FIM 340 Regina

By Andy Adams

Italian style and performance

This past July, we had the opportunity to review the FIM 340 Regina for the first time. We rode with Todd Girvin from Central Marine to put this boat through its paces, and we were also accompanied by Canadian Boating Magazine President Jill Snider. We were fortunate enough to have very good weather.

But, was it good boat review weather? Remarkably, we usually have gentle winds and calm seas when we do these reviews. I sometimes feel that’s too bad, because in this case, the FIM 340 Regina was built to handle the Mediterranean, and we didn’t give it much of a workout in Georgian Bay.

Quebec-based Marine SCA is bringing the FIM boat line into Canada, and I expect that the very high style FIM 340 Regina will turn heads, especially in Quebec and Ontario. FIM (Fabbrica Italiana Motoscafi) is an Italian builder of luxury pleasure craft. Their 34-footer is a very interesting combination of a large and luxurious dayboat, but with sporty-looking styling, including a bubble windshield, hardtop and low sides. Equipped with twin 300 hp Yamaha F300 engines, the performance was very impressive, particularly the acceleration. You better be hanging on when this boat takes off! We timed zero to plane at 7.31 seconds and zero to maximum speed at 13.7. Top speed was 42 knots (48.3mph) at 5600 RPM. That’s really blazing along!

The performance and the styling suggest a sexy dayboat, but when you head down below, you discover an elegant cruiser, with a handsomely appointed cabin with private head and fully enclosed shower, a convertible vee berth, aft cabin for two and more.

Overview from the Stern

The best way to explore the FIM 340 Regina is to begin at the transom, because swimming, entertaining and water sports is a primary mission. The impressive performance from the twin Yamaha F300s is ideal for towing wake boarders and inflatable toys, although the twin outboard propellors rule out wake surfing for critical safety reasons. Wake surf boats need inboard or forward-facing drives because the surfers get so close to the transom that they could fall into the props.

Innovative Movable Seating

One of the highlights of the FIM 340 Regina is the aft swim platform and cockpit area. This has a remarkable and very versatile moveable seating system. The transom is fairly low and makes it easy to step onto the boat from the pier. The test boat flooring was done in soft, grippy PVA material that stays cool in the sun. To accommodate the Yamaha outboards being able to tilt forward, there’s a section of the swim platform that lifts up so the engines can tilt clear of the water.

Ahead of that, the aft deck is basically open. The test boat had a three-piece floor-mounted furniture system; an aft bench seat and track-mounted Port and Starboard side seats. These side benches are very clever! In the centre of these three pieces of furniture is a multi-function table. Just forward from this is the galley unit with sink, single-burner stove top, Vitrifrigo refrigerator and storage. The setup makes for a great entertaining space. The dining table is a high-low design and has sections that hinge out, and with the side seating pushed inward, you have a comfortable dining area with an open passageway all the way around the perimeter. Plus, you can make the seats into an enormous sun lounge.

The midships cabin area is open and accessible with useful storage and fair headroom. Owners might opt to sleep here and leave the vee berth set up for dining.

The aft bench seat in this arrangement has a multiway backrest so you can sit facing forward or aft or even swing it down totally to expand the sun lounge space. There’s storage in the seat bases, giving you plenty of room for lines, fenders, safety equipment and water toys. It’s a very cleverly designed playground. If you prefer, slide the seats out to the sides and maximize the floor space.

The forward vee berth can be converted to sleeping accomodation or kept as a comfortable dining area out of the sun. That’s a nice option on a boat with so much outdoor space.

Centre Helm Station

Moving forward, the gunwales are fairly low, giving the cockpit an open and sporty feel, but there are recessed decks and substantial side rails for safety. The helm is particularly cool. The helm seat is mounted on the front side of the galley unit with the driving position in the center. This means you can be surrounded by guests when driving and not be blocked away into a corner. It also gives you excellent views in all directions. The test boat had a substantial big hardtop providing lots of shade and comfort, especially when anchored out at the sandbar.

Note that side-canvases can be easily installed if the temperature drops or the rains come, and you always have standing headroom here.

The galley is conveniently located about midships, with option to add a rail-mounted BBQ. Owners might add a rail-mounted BBQ.

Make no mistake, the outdoor activity areas are a highlight of the FIM 340 Regina, and not just at the stern. Our test boat had an impressive sun lounge covering almost all the front deck. Two people could completely stretch out, and there is a nice headrest by the windshield base for added comfort. Getting to the foredeck is easy on the wide recessed side decks. The sturdy, oval-shaped gunwale rails give a feeling of security, and the decks continue the soft PVA flooring from the stern.

At the bow of the FIM Regina 340 is the anchor locker. The shank passes through the stem for an elegant look, and the setup comes with an electric windlass to make anchoring easy.

The transom area is very adaptable, with adjustable seating, storage, and great deck space for lounging and swimming while at anchor.

Performance

The twin Yamaha F300 engines were the new models with smooth, fast, and precise Digital Electric Steering that was first introduced on the XTO Offshore models. Digital Electric Control models can be equipped with the new bolt-on Helm Master EX Digital Electric Steering as well. A Raymarine MFD is mounted in the centre of the helm binnacle, and, in addition to cartography and displaying engine functions and other information, you could equip the boat with auto-helm for long cruises.

Getting on the throttles for the first time, the FIM 340 Regina really took off with strong acceleration and a bow-high playful ride attitude. Tight turns were easy with the Digital Electric Steering, and the near-50 mph top speed was exhilarating. One thing we noticed though, was that the 340 did not have trim tabs installed yet, and you will want those to keep the bow down in rough weather.

Other items of note include the cabin galley, with another Vitrifigo refrigerator and a clever cabinet to house your Keurig coffee maker. It even has a swing-out holder for the Keurig coffee pods! Between the thrilling performance and the sunny weekend lifestyle features, the FIM 340 Regina is ready to add a rich new aspect to someone’s life!

The center-mounted helm puts the controls in easy reach and the views forward makes driving and docking easier. The MFD is concealed on the top section.

SPECIFICATIONS
Observed GPS speeds
RPM – SPEED (mph)
1,500 8.7
2,000 10.5
2,500 11.8
3,000 15.3
3,500 27.4
4,000 33.4
4,500 37.7
5,000 43.1
MAX 5,600 48.3

The head compartment is efficiently laid out and has a separate shower.

Length OA: 34’2” / 10.40m
Length: 32’ 7” / 9.98m
Beam: 9’ 8” / 2.99m
Weight: 12,015 lbs / 5450kg
Maximum capacity: 12
Engine: Twin Yamaha F300 V6 outboards
Gasoline and diesel options

Price as tested: $699,900 CAD

Test boat and price supplied by: Central Marine, Midland, Ontario, www.centralmarine.ca