I owned a Rinker 270 (Express cruiser--sort of trailerable--9'6" beam, draft about 2 feet plus outdrive)--Greg has hit one of the major issues with express cruisers for the Loop (Certainly express cruisers, including a Rinker, have done the loop). The "cave" for the living space. The Rosborough 246 and C Dory boats all are pilot house boats with galley, dinette and helm/navigator seats in the pilot house, where all of the world is visiable. The pilot house can easily be heated or airconditioned--this is not as easy in the canvas covered express cruiser. There is no water leakage into the cabin--yet ventillation is excellent, with opening side and front windows. The R 246 and C Dory boats/Ranger tugs are all truely trailerable with 8'6" beam, and relitatively light weight. I have owned 4 I/O's during my life. I will never own another one. There are just too many issues with the I/O--mostly with the drive units. Outboards can be run trimmed up--the I/O should not be run trimmed up, because of the "gimble" joints.Todays outboards in commercial service are getting very good longivity. I can compare the Rinker 270 with the Tom Cat directly--both had 300 hp, & similar weight. The Rinker was beamer and a moderate V. The Rinker got 1.6 miles a gallon at 22 knots and was very slow to get on a plane. The TC 255 gets 2.3 miles a gallon (50% more) and from idle to 25 knots is less than 6 seconds--no shifting passengers foreward to get the boat on a plane. Top Speed Rinker: about 35 knots--TC 255 49 knots. Range Rinker: 150 miles--Tom Cat 255: 300 miles. Ride--the Tom Cat is a much smoother ride in chop than the Rinker. The Rinker has to be at 18 knots before it is on a plane. The Tom Cat (a true planing cat) will come up on a plane (with Permatrims) at 10 to 11 knots-- I cannot comment on the speed of the Regal on one engine--but based on my experience with the Rinker, I suspect that you will only be at displacement or semidisplacement speeds when running on one engine, and not on a plane. The TC is similar--you cannot plane on one engine--and about 9 knots is top speed without lugging the engine on a single. There are several reasons for this--but part is the asymetrical effect of widely spaced engines. It runs fine at 6 to 7 knots, but as you come up on in speed, it pulls to one side. The bunk on the Tom Cat is longer than a queen, and I believe a little more than queen width--we use cal King Sheets on the Tom cat 255 forward bunk...Also the Tom Cat has a self bailing cockpit--most express cruisers do not have self bailing cockpits. But I am predjudiced--I gave up an Express for the Cat. Again--for fuel effeciency--the diesel is the way to go--and there are a number of other small diesel boats. Definately the cost of gas is high on the faster boats--but there are lots of trawlers or gas powered displacement speed MY which are getting only 2 miles a gallon. Lets say 6,000 miles--30 days at 200 miles a day (assuming that you want to go that fast in the cat)--and 90 gallons a day and at $3.50 a gallon that would be $315 for fuel a day or $9,500 for 6,000 miles (all rough numbers) At displacement speeds, the Tom Cat will get better mileage.--probably in the 4 to 5 miles a gallon category, but I don't have enough long term running at that lower speed to be absolutely certain--and these numbers are extrapulated from relitatively few miles at lower speeds--not multiple fillups--which were used to calibrate the flow meters at 25 knots. The flow meters are probably less accurate at the lower flow rates. Bob Austin