As the sun sinks into the Gulf of Mexico, nature's thermostat drops the temperature from blazing hot to tropical sultry, and things get really quiet at the Vinoy Yacht Club Marina in St. Petersburg, Florida. If you were experiencing any tension, it has long dissipated as you lounge in the cockpit of Regal's new 3350 Sport Cruiser with a beverage in hand. As nighttime descends, clicking on the courtesy lighting and turning on some smooth jazz on the anything-but-standard Kenwood six-speaker CD stereo creates a relaxing ambiance, not that you, the lone occupant, need any help in that area. Wanting nothing to interrupt the reverie, in a moment of reckless abandon, you pull out your cell phone and press the 'off' button.

Spending the night alone on a boat takes on a whole new dynamic, because when you're with others, sometimes the excitement of being out on the water gets the adrenaline flowing, and you start socializing, and the next thing you know it's really late. But when the only excitement is the knowledge that a really good book ('I, Claudius'), is waiting for your arrival in the cabin, you've found the total relaxation zone.

Satisfied that it's not too early to turn in (by St. Petersburg standards, anyway), you enter the cabin via the sliding acrylic door, which also has a parallel screen door that helps provide bug-free ventilation. But summertime in Florida means you better have air conditioning, and the icy blast of cold air from the cabin greets you like the frozen-food section of the supermarket. Actually, at 72 degrees it's a little too chilly, so bumping the digital thermostat on the optional 10,000 BTU air conditioner up to 75 turns out to be the perfect temperature. The cabin feels very nautical because of the standard cherry and holly salon floor, and the understated white V-lounge/berth and rich cabinetry is welcoming. Pulling the bedding out of the cedar closet, you eschew the filler cushion that goes atop the elegantly finished wood dining table that gets lowered by swapping to a shorter pedestal. The sleeping surface is plenty wide without it, and thanks to the long cushion sections, you don't have numerous cushion cracks to impede your comfort. Regal uses LeatherCrest upholstery, which is butter-soft, over a semi-firm closed-cell foam that delivers an excellent sleeping surface. Despite the boat's sleek profile, there's plenty of headroom for 6-footers down here. On the starboard side is a full-size head compartment that features a vanity with Corian countertops, sink, hot and cold shower, and a standard Vacu-flush head. There's really no galley to speak of in the cabin, although there's a place for a refrigerator and microwave, because the cooking is designed to be done al fresco in the cockpit.

The 3350's cabin is something of a departure for Regal, since it only sleeps two, whereas all of the other Sport Cruisers (right on down to the 2465) have at least two berths. But the 3350 is designed to be different, and although its niche seems to be that of a day boat, it's also a very comfortable overnighter. It could be that Regal has cleverly designed the 3350 as a parent getaway boat: 'Sorry kids, but it only sleeps two, otherwise we would bring you along. Order a pizza for dinner, and mind the babysitter. We love you, and we'll see you tomorrow.'

After a restful night in which the cell phone didn't ring even once, the 3350 passes the overnighter test with flying colors, so it's time to test the 3350 in its other role as a family day cruiser. At 9 a.m., just after an intense rain shower, Duane Kuck and his family board the boat via the swim platform and center transom walkthrough that has a transom door and filler cushion. Duane is the president of Regal, and he and his wife Cindy are the proud parents of five great kids ranging in age from 12 years old, down to the newest boater in the family, 8-month-old Kalli.

They aren't worried about the rain because Duane, being a pilot, called flight service at the airport to get the scoop, and they said it's OK to fly (the 3350 will just be cruising at a slightly lower altitude). Duane's sons Paul and Jacob, ages 12 and 10, get the dock lines and fenders, and the Regal is eased out of the slip. With a whopping 11-foot-4-inch beam, the 3350 feels larger than its 34-foot-8-inch overall length would suggest. This beam not only gives you loads of room in the cockpit and cabin, but when you step on board, you'll notice that this Regal has an earth-like stability that'll be great news for those who don't like rock 'n roll.

Sitting at the helm in the double-wide adjustable captain's helm and looking at the no-fog Faria gauges that have red backlighting, you grab a hold of the Dino sport wheel, which features a non-slip surface and burl trim that matches the stylish dash trim. With a non-glare surface on the dash top, you don't have annoying 'ghosts' obscuring your vision in the windshield that comes with an eye-catching polished stainless-steel header. The throttles are well-positioned on the molded pedestal, and when the driver advances them to put the 3350 on plane, you never lose the horizon as the Regal maintains a very level attitude. So much so that it's almost hard to tell the exact moment it gets on plane.

