Making its UK debut at the Southampton Boat Show, the Beneteau Swift Trawler 54 is the best in a very long line of high-volume long-distance cruising boats.
True, the Beneteau Swift Trawler 54’s aesthetic looks much more in line with the traditional styling of the smaller Swift Trawler models than with the superyacht-inspired Grand Trawler 62, but the ingenuity of the internal design is extraordinary.
Rather than creating unbroken open-plan spaces, the Beneteau designers have deliberately compartmentalised each level into discernible zones for extra homeliness. The saloon, for instance, features three sections – an upper dinette adjacent to the helm; a casual lower lounge with a coffee table; and a transverse galley between the two.
The midships galley and internal staircase work superbly well
The galley is cordoned off from each space by means of a glass screen but you can communicate very easily and you can still get out to the port side deck through a sliding galley door. And the delineation of deck levels adds to that separation, enabling you to step away and chill out in peace, exactly as you might at home.
Down below, you get a full-beam owner’s cabin with an ensuite bathroom, plus a forward VIP, a port bunk room and a port bathroom with Jack and Jill doors – and while that might sound quite formulaic, the design intelligence down here is very striking.
The flybridge uses the same zonal approach as the saloon
The port bunk room, for instance, takes up extra floor space with an L-shaped bed arrangement, which is far more attractive for guests than vertical bunks. This does force the day heads to steal a bit of space from the VIP cabin, but its integration is so beautifully managed that you barely notice.
Back outside, the flybridge is just as zonal as the saloon. It comprises an open aft deck for toys, a central dinette for meals and a forward companion section for lounging alongside the skipper.
As a trawler yacht, light, space and headroom are very strong
But it’s the design of the aft end that is particularly unusual. The entire deck hinges up, revealing a huge lazarette with a manual davit for your toys.
You can opt for an ensuite crew cabin instead but either way, as the ‘Best Passagemaker’ at January’s MBY Awards, this is a Swift Trawler that warrants some serious attention.
Article continues below…
Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 review: French boating giant breaks new ground
£2000000
Beneteau Swift Trawler 54 review: £1.4M cruiser is the ultimate home
Beneteau Swift Trawler 54 Specifications:
LOA: 56ft 2in (17.13m)
Beam: 16ft 4in (4.98m)
Engines: 2 x Cummins QSB 6.7 550s
Speed: 19 knots
Price: From £1,125,000 ex VAT
Contact details: www.beneteau.com
If you enjoyed this….
If you enjoyed this….Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.
Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.
Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.
Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
