King for a Day – Beneteau combines luxury and range in the new Swift Trawler 47.
By Gregg Mansfield
“I think Swift Trawler does a great job of not making scaled versions of each boat. Each boat is distinctly different,” said Justin Joyner, powerboat manager for Beneteau America. “This is a different Swift Trawler, but again, I think it maintains the DNA.”
Beneteau introduced the Swift Trawler line 15 years ago, offering five models from 30 to 50 feet. The Swift Trawler 47 fills a gap in the lineup and the French builder has plans for one more Swift Trawler model, said Aurore Bordage, marketing manager for Beneteau America.
“We sold out our production line immediately before we brought the boat to market,” Joyner said. “Literally all the dealers said, ‘Yep, I’m in.’”
It’s easy to why dealers are bullish on the new model after Beneteau provided marine journalists an opportunity to run the Swift Trawler 47 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Swift Trawler stood out among the yachts in the marina outside the historic The Vinoy Renaissance hotel.
Beneteau offers only one engine package on each Swift Trawler model. That ensures a perfect center of gravity, Joyner said, and the engine compartment is designed to allow maximum cabin space on the lower deck. The boats are built to European Union CE Certification standards.
“At Beneteau’s core, we’re a sailboat company. What do sailboat companies have to do? Design boats that run through the water efficiently,” said Joyner, noting the boat checks in at nearly 28,000 pounds dry. “We figure out a running surface—there are no engine options in this boat. Its hull, its engine, all one package and designed to be as efficient as possible.”
One trait of the Swift Trawler models is that the boats have little to no bow rise. Running on the protected waters of Tampa Bay, the Swift Trawler 47 quickly reached its top speed of 28 knots and easily mashed the wind-fed chop. Owners will appreciate the boat’s construction as there were no rattles while running in the bay.
Joyner said Beneteau worked with Cummins France to develop proprietary software, eliminating the SmartCraft digital technology. Beneteau plainly labeled all potential error codes so operators can decide if the problem warrants an immediate trip to the local dealer. (Beneteau provides a full three-year warranty on the yacht.)
Users can control the lights and boat systems from the helm station. With a good Wi-Fi connection on the yacht, the systems could be started remotely from a tablet but Beneteau does not currently recommend it.
The electronic throttle-and-shifter was smooth and responsive in bringing the V-bottom boat on plane and for maneuvering around tight marinas. A joystick-controlled bow-and-stern thruster simplifies the docking process. The pilot’s bench seat can be flipped up to increase visibility whether underway or around the docks.
We expect most owners will spend plenty of time on the flybridge operating the boat. The helm has similar electronics as the main deck helm including Raymarine screens, bow thruster controls and electronic throttle and shifter. The helm’s pedestal seat was adjustable and firmly secured to the nonskid deck.
One thing Joyner says buyers won’t find on the flybridge is Isinglass.
“In the new-boat business, Isinglass is literally a bad word,” Joyner said. “You don’t put it on the boats anymore and that’s why we have that functional helm down there so when the weather is not nice, like it was pretty much until about an hour ago, we just ran from down below.”
The spacious flybridge also has facing L-shape lounges and an expandable wood table, a great spot for enjoying a meal at sunset. Beneteau included a prepping station and a Dometic refrigerator on the flybridge, reducing trips to the main deck for cold drinks.
An add-on swim platform extends the usable space at the transom. The platform can accommodate a dinghy weighing up to 750 pounds. Another feature we liked was how quiet the genset was while socializing at the dock. Most systems eject the water off the side of the boat, while the setup on the Swift Trawler 47 sends the water below the waterline.
Much needed for extended voyages, the builder installed a Splendide washer-and-dryer combo in a cabinet on the starboard side.
Joyner said the Swift Trawler line is designed for consumers who want to spend days on the water at a time.
“This is the boat that the enlighten boater buys when they have decided that they want to go long distance,” Joyner said. “I have learned you can’t take for granted what that means, because to some people long distance is two weeks on a boat, sometimes it’s two months, sometimes it’s two years. Those are both very different (buyers) but whatever it is, that’s the dream.”