalt and Crownline?

 

[redneck joe]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

midline and i loved my surge breaks - towing about 10k

 

[Slip Away]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Regal (1994) upper mid level, now they are top level.

They make great boats, but this 20' is almost exactly the same size as a 19', with different layout. Not much of a jump in size, and
ride and storage will only be marginally better than a 19' bowrider.

 

[jkust]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

When a boat is that old, I almost don't consider brand at all as long as it isn't a budget brand that is missing amenities you want. I wouldn't buy a boat that old and especially because 1994 is two years before Vortec heads/design on I/O's. Pre-1996 is the old style engine and 1996 and newer is almost the same as the last of the carbed 5.0 that were recently outlawed for sale new by the EPA (caveats apply).

A new small, Regal bowrider however is in the upper quartile of boat brands. Cobalt and Crownline are not at the same level or price as a reference point or when new but Id say a new Regal small bowrider is at least Crownline quality. Crownline took a bit of a reputation hit with their spotty financial past as well and are not Cobalt build quality but are nice. Cobalt is unabashed, no corners cut, when you want the best and are willing to pay for it but they haven't made small bowriders since the 2001/2 model year.

I'm talking about run of the mill small bowriders that are in the Midwest not the dozens of other brands of other boats you rarely see here such as Formula and others that are in a whole other class.

 

[alldodge]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Again I'm looking to replace the 19' bowrider I sold in October. Looking at a 1994 Regal 20' bowrider with a Mercruiser 5.0L V8 and alpha one drive. The boat is spotless for $4995. It'd be the first time in 4 boats I've owned that had trailer brakes (surge). 2 questions here...What should I be aware of with trailer brakes as what to look for before buying it and ongoing maintenance required? Second question...Where does Regal fit in in the fiberglass world of bowriders as far as quality/resale etc? Is it close to entry level or close to the top like Cobalt and Crownline?

When you get into opinions of other boats you usually stir up a bit of "I have a boat that your talking about and it is not on the bottom". Hey sometimes it's good to stir the pot so long as you don't have to lick the spoon as a fella here once told me. I put Regal's in the entry level and not high on quality, good boat but usually need attention now and then with electrical, fittings, gel coat, etc. No way would I put Cobalt and Crownline together. Cobalt are in the top end and Crownline is in the mid range where I would also put Rinker.

Surge brakes, look for any wetness on the back of the drums, could indicate a wheel cylinder leak. Take the boat on the trailer for a test drive to see if the brakes work. Should be able to stop with not much more foot pedal then when the boat was not there.

 

[jkust]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

When you get into opinions of other boats you usually stir up a bit of "I have a boat that your talking about and it is not on the bottom". Hey sometimes it's good to stir the pot so long as you don't have to lick the spoon as a fella here once told me. I put Regal's in the entry level and not high on quality, good boat but usually need attention now and then with electrical, fittings, gel coat, etc. No way would I put Cobalt and Crownline together. Cobalt are in the top end and Crownline is in the mid range where I would also put Rinker.

I notch Rinker down a bit but their brand new models have taken a big leap in dry weight. It's tough to compare new versus old because for example a new Bayliner is pretty nice boat these days compared to my dad's 1984 Bayliner that is nearly see through. In other word's some boats got nicer and others such as small Sea Rays that used to be venerable and looked upon highly where as the early/mid 2000's they became Sea Ray in name only and sub par for the price they charged. In a vacuum, I would take the heaviest dry weight, fiberglass, bowrider of the same size if all I had to choose from was a list of verified dry weight boats equipped with the same engine.
Of course everyone has an opinion and regardless of facts or statistics or whatever, their xyz brand is as good or better than abc brand.
I mostly only know small bowriders as that is almost all that is on MN lakes (if not a pontoon or tin fishing boat). I know people who own and ride in just about every Midwest brand of boat you can think of.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

test surge breaks,, jack it up, spin wheel and pump the actuator, there's usually an access pt you can get a flat head screw driver and pump it...few pumps, the caliper should engage,,they engage slowly, few pumps before they grab good...one pump should not a slam to a hault....

 

[ggundersen3]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Ok thanks. Like I said trailer brakes are all new to me. My past 3 boat trailers didn't have them and my friends with bowriders don't have them on their trailers either. Silly question here tho.....because they are surge brakes, isn't it a problem backing uphill? Won't the weight shift forward and lock up the brakes? One boat I looked at had a lever where I think you can disconnect them, but some others I didn't see that. Explain this?

 

[jkust]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

There are two different overrides to back up. One is the through the pigtail when you put the truck into reverse and the other is a manual pin you can use in a pinch.

