Heading down Taylor Creek on a swiftly outgoing tide with historic
Beaufort, North Carolina, on the starboard side, Robin Team swings his Regulator 21FS into the city
docks for a quick stop so that his companion can run across the street and buy a couple of
Kastmaster spoons.
Most people would figure that an owner of a Regulator would have plenty of tackle, but for
Team this is the first time he has even had fishing rods aboard his 21-footer. What gives? This is
a different sort of center console that will not only appeal to the fishing crowd, but also to guys
like Team, who is by avocation a competitive sailboat racer who captains a 40-foot J/120 named
Teamwork. What makes the 21FS different? Those who guessed that the 'FS' stood for 'fish and ski'
will receive partial credit, because with the 200-hp Yamaha HPDI hanging on the back, you could ski
behind this boat, but the 'Foxtrot-Sierra' designation actually stands for forward seating. With
V-seating in the bow and a wide bench seat in front of the console, which features firm, thick
cushions, this is one center console that can do double duty as a cocktail cruiser/tour boat.
But with all the great entertainment boats on the market, why choose a center console? The
answer becomes abundantly clear as the protected creek runs into the Morehead City Channel at the
east end of Bogue Sound and things get rough. Fueled by 25 mph southerly winds, it's downright
nasty, and with the outgoing tide, there are some interesting rips curly-cuing the surface. Team
hits the throttle and puts the 21FS on plane in just three seconds and settles into a cruising
speed of 30 mph in a little more than seven seconds. The Regulator handles the channel chop
comfortably and with total control. Approaching Beaufort Inlet, the incoming wind and outgoing tide
conspire to create a relentless phalanx of five-footers. Team hands the helm over to his co-pilot
and challenges him to try to keep his dry shirt in its present condition. As they enter the waves
at a slight angle, the driver blips a little down deflection on the optional 12-inch by 12-inch
Lenco powder-coated trim tabs to keep the sharp 48-degree hull entry meeting the waves at their
moderate speed.
Despite the generous Carolina bow flair that you would expect on a boat built in Edenton,
North Carolina, a plume of wind-directed spray soaks Team like a Super Bowl-winning coach. The
driver, cowardly protected by the tall windshield, mumbles an apology and resumes concentrating on
negotiating the brutal seas. After proving to his satisfaction that the 21FS can handle such
adverse conditions, he turns the boat about smartly in a brief lull and surfs the seas back to
calmer water. He would have probably been better off not looking backward though, as the rather
large engine cutout in the transom and the low splashwell does not make this a great boat to take a
breaking wave over the stern. Unlike its larger siblings, the 21 doesn't have the 24-degree
deadrise that helps give the Cadillac ride in rough conditions that Regulator is known for.
But without a moderate 20-degree deadrise, the 21FS would be far too tippy, given its
8-foot-2-inch beam and 2,700-pound hull weight. That being said, you'd be hard pressed to find a
more seaworthy 20-footer. There are a number of fishing boats in the lee of Fort Macon, which was
built in 1834 to shore up a weakness in the coastal defense exposed during the War of 1812, so they
follow their lemming-like tendencies and join the gaggle. Team takes the suggestion that as a
sailboater, he might need instructions on which end of a fishing pole to hold in silent good humor.
He answers by casting the golden spoon skillfully.
The 21FS is well suited for angling, especially with options like a built-in tackle
compartment on the starboard side of the center console. Like other popular fishing boats, the 21FS
has a 25-gallon baitwell sunk into the cockpit sole, which uses a passive system (a hole in the
hull) to keep bait lively. There is an available plumbing system for the baitwell that also powers
a raw-water washdown and is recommended for avid live baiters. In the corner of both sides of the
stern is a pair of insulated, drainable 52-quart boxes that can be used for holding a variety of
items like dead bait and chum, cast nets, and drinks, or they can be used as fish boxes for all but
deep sea species. For longer fish, there is a pair of 75-quart insulated boxes under the bow seats
that drain overboard. There is plenty of room for the fighting sticks with six rod racks under the
gunwale, four Lee rod holders on top, and four rocket launchers behind the standard leaning post.
After drifting and casting for an hour, they come to the conclusion that the fishing fleet
is here not because fish are present, but because it's calm, so they decide to do some sightseeing.
With Team acting as navigator, he points to the left of Radio Island and they head toward the east
leg of the turning basin. Slowing down to idle to squeeze between a construction barge and the
seawall of the Morehead City Port Terminal, they cruise under the bridge before lighting up the
Yamaha 200 HPDI to full throttle. Reaching a top speed of 41.8 mph is respectable considering the
100-gallon fuel tank is nearly full.
The helm station is set up for fishermen. In front of the driver is a large lockable
electronics box, with a standard Ritchie compass on top of the console, which has a retaining lip
to keep items from sliding off. A pair of Yamaha gauges is mounted to the side with the accessory
switches on a section of dash that cants in for better visibility. The standard five-spoke wheel
has a rubberized coating that gives good grip and will be nice in cold weather. The standard
leaning post is substantial, features a flip-down footrest for comfort and has room underneath for
a 96-quart Igloo. For folks who like to carry plenty of beverages, there's another 80-quart cooler
under the forward console seat, and as long as you are flipping hatches, you will find there is
room for an optional portable head under the forward-most compartment. One major beef is that for a
boat with so many coolers you would think there would be some cupholders on board, but there are
zilch. After running up the Newport River, the driver executes a hard 180, which the 21FS carves
with no sliding, and they cruise back toward town on Gallant's Creek, then skirt the northwest side
of Beaufort on Town Creek before heading back to the dock.
After a day on the water in tough conditions, the 21FS is found to be put together well, and
even bashing it hard fails to elicit any banging of loose parts. Fit and finish are superb, and
components like the hawse pipes and pop-up cleats are what you would expect to find on a premium
boat. This is also one of the smallest boats that can handle the new Yamaha F225 4-stroke. With a
price tag of $44,000, when powered with the Yamaha 200 HPDI, Regulator isn't positioning this as an
entry-level boat. And if you load it up with options, you could easily add another $10,000 onto the
sticker price. But when Team was shopping for a boat to cruise around in ' after checking out the
competition ' he came to the conclusion that it was worth the extra money to own something he could
be proud to drive. Go Team.