FIM 340 Regina, the evolution of the species

A day aboard the new FIM 340 Regina. 

If you thought you’d seen it all in terms of ten-metre open sports yachts, you’d be very wrong. The new FIM 340 Regina is a boat that is decidedly different from all the others, capable of perfectly combining sporty design with above-average liveability. A combination that, while certainly what everyone would like, is extremely difficult to synthesize.

But FIM – Fabbrica Italiana Motoscafi – has plenty of experience to offer. Corrado Piccinelli and Manuela Barcella have over 25 years’ experience building prestigious yachts for internationally renowned yards. The team is completed by renowned designer Paolo Ferragni and Vannis Marchi, co-founder of Liu Jo, resulting in an irresistible mix of passion and expertise. We couldn’t help but taste this flavour for ourselves, so we drove to Chioggia to get on board this wonderful boat.

FIM 340 Regina Sea Trial

Today Chioggia offers us an almost summery day, the ideal climate for testing an open sport yacht like this. Gimmy Valente, founder of Adriatic Wave and important distributor of FIM and other prestigious brands, is waiting for us to accompany us on the test. I’ve known Gimmy for a long time and I know we’re going to have fun today, he certainly doesn’t hold back when it comes to pushing hard.

We cast off our moorings and head out of the Mosella dock, manoeuvring this boat is really easy. Outside the harbour we sail slowly, the limit in the lagoon is around ten knots and the two 300 hp Yamahas barely mumble at this speed but, despite this low pace, the hull goes straight, an undeniable sign of a pronounced V and a very correct deadrise angle.

Once past the breakwaters and into the open sea, I push the throttles forward to get into glide and, to my great and positive surprise, I realize that the FIM 340 Regina is already coming out of the water at around 10 knots. Accelerating slightly, we reach 14/15 knots and here the boat lowers its bow, stretches out completely and begins to glide through the water with a virtually perfect trim.

But it’s time to see what this hull is made of, so I put the throttles on and, as the thrust of the two outboards glues me to the seat, I see the log rapidly increase in speed. The FIM 340 Regina has an intoxicating acceleration and in the blink of an eye we are already over 45 knots. We trim the outboards by raising them and set the top speed at 47.2 knots. What is amazing is the longitudinal position of this hull, the boat cruises flat on the water with the bow wheel almost touching the surface of the sea, an almost perfect ride!

At top speed I try to make a wide turn, which I was expecting, but the FIM 340 Regina does so without hesitation. The stability at high speed is excellent.

I slow down to about 30 knots, tell the crew to hold on and then turn violently to the left. The boat heels, the adrenaline kicks in but the hull holds its circular course without any problems and without losing speed. I take the outboards to their maximum turning radius, making a circle with a very small diameter, 20/25 metres at the most. We’re still sailing at around 30 knots and as we’re riding a perfect circle I take both hands off the rudder but, again, this sporty open yacht doesn’t care and stays on a circular course as if it were on rails.

I quickly counter-turn, I catch our waves on the starboard side but the hull goes through them as if they were made of butter, what a hull guys …

I bring the boat on a straight course, slow down and give the controls to Gimmy asking him to continue cruising at 30 knots. I go down below deck and once again I’m amazed by the total absence of creaks and squeaks, the FIM 340 Regina is really flawlessly built.

The new FIM 340 Regina in detail

The FIM 340 Regina powerfully enters a very crowded market, introducing a model that stands out from the crowd with its high level of finish.

This is immediately apparent as soon as you get on board.

We are greeted by a teak of remarkable quality which, in the joints and fittings, immediately reveals that expert hands have worked here.

But it is in the details and materials used that the FIM 340 Regina reveals its true nature, everywhere there is a clear feeling of luxury that, in a ten-metre craft, we’ve honestly never seen before.

The cushions, with closed-cell padding, are upholstered in fine fabrics that satisfy the senses even to the touch. The T-Top, here in its SPORT version, is a small masterpiece of design and sturdiness.

Painted perfectly in matt black, it is anchored to the stern bulwarks and, by means of generously sized stainless steel tubulars, is connected to the forward dashboard, creating a one-piece, vibration-free structure.

The overall design of this solution also gives the whole boat a gritty look which, in this configuration, certainly does not go unnoticed.

The helm cockpit, which is heavily shaded by the T-Top, is centrally located and leaves space to both port and starboard for onboard circulation. Reaching the large sundeck in the bow is easy, whether the boat is stationary or underway.

At the stern there is a multifunctional area which, thanks to a solution as ingenious as it is useful, instantly goes from being a large dinette with a U-shaped sofa and central table to being transformed into a huge additional sundeck. Bounding the edge of this lounge area at the bow is a bar unit containing a sink, hob, fridge and plenty of storage space – in short, everything you need to enjoy a day at sea without hassle.

But it is when you get down into the bowels of the FIM 340 Regina that, after opening your mouth wide in amazement, you realize the great quality of this boat. We are greeted by a space so large that it seems almost impossible, where leather, fabrics, precious essences and a superlative lighting system highlight the work masterfully carried out by the craftsmen of this shipyard.

The dinette below deck is obviously convertible and features a huge oval sofa in the centre of which is a fold-down hydraulic piston table. The head is also oversized and has a separate shower, a feature that is decidedly uncommon on boats of this size.

In the stern, a second double cabin of delightful design houses two single beds which, cleverly, benefit from side storage compartments and are separated by a central piece of furniture with a generously sized top and power socket.

https://youtu.be/YJb6_PvKH5A

Test Data

Test conditions: 3 people on board, 100% water, 100% fuel, calm sea, 5-knot wind.

Technical Specs