 

[alldodge]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Ok thanks. Like I said trailer brakes are all new to me. My past 3 boat trailers didn't have them and my friends with bowriders don't have them on their trailers either. Silly question here tho.....because they are surge brakes, isn't it a problem backing uphill? Won't the weight shift forward and lock up the brakes? One boat I looked at had a lever where I think you can disconnect them, but some others I didn't see that. Explain this?

The lever is like the manual pin jkust mentioned. You find the pins and levers at the ball hitch to keep the hitch from moving and applying the brakes. With disk brakes you have to have either a bypass or fluid shut off valve in line to keep the hydraulic pressure from reaching the brakes.

If you have the bypass type, when you shift to reverse this will open the valve and release all pressure so you can back up.

If you have the shut off, you have to either stop on level or truck going up hill before shifting into reverse (so the brakes are not applied), or put a switch in the cab so you can turn the breaks off (so to speak) before you touch the brakes. I have a switch in the cab which I turn on just before I reach where I'm going to stop on my runabout trailer.

Only other way is if you have drum brakes and have easy back type brakes. The brakes still work in reverse but not very well.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

(5) pin wire harness is needed, if you have a 4 pin, no worries, just connect your 4 to the new 5 pin and match em up the 5th wire--->... your back up (reverse) light wire (that makes that light up) is connected to the 5th wire,,, "color escapes me",, perhaps get some of those heat shrink wire connectors, pinch em on good, use lighter and close em, wrap em up with tape, the reverse wire will "lock out" the actuator and keep breaks from engaging....so you can back up,, at least mine works that way,, I installed surge break system on my trailer that hauls 20ft cuddy...

 

[Slip Away]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Wish my 2012 trailer worked like that. It has surge brakes, 7 pin connector, but brakes always lock up on uneven surfaces in reverse. I have to put the included pin in
manually everytime I back into the yard. It's a pain to have to do this, and also to remember to take the pin out when we leave, or brakes do not work.

Otherwise love the EZ-Loader trailer which came new with our boat in 2012.

 

[jkust]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

So in a pinch, correct me here guys, back several tow vehicles ago I only had a 4 pin. I seem to recall you can simply flip the connector and attach right as you are about to go in reverse to override then flip the harness plug back to normal when pulling forward again.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Have not had to do any "pin pulling" yet,, thank GOD.. The system I installed June 2013, was Tie Down Surge Break System,, pretty slick actuator lock out with 5th wire.......... I had a 4 pin,, was gonna go to U-haul and have them put 5 pin on and thought, hell, how hard can this be? wasnt....

 

[alldodge]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

So in a pinch, correct me here guys, back several tow vehicles ago I only had a 4 pin. I seem to recall you can simply flip the connector and attach right as you are about to go in reverse to override then flip the harness plug back to normal when pulling forward again.

With disk brakes you have to have a solenoid in line to keep it from moving. The 4-pin harness only connects lights, no brakes. It is the purple wire which would be the 5th wire. Need a 5 or 7 pin connector, or install a new wire next to the connector to install a spate wire just for it (this is how I did it on the runabout)

http://www.etrailer.com/faq-wiring.aspx

 

[alldodge]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Wish my 2012 trailer worked like that. It has surge brakes, 7 pin connector, but brakes always lock up on uneven surfaces in reverse. I have to put the included pin in
manually everytime I back into the yard. It's a pain to have to do this, and also to remember to take the pin out when we leave, or brakes do not work.

Otherwise love the EZ-Loader trailer which came new with our boat in 2012.

Slip Away, look at these free backing type. The forward shoe which is used in reverse is about half the size of the forward breaking shoe. They do work and backing is much easier. You may be able to just replace your shoes. Might help

Edit: forgot to post the link
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Trailer_Brakes-tw-Free_Backing.aspx

 

[Slip Away]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Thanks, also need to check the back up fuse in our GMC, seem's to be a common fuse to blow with these trailers.

 

[jkust]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Thanks, also need to check the back up fuse in our GMC, seem's to be a common fuse to blow with these trailers.

Yep, like an idiot I blew mine on one of my GM suv's last year when replacing a full tail light that was damaged. There are I think three different fuses/links that are for back up purposes and in my case it was the one under the seat I didn't even realize was there. You quickly realize something is wrong when you can't back the trailer up.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Under the seat ??? Yikes, guess there are more fuses than I thought. I'll have to get the manual out and
take a look. Not like I will be boating around here anytime soon.

 

[jkust]

Re: 1994 Regal 20' Regal bowrider

Under the seat ??? Yikes, guess there are more fuses than I thought. I'll have to get the manual out and
take a look. Not like I will be boating around here anytime soon.

\

My GM suv's have two or possibly three different fuse blocks. I've never accessed the third so might just be imagining it. But it one under the hood, one under the rear seat and I think one under the dash by the steering wheel (the possibly imaginary one).