42 Beneteau Swift Trawler

Source: Boatpoint Magazine

While Beneteau’s new 42ft Swift Trawler is the perfect conveyance for the leisurely cruising couple, Trade-A-Boat also discovered that it has a deceptive turn of speed

The growing ranks of snowy-haired nomads, not the caravan-toting types but the boating breed, are fuelling heady demand for trawler-type motorboats.

Add the high price of fuel and the scores of sailors changing to power and you have exactly the kind of market that Beneteau hopes will play into the hands of its new Swift Trawler 42.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing, the Swift is a pretty boat with traditional lines but a deceptively fast turn of speed. During our short test following the Sydney Boat Show in August, before the owner arrived to take delivery of this very boat, we went from French champagne cruising at 8kt to a jaunty clip of 14kt and were already quite satisfied.

I was expecting, say, a 17-18kt or maybe 20kt top speed from the Swift. That wasn’t to be. The turbos kicked in on the twin 370hp Yanmars and suddenly we were screaming down the harbour at 27.3kt. That’s fast for a trawler – which this boat is by name, but not necessarily by nature.

Here, you can have your frugal cruiser and your fast trip back home. You can, in fact, do a lot of things in the Swift. The boat was designed with a long-term program in mind. It might be sporty to drive, but it’s a stately boat with liveaboard amenities.

DRAWING BOARD
Beginning with a carte blanche, Beneteau spent several years designing the Swift Trawler. The boat has comely lines that immediately met my approval; a seaworthy profile that suggests a real passagemaker at play – something borrowed from Beneteau’s yacht line in the finish department – and the kind of amenities you’d expect in, well, a trawler.

But best of all, the boat is designed to be manageable for a less-than-agile couple. You can saunter around the decks traced by survey-height rails with abandon. That’s great for kids and crew charged with swinging fenders and securing mooring lines.

Above-deck cleats make the job of tying off those lines a lot easier than if the boat has hawsepipes and hidden cleats.

To this practical walkaround deck you can add great access on and off your Swift Trawler. There are side cabin doors into the saloon, and amidships gates for stepping off your boat and onto the dock. The direct access indoors will come in handy for taking on provisions at the marina before casting the lines.

The ergonomically designed ladder leading from the covered cockpit to the flybridge has oversized teak steps. You might be able to carry a tray of canapes and full champagne flutes in fair weather. The bridge is designed for entertaining.

LOVE MY TENDER
The big aft deck is there to carry your tender out of the way of the lower decks. The boat pictured had – very cleverly, considering the demographic of its market – a Walker Bay sailing dinghy with mast ready to step at short notice.

The tender or dinghy is launched from the trawler’s mast and boom. Other times, you might fly a steadying sail from the mast for motorsailing to reduce roll at sea. Having said that, the sail would be used more for looks on this hard-chine semi-planing hull from the pen of Joubert/Nivel.

Without the tender, that aft flybridge deck – which is traced by survey-height rail – serves as an entertaining area. Throw a stack of chairs up there and you could stage the ultimate NYE party on the harbour. There is a moulded sink and an optional fridge in the bridge for the Moet.

Like all well-planned boats, Beneteau makes good use of the Swift’s foredeck. The test boat had some optional large cushions that created handy sunpads. Bow to stern, the boat is usable, practical and accessible.

TRES SALTY
Indoors, the Beneteau Swift Trawler has a salty style not completely dissimilar to a yacht. The saloon had rich red mahogany joinery, “moire creme” upholstery and funky light fittings for a great overall finish.

Like a yacht, the Swift Trawler 42 is strong on the storage front. There is a built-in sideboard running along the portside containing cabinets, storage shelves, drawers and a fridge. There is good storage in the galley, bedrooms and outdoors in a massive lazarette too.

In the saloon, the dealer fitted an LCD television on a swivel bracket facing across to the boat’s L-shaped lounge to starboard. The fold-out dinette can seat six people when the supplied occasional chairs are added.

Pull-down blinds provide privacy. Blinds up, the saloon is bright and breezy – especially if you leave those side saloon doors open. A saloon door helps open up the boat.

The small galley to port is on the same level as the lower helm and saloon seating, thereby making for a social boat for cooks and captains. Amenities include twin sinks, a gas three-burner stove/oven/grill, pull-out garbage bin and cupboards.

The dealer added a dishwasher, air-con in the main saloon, and 7kW generator. A microwave oven would be a useful addition, but as it was, with the galley alongside the internal helm, the Swift Trawler was a great boat for doing meals on the run.

Accommodation below decks comprises two cabins and two heads. Guests are treated to an obtuse double bed to starboard that can sleep a couple in comfort. The owners are spoilt with a masterly island bed in the bow, which solicits attention like a French boudoir on liberation day. The dinette in the saloon converts into a third double bed.

The heads are on the small side, but the owners have an electric loo in their en suite, trendy frosted sink and cool ship-like portholes. The guests’ head or dayhead is alongside. Both compartments have handheld showers – there is the option of one big head with a separate shower stall.

ANY WHICH WAY
Whichever way you look at it, the Swift Trawler 42 is a wonderful boat for a cruising couple. The owner’s cabin is just huge, and it’s kitted out with plenty of storage space for swinging the glam rags.

The second cabin and head will assuage cruising guests as it will family members. Two heads helps with entertaining, though it would be nice if two electric loos came as standard.

The enclosed helm makes this an excellent cruising boat in inclement conditions. The views out the windows, which have wipers, are unfettered of the bow cutting through the ocean. Up top, the boat is even more fun to drive. It turns off the wheel more like a sportscruiser than a trawler.

Both upper and lower helms had a Raymarine RL80C combo GPS/radar/sounder unit, ST6001+ autopilot for hands-free passagemaking, twin Yanmar engine panels, VDO gauges, Lenco trim tab indicators – the boat didn’t need them during my short test – and, of course, a bowthruster.

From champagne cruising at 7.5-8kt at 1400rpm to low-speed cruising at 14kt at 2200rpm and fast cruising at 20.6kt at 28000rpm, the Swift Trawler felt smooth. At 3400rpm you can surprise your guests with a 27.3kt cruise. At 18kt, Beneteau claims a range of more than 300 miles.

Predicably, this, the sixth Swift Trawler to roll off the production line, was bought by an ex-yachtie in Sydney. One expects a lot more rag-and-stick men will come across, because of the Beneteau badge and the Swift’s traditional feel.

To my mind, this is the French marque’s best motorboat yet.

Boat Specifications: 42 Beneteau Swift Trawler

BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER 42

PRICE AS TESTED $811,473 w/ Yanmar 6LYASTP diesel motors and factory-fitted and dealer options

OPTIONS FITTED Electronics, teak cockpit, sunpad mattress, deckwash pump, searchlight, dishwasher, air-con, genset, LCD televisions, Walker Bay tender and more

PRICED FROM $645,500 for standard model w/ twin 200hp Yanmar motors

GENERAL Material: GRP fibreglass hull

Type: Hard-chine semi-displacement

Length overall: 13.60m

Beam: 4.17m

Draft: 1.05m (max)

Deadrise: n/a

Weight: 10,895kg

CAPACITIES

Berths: Four plus two

Fuel: 1500lt Water: 640lt

ENGINE

Make/model: Yanmar 6LYASTP

Type: Six-cylinder diesel w/ direct injection and turbocharging

Rated hp: 370

Displacement: 5.184lt

Weight: 510kg

Gearboxes (make/ratio): n/a

Props: Four-blade bronze