The 3350 is in Regal's Sport Cruiser family, and it's not just because it looks sporty. Its OceanTrac hull uses a constant 19-degree hull angle until it reaches the bow's point of entry, where it gets sharper, for a stable, smooth ride in the chop. Each OceanTrac hull has a custom configuration depending on the model so each has the optimum blend of speed and agility. In the case of the 3350, 19 degrees of deadrise feels perfect. Settling into a brisk 40-mph cruising speed and making a minor adjustment on the standard trim tabs, the driver flips the seat bolster up and stands to feel the wind in his face and to more easily spot the occasional crab pot buoys that pop up to test the driver's reflexes. Although the 3350 has a beefy dry weight of more than 11,000 pounds, it changes directions well with just the flick of a wrist. Even though you won't mistake its handling for the slot car-like turning ability you get with one of Regal's smaller FasTrac hull models, like the 2200 Bowrider, you'll be surprised to find that this boat can be thrown into a turn hard without complaint, unless someone was making soup for lunch, that is.

Despite the test boat only having the standard pair of smaller 320-hp, 5.7L Volvo Penta GXi engines, the 3350 still manages to crack the 50-mph barrier, but for those who really want to get their hair messed up, there are optional MerCruiser 496 Magnum MPI engines that pump out 375 hp each that'll turn the Regal into an almost 60-mph boat.

After crossing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the day's destination comes into view: Egmont Key National Wildlife Sanctuary. This 350-acre barrier island has a colorful history dating back to 1848, when a lighthouse was built on it to keep mariners off the sandy shoals in the area. It was once occupied by both the Confederate and Union troops (not at the same time, of course), and just prior to the Spanish/American War, Fort Dade was established. Although you wouldn't know it now, by 1905 there was a bustling community of 300 people here with facilities like a bowling alley, movie theater, tennis courts, a hospital and even a jail, presumably for housing renegade movie-going bowlers, brandishing tennis racquets.

As they approach the island, the water becomes shallow and clear ' perfect for wading around, which is why it's such a popular spot on weekends. After dropping the hook into the sub-four-foot water from the helm station using the optional electric windlass, they're ready for some aquatic fun. But first Cindy slathers the family with sunscreen with the efficiency of a NASCAR pit crew, and one by one they jump into the spa-like water. Shell collecting becomes the number-one sport, and soon Alexis and Cassie, ages 9 and 5, are playing with quite a collection of mollusks on the oversized swim platform. There are some interesting design features back here like the four flip-up stern lockers that are perfect for storing water toys, fenders and dock lines. As the waders are re-boarding for a little break, each hoses off with the standard hot and cold transom shower before entering the cockpit.

The U-lounge seating configuration is designed to allow the captain and companion seat occupants to be able to join in on the conversation. A really welcome feature on cloud-deficient days like this is the oversized Bimini top that keeps most of the cockpit in the shade. When you want to work on your tan, the Bimini can be furled, and the twin opposing cockpit benches turn into large sun pads by removing a section from the backrest and repositioning it next to the seat bottom. This 3350 is equipped with the cockpit refrigerator option that you can get when you order the bar cabinet option behind the captain's seat. You can even add an icemaker, which is a handy option because you can never have too much ice on board a boat like this that'll no doubt see a lot of entertainment duty.

At lunchtime, the sandwich fixin's are removed from the refrigerator, and Cindy begins the assembly line at the refreshment center with a Corian countertop that includes a water spigot behind the companion seat. If you want more elaborate meals, you can a get a flip-up gas grill if you get the bar option, or you can get a stowable gunwale-mount grill instead.

When it's time to retrieve the anchor, it's easy to get to the bow, due to the wide steps up to the walk-through windshield. The bow section is flat, and there's a non-skid deck, giving the anchor-master safe footing. When the anchor is raised with the footswitch, Duane notices that it's muddy, so instead of trying to ineffectively swish it around in the water, he grabs a hose from out of the bow locker and rinses it off ' how handy is that?

After a leisurely run back to the Vinoy, Paul takes the controls, and he expertly backs the 3350 into its slip without any help from Dad. In the end, the 3350 proves itself as an ideal family day cruiser as well as an overnighter for two. The suggested retail for the standard equipped version is $164,327, and for the money you get a boat loaded with features that are normally options, like the upgraded cherry and holly cabin floor, cockpit carpeting, three tables, all filler cushions, 8-inch pull-up cleats, battery charger, compass, power steering, hot and cold water ' even at the transom ' and CD stereo. Must-have options include the air conditioning, bar cabinet, cockpit refrigerator, icemaker, microwave, gas grill, electric windlass and flatscreen TV w/DVD, which will add another $13,778 to the final tab, but in the end you'll have a quality boat with loads of room and storage that's perfect for a day of family fun or a night of parent getaway.