Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 [Boat Review + Video]

Explore the 44′ Beneteau Swift Trawler available for sale in South Florida & Seattle. Byron Shirley gives a tour of this vessel.

This is Byron Shirley from Denison Yachting and I’m going to take you onboard the Beneteau Swift Trawler 41. This is the culmination of three generations of Beneteau’s Swift Trawlers in the 40-foot range and I’m personally very excited to see some of the design updates that Beneteau has implemented.

First, let’s cover some general specs. The Swift Trawler 41 is 44 foot long, 13 foot 11 wide with a draft of 3 foot 9 and displaces 24300 pounds. Her standard layout is three cabins and two heads. But one of the cabins is designed to be used as storage as well. She has sleeping for seven indoors. She carries 309 gallons of diesel, 106 gallons of fresh water and has a 32 gallon black water tank.

She’s powered with twin Volvo D4s with 300 horsepower each and comes standard with balanced turn thrusters. She has a semi-displacement haul and planes at 11 knots and tops out at about 23 knots. At planing speed, her efficiency is a steady 0.7 nautical miles per gallon which translates to 175-189 nautical mile range between 11 and 23 knots.

Let’s start our walkthrough at the stern. The swim platform is a fixed part of the hall and is where you would install the tender. Beneteau devised a clever unobtrusive launching system that works with an electric winch. I would install a 9 foot 3 tender. There is a large fold out swim ladder and an emergency ladder underneath.

Going into the cockpit, I should point out that Beneteau thoughtfully made the gate wide enough for wheelchair access. The cockpit has an L-shaped settee with a great hidden feature. At the dock or anchor you can pull back the bench to create an even wider space and fit a table for dining in the open.

There is an overhang with speakers and lighting and more importantly a full enclosure that can be hidden away totally out of sight. The designers thoughtfully made the sliding door to the salon disappear to create a nice opening to the galley counter.

One of the first innovations from the previous models is the location of the galley. It is central between the cockpit and salon so that you can be using the galley and still be in the middle of the action. For the first time Beneteau added a full-size fridge and there are loads of storage cabinets. As an added luxury feature, we option the boat with a dishwasher. You can order either propane or electric cooktop.

There is a very useful shelf to port with nice counter space and lots of storage and a place for an icemaker. Beneteau also added a TV storage that cleverly tucks away. It fits around a 22 inch TV so for those wanting a large salon TV, it could be installed on the countertop. This model can be ordered with electric heating and air but we outfitted this model for the Pacific Northwest with hydraulic diesel-powered heating which is efficient quiet and does not require the generator.

Moving forward, I love how the designers now have the settee across from the helm station. This continues the theme of making sure everyone can hang out together. The settee is already large but there is an excellent added feature. The helm station bench can pivot and lower to face the table. The table opens up, thus creating seating for seven easily.

This table also has shorter feet available to turn the entire berth into sleeping for two and there is a wraparound curtain to provide privacy. The location of the berth is very convenient because other guests can still walk past. It should be mentioned that there are full blackout curtains around the entire salon to provide privacy and security when not onboard.

The helm station is designed for two to sit. There is a single upgraded 12 inch Raymarine display which has radar, depth sounder, charts connectivity to the stereo and backup camera. And Beneteau’s new ship control software which allows for many boat related functions like checking tankage, turning lights on, even regulating the air conditioning when the boat comes with it.

I also love the ability to turn on and off shore power and fire up the generator. There are separate autopilot controls, controls for the windlass and bow and stern thrusters. By far one of the best feature Beneteau continues to do on the 35 and 41 swift trawlers is to put the helm by a large opening door with easy access to the side deck and another door to get to the dock.

I’ve always docked the swift trawlers from the lower helm because I have great visibility forward and aft, can step out to the side and can handle the lines myself if needed. This is not a hard boat to single hand.

Moving forward three steps, we move to the cabins and head. To port is the main guest cabin which features two beds side by side with the ability to fill the gap and turn into one bed. There’s storage underneath the beds and a hanging locker. There is natural light from two windows with opening ports. Across the way is a third cabin with a single berth which can be just a storage room especially if you remove the mattress.

There are shelves and as an option you can get a combo washer and dryer. The day and guest heads are simply configured with a shower with curtains and head. The master cabin is all the way forward and flooded with natural light. The queen-sized island berth is easy to access and features practical storage with reading lights.

The head and shower are separated with both quite roomy. The head is to port and the shower is to starboard. Before we move to the ford deck and flybridge, I want to show off the engine room which is much improved from the swift trawler 44 and 42 before that. We now get a large opening hatch with a short stepladder. You can now stand between the engines and although you still have to crouch over the checked of your fluids it’s much improved. There’s also access to the front of each engines from each of the guest cabins.

To access the remainder of the systems we need to open the very wide lazarette hatch. Inside you have access to the electrical systems like chargers and inverters and battery switches. You also have the generator and then you have the water tanks as a reminder these hold 106 gallons combined and there is space aboard to add a water maker if desired. Then into offers it as an option. However, truly the best part of this lazarette is the amount of easily accessible storage. The floor space measures about 5 foot by 4 feet and it’s perfect for fenders and all your extra gear. 

Moving forward, I want to point out that the swift trolley designs have an asymmetrical cabin, therefore the starboard side of the walkway is wider. I always try to dock on the starboard side and have found this boat to be easy to dock bow or stern in because of the vessel’s maneuverability and large number of windows. 

The foredeck is easily accessible with tall railings, toe holes and a flat deck. This makes it easy to prepare for docking or to just enjoy the views while underway. Beneteau made another great improvement incorporating a sunpad with lift up bench seating in the front. While this feature doesn’t come with this particular hull, it can be ordered. 

Moving up to the flybridge, you immediately get a sense of openness and space. The flybridge is set up as three areas. With the open space aft that can be configured to your needs with dock boxes, sunbathing chairs or even kayaks. Forward, there’s a station with a barbecue and sink with a cutting board on top an extra fridge and a trash compartment. 

Moving further forward, we get to the settee which has ample seating for seven or eight guests. The table can be opened further for alfresco dining. There’s a great Bimini available in great canvas or beige with integrated lighting. 

Finally, we get to the helm station. First, I want to point out that the seating to the left and right of the helm chair can be moved back and forth for those wanting to keep company with the helm’s person. The helm station has the same features as a lower station except it has two 9-inch Raymarine displays instead of the 12-inch one below. The helm is comfortable and ergonomical. 

This is Byron Shirley and on behalf of Denison Yachting, I want to thank you for joining us on this walkthrough of the 2021 Beneteau Swift Trawler 41. If you have any questions or you want to set up a personal showing, please contact us at the Denison, Seattle office. Thank you for watching.

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