Swift Trawler 54

Little Ricky said:
Lovely looking boats with flybridges, are always ruined in their style by silly pointless hard tops. Their function is merely to keep the sun off people's delicate heads, well in the words of Blackadder, "perhaps some sort of hat is in order".
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I'm intrigued. If, as you believe, they are pointless, why, in your opinion, are so very many people paying a substantial amount of money to specify them on their boats? 🙂
 
ari said:
I'm intrigued. If, as you believe, they are pointless, why, in your opinion, are so very many people paying a substantial amount of money to specify them on their boats? 🙂
ari said:
I'm intrigued. If, as you believe, they are pointless, why, in your opinion, are so very many people paying a substantial amount of money to specify them on their boats? 🙂
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Many reasons. 1, the boat already comes with it so they've no choice, 2 the salesman talks them in speccing it because it will "harm resale" 3 they're afraid to do something different, and 4 people dont care about the design of the boat as much as the consequences of not having a hard top.
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If you look at an image on your computer of any modern flybridge that is over 55 feet that has a hard top, Azimut 55, Princess 60 just examples, put your hand over the flybridge part so whats underneath is whats left, see how much more attractive and in keeping with the design style of the rest of the boat that looks.
 
Little Ricky said:
If you look at an image on your computer of any modern flybridge that is over 55 feet that has a hard top, Azimut 55, Princess 60 just examples, put your hand over the flybridge part so whats underneath is whats left, see how much more attractive and in keeping with the design style of the rest of the boat that looks.
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Yes.. I can't give an absolute answer but just because they are frequently specced by buyers doesn't automatically indicate that the boat is better for it. Bayesian sailing superyacht had at the time of build, the highest mast available. Was it functionally the best option? No. It was to be the tallest.
Yachting, especially as it gets expensive, is very image driven. I wouldn't doubt many hard tops are specified because other similar boats in the marina have one, so you can't be the 'guy' who specs their new fancy schmancy yacht with an old school open deck or 'heaven forbid' a piece of rag protecting your head from the sun... What would the neighbours say??
 
Little Ricky said:
If you look at an image on your computer of any modern flybridge that is over 55 feet that has a hard top, Azimut 55, Princess 60 just examples, put your hand over the flybridge part so whats underneath is whats left, see how much more attractive and in keeping with the design style of the rest of the boat that looks.
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Correct. How does that make them 'pointless'? 🙂
 
Fire99 said:
Yes.. I can't give an absolute answer but just because they are frequently specced by buyers doesn't automatically indicate that the boat is better for it. Bayesian sailing superyacht had at the time of build, the highest mast available. Was it functionally the best option? No. It was to be the tallest.
Yachting, especially as it gets expensive, is very image driven. I wouldn't doubt many hard tops are specified because other similar boats in the marina have one, so you can't be the 'guy' who specs their new fancy schmancy yacht with an old school open deck or 'heaven forbid' a piece of rag protecting your head from the sun... What would the neighbours say??
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I'm guessing that's your Trader in your Avatar, with a hard top..?

Is it there just because everyone else has one? 🙂
 
Little Ricky said:
If you look at an image on your computer of any modern flybridge that is over 55 feet that has a hard top, Azimut 55, Princess 60 just examples, put your hand over the flybridge part so whats underneath is whats left, see how much more attractive and in keeping with the design style of the rest of the boat that looks.
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You do appear to have a bee in your hardtop about this ;).
 
ari said:
I'm guessing that's your Trader in your Avatar, with a hard top..?

Is it there just because everyone else has one? 🙂
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That's a hard top on the rear deck. The flybridge is all uncovered for my shiny head to see the sun as per my post #20. Roof over rear deck, flybridge open unless I put a bimini raggy thing up.
 
Fire99 said:
That's a hard top on the rear deck. The flybridge is all uncovered for my shiny head to see the sun as per my post #20. Roof over rear deck, flybridge open unless I put a bimini raggy thing up.
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So it's just there because everyone else has one? What about the Bayesian? 😉
 
Fire99 said:
What are you going on about? The point being discussed was hardtops on flybridges, as per the original picture of the Swift Trawler 54, which mine still doesn't have. Clear?
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You were making baseless judgements about people choosing hardtops purely for reasons of image and making bizarre comparisons with the Bayesian. I'm simply doing the same about your hardtop. Clear?
 
I was at my Marina today, my boat being lifted was the main reason, and I noticed one of these 54s parked in the sales area. I didn’t go on board, but spent a bit of time looking at it from the pontoon, I have to say that it looks a great deal better in the flesh/plastic then it does in the photos.

The Hard top that was fitted to this particular boat looked completely okay to me, very much in keeping with the styling, whilst unlikely to be necessary in the UK of course. Probably an essential fixture in the Mediterranean.

Based on Boat show visits, my big reservations with these would be the quality of the interior fit out, not the interior styling or the provision or absence of a hard top.
 
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Interesting comment re quality of fit out as that was a thought I had looking at older Trawlers but I haven’t had a chance to view in the flesh an early 41 type . I guess you cannot expect the same quality as a nordhaven or broom etc but I did wonder what say a2020 boat would look like in 5 years time internally. There have been some earlier ones for sale eg a44 recently sold I saw
 
Sticky Fingers said:
The Hard top that was fitted to this particular boat looked completely okay to me, very much in keeping with the styling, whilst unlikely to be necessary in the UK of course. Probably an essential fixture in the Mediterranean.
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Yup, absolutely. The majority of experienced owners in the Med, Florida etc will spec them. Much less necessary in the UK as you say, sadly. 🙂
 
ashtead said:
Interesting comment re quality of fit out as that was a thought I had looking at older Trawlers but I haven’t had a chance to view in the flesh an early 41 type . I guess you cannot expect the same quality as a nordhaven or broom etc but I did wonder what say a2020 boat would look like in 5 years time internally. There have been some earlier ones for sale eg a44 recently sold I saw
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My friend has a smaller '35 and whilst pretty new it looks an efficient interior but I do wonder what the lifespan of the interior materials are. They're much closer to a half decent new domestic kitchen than joinery of old. Not passing judgement either way, as I've not seen onboard any old enough yet.
 
ashtead said:
I guess you cannot expect the same quality as a nordhaven or broom etc
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A little bit of a thread dig up here but regarding quality, notably the interior fit-outs and Nordhavns. I was watching the Awanui NZ channel with their N51 and the engineering has some excellent features etc but it appears the panelling quality looked a lot more inline with say a Swift Trawler than traditional high end joinery.
Interestingly both the ST54 and N51 have very similar baseline price figures so It's interesting that the brands aren't entirely that distinct from eachother.
 
Thanks for info - I have followed Awanui with interest but not paid a lot of attention to quality of their internal fit out. While we are currently happy sailors the day will arrive I’m sure when sail gives way to power and the ease of motoring at say12kn to next destination has an appeal . While the ST 54 is out of our size the 41 certainly fits the bill so maybe others have thoughts on rivals to the Bene trawlers in addition to the nordhavens. I quite like the Bene trawlers 41 due to cabin layout but I guess I could get 3 berth cabins in others of that length . I quite like a 3 sleeping cabin layout but it might be those mobo diesels take up more space and hence shortage of cabins .
 
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