Beneteau Swift Trawler 44
Beneteau powerboats slipped under the radar of many local manufacturers and now have a firm bridgehead on Aussie soil. It offers honest, value-for-money vessels, with an excellent standard of fit-out that really can handle and stand up to harsh Aussie conditions.- Modern contemporary interior design
- Excellent galley
- Sleeps six in absolute comfort
- Innovations used throughout the boat
- Superior performance and handling
- Clever convertible saloon lounge
- Engine room a bit squeezy
But hang onto your hats, because Beneteau has gone one better. Thanks to the high Aussie dollar, you can now get a new, bigger, fully-optioned Swift Trawler 44 for only $699,000 -- that’s a $100,000 saving on the original 42 footer.
This new offering is based on the original Swift 42 hull but don’t be fooled into thinking she’s just a revamp model… the latest Swift 44 has been completely redesigned and incorporates many ideas from Beneteau Swift 42 owners, who, after years of trouble-free boating, had ideas to further improve the product.
While her overall length has been stretched to 44ft, by increasing the size of her swim platform, the beam has also been increased from 4.17m to 4.25m. However, one of the biggest innovations on this vessel is the asymmetrical bulwarks design. On the starboard side the covered bulwark, from the aft cockpit to the opening skipper’s door, is relatively flat until you reach the helm where it steps up towards the bow. But on the portside the bulwark steps up at the saloon’s aft bulkhead. It isn’t as wide as it is on the starboard side, but still navigable. What’s so good about that? It adds height to the saloon and allows the cabinets on the portside to be recessed into the deck, creating a lot more room in the saloon proper.
There are many subtle changes incorporated into this new vessel and they certainly make this value-for-money floating apartment an even better prospect.
Mahogany has been used for all interior woodwork and carpentry, while exposed fibreglass areas in the cabins have been covered with off-white vinyl for that added touch of luxury.
The decks are covered with a diamond-tip type non-slip and there’s a stainless-steel guard sheer rail on the hull.
Adopting vertical screens has even more benefits, because it adds to room in the saloon and on the flybridge, but it also moves the boat’s centre of gravity forward, to improve its balance.
The aft cockpit now boasts a built-in L-shaped lounge on the portside, with storage underneath. Step through the black-framed sliding doors into the bright and airy main saloon (there’s no step up), and you immediately notice how the recessed cupboards on the portside add room to this area. There’s a central, centre-pedestal table that up to six can sit around, but it’s a bit squeezy. It also packs away to allow the sofa to become a double bed. There is also a pair of folding armchairs and a pouffe in the saloon.
Opposite the sofa is a flat screen TV mounted on a wall bracket that allows it to be angled around, so it can be seen from the sofa, galley, or aft cockpit. The U-shaped galley on the portside is a real winner. It features a double sink; oven, a three-burner gas cooktop and ample storage.
Beneteau has cleverly designed the lower helm station, so it doesn’t intrude on living space, but still preserves helm ergonomics. The helm and dashboard are high-set, so the dual skipper’s chair is also raised, but it has a footrest to brace against. There’s a 130-litre fridge under the helm bench and when the boat is at rest, the seat cushion folds forward onto the dashboard, exposing handy bench space directly above the fridge.
To port of the helm is a shallow stairway leading to the dayhead and two cabins. The forward master cabin is light and roomy thanks to expanded hull ports that provide much more natural light than in the Swift 42’s cabin. There are two wardrobes, shelves and under-bed storage and a door to the compact forward head and shower.
Across from this en-suite is the dayhead and opposite is the smaller guests’ cabin, which still boasts a full-sized double bed, hanging locker and large opening porthole. Combine these cabins with the convertible sofa in the saloon and this boat comfortably sleeps six.
Access to the flybridge is via a teak/stainless-steel ladder in the aft cockpit. Here the instruments and controls used at the lower station have been duplicated. There’s an adjustable skipper and navigator’s chair, an L-shaped lounge/dinette and a bench seat. There’s also a moulded module with a sink under a lift-up lid and storage cupboards below. Out on the flybridge’s expansive aft deck there’s more than enough room to house a sizable tender, which would be launched using the fitted mast and boom.
The uninterrupted views from the flybridge will suit Aussie boat styles and allow the skipper to keep an eye on anybody frolicking on the large foredeck sunpad -- only for safety reasons of course.
The 44 has a deep keel and her props are mounted in shallow tunnels, so even if you were to touch bottom the props are protected to an extent. Her deep keel also aids straight tracking, so in a following sea the hull has no tendencies to broach.
Surprisingly, even though they call this boat a "trawler", with both throttles pushed fully forward, you can throw her around like a sports boat. Those massive chines, mini tunnels for the shafts, sharp bow entry and deep keel, all come into play and bring her around fast!
This boat also shows just how good a ride you can get from a hull with extremely aggressive chines that are carried right to the bow. The ride remains soft and dry as the sharp bow slices through chop and slop effortlessly, while the oversized-chines create mini tunnels between the keel and the hull’s outer edges. These trap air, which generates lift and further cushions the ride. They also aid stability at rest, so there’s much less rocking and rolling at anchor. You can get a good night’s sleep without that feeling you’re being thrown out of bed.
The Swift Trawler 44 is an ideal all-round coastal cruiser quite capable of handling the swells out in the ocean, or taking the lumps out of that afternoon chop experienced in the Whitsundays for most of the year. And what a great Whitsunday cruiser she’d make, because at 11 knots her 1400-litre fuel tank gives her a range of around 800nm. At a fast cruise of 18 knots pulling 2800rpm, she’ll effortlessly cover 350nm from a tank, but if you have to run for cover from an approaching storm, she’ll pull 26 knots at full throttle.
But the biggest plus for this new offering from Beneteau is the price.
Mechanical/equipment: 4.9/5.0
Packaging and practicality: 4.7/5.0
On the water Performance: 4.8/5.0
Value for money: 4.9/5.0
X-factor: 4.8/5.0
Material: FRP balsa resin composite hull and deck; monolithic FRP internal mouldings
Type: Semi-planing monohull
Length Overall: 13.88m
Hull length: 12.17m
Beam: 4.25m
Draft: 1.05m
Weight: 10,895kg
CAPACITIES
Berths: 2 doubles (+ dinette and cockpit berths)
Fuel: 1500 literes
WATER: 640 litres
HOLDING TANK: 88 litres
ENGINE
Make/model: 2 x Volvo Penta D4
Type: Electronically injected turbo diesel
Rated hp: 300hp (each)
Props: Four-blade bronze
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