2002 Regal Destiny 2120

Testers Notebook: 2002 Regal Destiny 2120 Location: Intracoastal Waterway and Gulf of Mexico, Sanibel, Florida. Test load: Light load, four adults, half fuel, safety gear. Test day conditions: Clear, one to two-foot chop, wind variable, 10-12 mph. Synopsis: With a top speed of 45 mph and a comfortable 30-mph cruising speed with a 5.0-litre Volvo Penta, and space for all kinds of waterfront equipment and activities, the 2120 Destiny is a genuine all-purpose boat.

By: Peter Wilson
     If there was a perfect day for boating what would you want your boat to do? Take you fishing, pull you around on the end of a ski-rope, take you to a nice anchorage where you could relax, or maybe you just take you cruising? If you like to share your day on the water with family and friends the perfect day of boating would probably involve a couple or even all of these activities. But how many boats would you need?
     Maybe just one.
     The Regal 2120 Destiny deckboat -- with seating for up to 12 and more storage than most boats of the same length and performance -- may be the closest thing to an all-purpose boat.
     The 2120 Destiny shares the same hull as Regal's 2110 Destiny centre console, a well-proven hull design. Regal then adds a sculptured dual-console deck that accommodates a five-section curved windshield with aluminum frame and centre walk-through. The Destiny hull has plenty of freeboard, very noticeable from the outside, very appreciated inside as the main cockpit provides a secure feeling. I measured a healthy 28 inches of cockpit depth at the transom door, with the door closed.
     Moving around the Destiny's main and bow cockpits is no problem. Making good use of the boat's eight-and-a-half-foot beam, Regal has designed a single-level cockpit floor. Although our test boat was equipped with optional removable cockpit carpet, the Destiny's fiberglass cockpit liner has moulded-in non-skid throughout, should you decide to "go bare." Beneath the fiberglass cockpit liner, the Destiny's built with fiberglass-encapsulated stringers.
     On the practical side, there are two large floor lockers, the largest between the consoles running all the way to the bow, with a hinged hatch and removable carpeting. The second floor locker is located on the starboard side of the main cockpit between the helm seat and the transom door. Again, you reach it through a hinged hatch that measures 53 inches long. Carpeting is glued in place on the floor. While both floor lockers have good-sized openings for easy access, 12 and 13 inches wide respectively, we recommend that Regal equip these hatches with something that will keep them open, a strap with a dome or clip, or better yet, gas assisted struts.
     There's more storage under the passenger seat, under port and starboard bow seats and in both consoles. While the starboard console provides a large carpeted storage area typical of deckboats, the surprise is the port-side console storage area -- big enough to house a chemical toilet, included as standard equipment. (It can also be ordered with pumpout fittings.) Under the port side of the L-shaped aft lounge there is a removable 25-quart cooler, and there are well-placed drink-holders throughout the boat.
     When it comes to upholstery work, specifically stitching and comfort, Regal is right up there with the best. The helm seat on the 2120 Destiny provides firm padding and enough cushion width to accommodate even above-average-beam bottoms. The same is true of the passenger seat with its reversible backrest.
     Driving the 2120 Destiny while seated or standing is easy. The helm seat slides fore and aft, the forward half of the helm seat bottom cushion can be raised up and back to become a leaning bolster and the steering wheel tilts. The Faria tachometer and speedometer are oversized and easy to read. All other gauges and switches are easy to see and well-marked.
     Our test boat, an early production model, was equipped with a Raytheon VHF flush-mounted into the lower left side of the dash panel. The problem was, the microphone cable dangled in the way of your legs while you got into the seat. Relocating this recommended option to the lower left side of the dash panel would be an easy fix. The Volvo Penta throttle/shifter is well-positioned, easy to use while manoeuvring around docks and well away from the steering wheel and dash panel when pushed down to the open position.
     The Destiny's exterior is as functional as its interior. Aft, there are two swim platforms. The raised platform is integrated into the hull and houses a self-draining storage compartment. The lower extended swim platform houses a conceals a four-step telescoping swim ladder that is 44 inches long (almost 33 inches actually extends into the water). Forward of the bow cockpit is another integrated swim platform, complete with its own concealed telescoping ladder, designed to make boarding from a beach possible. Up front Regal also includes a pair of docking lights as standard equipment.
     We ran the 2120 Destiny out of Sanibel Harbour towards the Gulf of Mexico in waves of up to a foot and a half. With four adults on board the 220-hp Volvo 5.0 GL had the 2120 up and on plane in an acceptable 8.2 seconds; however, to the Regal-Volvo combination's credit, the bow remained quite level while coming on plane and acceleration was quite good once the boat reached plane.
     We recorded a top speed of 45.6 mph at 4,500 rpm, but more importantly, the Volvo delivered a pleasant cruise speed of 29.6 mph at 3,000 rpm.  While on plane the Destiny's curved windshield provided protection from wind and spray. However, the top of the windshield frame partially obstructed the view directly forward, a characteristic quite common on small runabouts. 
     We put the Destiny hull through test cornering manoeuvres. We liked the way the boat leaned into the turns. The back end never felt like it was going to slide out and there was no bow-hook. For the family that likes recreational water sports, the 2120 should keep wakeboarders and skiers happy. The boat was capable of holding 20 mph with a wake crest that should send boarders skyward, but at an average skiing speed of 30 mph the Destiny left a wake that was smaller than expected, a real plus for slalom skiing. 
     Deckboats really are all-purpose boats that are gaining acceptance and popularity, and the Regal 2120 Destiny is ready to accommodate any boating you want to do - all day long.
 

Specs:

For the dealer nearest you contact:

Regal Marine Industries, Inc.,
2300 Jetport Drive, Orlando,
Florida 32809 U.S.A.
(407) 851-4360
www.RegalBoats.com