Swift Trawler 54

[Fire99]

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 .

I'm a bit of a boaty nerd (probably after all the work I've done on mine. It gets in your skin) so I'm more focussed on what VHF Mark is using or how easy it is for him to change his heat exchanger anode than some of the scenery shots. I could be wrong but when you're next watching an Awanui video, have a nose at the joinery. Doesn't seem a million miles away from the larger Swift Trawlers to my eyes.

Personally I think the ST41 looks really good. Like a 'grown up' 35, which itself is a great looking boat. And the '41 is the first one you see when you go onto the Beneteau ST web page, so it must be good.
Joking aside, I think Beneteau hit the nail on the head with the small and medium sized ST range.

 

[Greg2]

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.

That’s an interesting perspective. Having looked at several Nordhavns and one or two Swift Trawlers at Boatshows over the years I wouldn’t have put them in the same category in term of interior fit out and in particular the woodwork. Not necessarily disagreeing, because I haven’t looked closely and it’s been a while since I was on a Nordhavn, but my overall impression wasn’t that they are on a par with each other.
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[Sticky Fingers]

The recent smaller Nordies are definitely not in the same fitout league as the old school classics; but they’re not in the same price bracket either.

 

[Fire99]

That’s an interesting perspective. Having looked at several Nordhavns and one or two Swift Trawlers at Boatshows over the years I wouldn’t have put them in the same category in term of interior fit out and in particular the woodwork. Not necessarily disagreeing, because I haven’t looked closely and it’s been a while since I was on a Nordhavn, but my overall impression wasn’t that they are on a par with each other.
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Thanks Greg.. To my eyes the N51 has a more 'mainstream' interior fit-out compared to more traditional Nordies which would reflect its more 'production boat' position with less customisation etc but with the visuals I've not walked on one in the plastic so videos could be deceiving. The Nordie and the ST54 appear to be in the same ballpark, price wise. (If AI is to be believed)

 

[Greg2]

Ah, perhaps it was older Nordhavns I am thinking of as it has been a while since I saw one.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Yep that’s likely. The current smaller Nordhavn models are made in a new venture in Turkey. And designed to appeal to Swift Trawler / Azimut Magellano (and similar) customers. And budgets.

 

[Fire99]

Yep that’s likely. The current smaller Nordhavn models are made in a new venture in Turkey. And designed to appeal to Swift Trawler / Azimut Magellano (and similar) customers. And budgets.

I'd love to have a poke around a N51 and a ST54 back to back and see how they compare. I can see the appeal of both but I still think the N51 tries to cram too much into it's 51 feet with its separate pilot area (if that's the right term for it). They're both in the same price area but I'd guess the ST54 would feel more spacious inside generally, especially in the Saloon area.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I’d agree with this. Nordhavn has spent a lot of $$$ building up a reputation. The latest ‘budget’ models can’t compromise that, so the retention of Nordic features if pretty much essential. Beneteau had no such limitations.

 

[Bouba]

Looks like the acrimonious dispute over hard tops has finished….so this is a good time to dredge it up and show that it’s not only motorboats that have them

 

[Fire99]

Looks like the acrimonious dispute over hard tops has finished….so this is a good time to dredge it up and show that it’s not only motorboats that have them

This is said in jest of course but it looks like a sailing Wedding Cake.. I hate to say I think it works better on this than it does on 'multi-deck' motor boats that have plenty of hard topped shelter but then enclose the one major option for fully outdoors seating.

 

[Irish Rover]

This is said in jest of course but it looks like a sailing Wedding Cake.. I hate to say I think it works better on this than it does on 'multi-deck' motor boats that have plenty of hard topped shelter but then enclose the one major option for fully outdoors seating.

I'd imagine most flybridge motor boats have plenty of open space on the forward deck. The Swift 54 certainly does as does my Leopard 43 (the one in the pic is not mine)

 

[Bouba]

I'd imagine most flybridge motor boats have plenty of open space on the forward deck. The Swift 54 certainly does as does my Leopard 43 (the one in the pic is not mine)
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I don’t get it….you start an argument against hard tops and you have one

 

[Irish Rover]

I don’t get it….you start an argument against hard tops and you have one

I guess reading and comprehension weren't top priorities in whatever school you attended .

 

[Bouba]

I guess reading and comprehension weren't top priorities in whatever school you attended .

My education was extensive…more schools than I can count

 

[Irish Rover]

My education was extensive…more schools than I can count

So 2 then.

 

[Bouba]

So 2 then.

Three different countries

 

[Fire99]

I'd imagine most flybridge motor boats have plenty of open space on the forward deck. The Swift 54 certainly does as does my Leopard 43 (the one in the pic is not mine)
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I have a fair sized bow area with the occasional sunpad but I find sitting on the bow a bit remote and on the flybridge with the screens, you get comfort without wind buffeting. Personally speaking, unless it's a flat calm day I feel more like a flag which in UK waters isn't all that relaxing.

 

[Irish Rover]

I find sitting on the bow a bit remote

Remote from what?

unless it's a flat calm day I feel more like a flag which in UK waters isn't all that relaxing.