BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER 48

Next year will mark 20 years of Swift Trawlers. The first model, the ST42, made its debut at the 2003 Cannes show with a boast that it reinterpreted the trawler yacht concept. And it did. Not just because it had a sea-kindly semi-displacement hull capable of 26 knots but because it also featured a fresh, modern interior at a surprisingly reasonable price. In essence it did for trawler yachts what early SUVs like the Volvo XC90, BMW X5 and Land Rover Freelander did for off-roaders by turning a specialist niche product into a mainstream, family friendly cruiser with a whiff of adventure about it. Its popularity surprised everyone, not least the French builder. Other models were soon added above and below to flesh out the range, which over the years has spanned everything from 30-52ft and sold around 1,500 units to date.

There are presently three core Swift Trawler models – the 35, the 41 and the new-this-year 48. The latter has just replaced the outgoing 47 but it is based on the same very capable Micad hull platform with a facelifted exterior from Andreani Design. Outwardly the differences are subtle. The most obvious is the fashion plates-cum-buttresses, which have been upgraded from