ALL SEASONS CRUISER
Beneteau's Swift Trawler is yet another variation of the practical motor cruiser. Traditionally, trawler-style yachts have taken cues from the working vessels that lend them their name – seaworthy hulls, high bulwarks, enclosed decks, low-revving engines and long range fuel tanks. Interiors are usually fairly utilitarian to both maximise space and minimise maintenance, so plenty of hardwood and benches with little else to cause fuss.
“We have created a simple, low maintenance boat that’s strong, yet can be easily handled.”
Major builders such as Grand Banks and Fleming have been producing sturdy boats like these for decades, but Beneteau have tweaked the concept considerably, as product manager Thomas Gaillard showed me during the walk-through of this new 47 when it launched in Cannes, France. “We have created a simple, low maintenance boat that's strong, yet can be easily handled,” explained the Beneteau veteran, who has overseen dozens of vessels in both power and sail built during his many years at the company.
Back in 2003, the French company refreshed this traditional
